Blue Light Specials Are Not Suited For Social Media

Remember the days where your adrenaline began to surge and your inhibition went out the window with the simple phrase "blue light special on aisle..." Truth be told... neither do I, but I am well aware of the success this marketing strategy provided for K-Mart. 

Blue light specials, in case you do not know, were sales that we announced over the intercom in K-Mart stores that encouraged shoppers to purchase a specific product as the sale was only available for a limited time. This strategy (instituted in 1965) created a shopping phenomenon - hundreds of customers were purchasing items they didn't need merely because it was a "good deal." These results have caused millions of companies to alter their marketing strategy in order to capitalize on this phenomenon. While intentions are motivated by revenue, modern marketers need to be wary of using these same ploys in the modern media market. 

Twitter, due to the 140 character limit, is often viewed as the optimal space for these brief solicitations. Think again. This is the site for creativity to take flight. A place for small, “shallow” conversations that are pithy and informative. A place for engaging headlines that link to valuable content. A space for sharing intriguing quotes, funny moments, or creative ideas. This is a space where #runonsentences are embraced. With Twitter, less is more and shorthand is crucial. People want connections - not sales "calls." If you only use this platform as a way to promote your latest deal, people will stop following you and become disengaged. This is space for connection, not coercion. 

Facebook and LinkedIn are no different. In fact, in these spaces people feel intruded upon if you merely connect with them to try and sell a product. Discount codes, promotions, what-have you, are only well received when genuine relationships are established or genuine content is provided. Social media is not the next generation of door-to-door sales. It is the stratosphere of connection that cultivates brand advocates through sincere engagement and valuable content. It is the next generation coffee shop, where people hang out just to hang out and meet people (if they get a free coffee in the mix, the better). 

So please, next time you think tweeting a discount code or sharing your "latest product" is going to boost sales, remember you just may annoy your next client into the vortex of "what could have been" and miss out on creating a loyal brand advocate who assists you in exponential growth. Choose your words (and ploys) wisely.