At its core, creating urgency will help you exceed sales goals, but it also helps you from a productivity standpoint. Planning ahead and meeting deadlines are all important for your business to grow. We’re sharing 4 tips for you to create urgency, drive sales and help your business take it to the next level.

Tip 1: Advertise Holiday Sales, Closeouts and Customer-Exclusive Offers

All motivation starts with a need. Special sales tend to create a need in a customers’ minds, whether there is an immediate one or not. The thought of missing out or getting additional savings can cause a customer to make a purchase.

Holidays are the perfect time to run sales. You’ll have an immediate name for the sale, and the customer will assume it’s for a specific amount of time (because of the holiday). This creates urgency.

Closeouts are also a great way to drive sales. In the promo industry, you’ll need to reach out to your supplier to coordinate this effort. One example could be to contact an apparel supplier and find out what styles are being discontinued. Working together, you can come up with a closeout sale to advertise to your customers.

Customer-exclusive offers are another way to drive sales. Slightly different from the “missing out” idea, these sales will make a customer feel special because they carry an exclusivity that only they can get this special offer. This creates an urgency in its own way: It’s exclusive, just for me, so I’d better take advantage of it while I can.

Tip 2: Set Expiration Dates & Deadlines (Real & Implied)

Adding an expiration date or deadline will encourage customers to take advantage while they can. Again, the thought of “missing out” is at play here. We recommend that you add an expiration date or deadline to any advertised sale. If there isn’t one, it will lose a sense of urgency.

If you’re offering a special that doesn’t actually have an end date, consider making it the end of the month and update it monthly. This will create a perception that it’s only for a limited time, creating urgency.

Tip 3: Suggest Ordering Early to Avoid Supply Chain and Inventory Issues

Get customers to plan ahead by leveraging supply chain and inventory issues. Explain how you know it’s important that customers get their orders on time. The best way to do that is to plan and order early. Plus, if you know your supplier has the inventory, you can also tell the customer that inventory is available now, but might not be later, so you recommend placing an order immediately. Supply chain and inventory issues are real challenges, so creating urgency around them not only helps you close the sale, but shows your customer you’re an industry expert who's on top of trends and issues.

Tip 4: Follow Up

It may seem like a no-brainer, but following up with customers can also create urgency. Be sure to include any deadlines or details regarding the potential order. You can say things like “I want to make sure you get your order on time” or “We should place this order while there is still inventory.” Reminding customers of these things will create urgency and help them cross one more thing off their to-do list.

Now you’re ready to create urgency, drive sales and reach your goals.

Sources:

"How to Create a Sense of Urgency Without Causing Stress." Indeed Editorial Team. August 18, 2021. Indeed.

"What is Motivation Cycle in Psychology?" Rashid, Razia. June 8, 2020. Psychologytosafety.com.