In part I of our FOMO marketing series, we talked about the psychology behind FOMO and the potential for manipulation. Fortunately, you can avoid shadiness when marketing for events, launches, and campaigns. Remember, you’re building hype in an honest and transparent way that excites people and gets them involved in your brand. The emphasis is on “honest” and “transparent.” At the end of the day, you want people to want to be a part of your community, but more importantly, you want your community to provide the kind of value that it promises.
How to Generate FOMO
When it comes to generating FOMO, we’ve got a laundry list of best practices. Above all else, remember to be transparent. Even good intentions can lead to you-know-where if you fall down the slippery slope of exaggeration.
1. Show that you’re in demand.
In other words, talk to the people who are already enjoying your event or product. For instance, if you have a crowd, take a video! Post behind-the-scenes footage and Q&As with your consumers. Ultimately, just show the ways you’re building buzz. Stay unscripted and authentic, and rest easy knowing the live footage doesn’t need to be as crystal clear as something that may have been in production.
2. Create urgency.
All good things must come to an end, so make sure your desired audience knows exactly when that is. Include details about the end of a campaign or deal in your content. If you’re hosting an ongoing event, circle back to the final date on a semi-regular basis. No one should miss the ship because they didn’t know when it was leaving the harbor.
3. Get exclusive.
If people are following you online, they’re already part of an exclusive group. Reward them for that! Make them feel special because, guess what, they are! Exclusive perks could come in the form of discounts, behind-the-scenes knowledge, or chances to win.
4. Testimonials, testimonials, testimonials.
Let people hear from authentically happy customers. You can share testimonials on social media, on your website, in longer-form content, or in videos. Let your imagination run free, but whatever you do, DO NOT be someone who pays for testimonials or, worse yet, writes fake ones for themselves. That kind of thing will always come to light, and most readers will feel an inauthentic review in their gut anyway.
5. Invite special guests.
We all love experts, local celebrities, and even a favorite figurehead or two. Basically, anyone who creates hype, has insider knowledge, and has actually enjoyed your product or service. Once you select your special guest(s), leverage them. It’s why charities team up with TV show actors and movie stars — their name lends credibility.
6. Interact
When people engage with your social media or online presence, they shouldn’t feel like they’re shouting into the void. Interact with them! Be vigilant about responding and post polls with feedback. You can also create a hashtag to use for all relevant posts. This allows you to go back and forth with people who are engaging with your hashtag.
7. Don’t lean too far.
It’s not wise to lean completely on FOMO marketing. Think of it more as a secondary strategy, and always use it in tandem with supporting marketing — digital advertising, website development, email marketing and automation, social media management, search engine optimization (SEO), and content strategy and creation.
Cosmitto Knows FOMO
For some great examples of brands creating FOMO, check out these Shorty Award nominees. And if you ever want to talk FOMO, fill out a contact form, and we’ll be in touch.
The reality is that every single person at Cosmitto has felt FOMO. We’re part of a generation that uses social media for everything, sometimes to our own detriment. Creating anxiety is not our goal. There is good to be done online, both for businesses and individuals. All it requires is some forethought, intention, and empathy.
Create an amazing event/product, tell the truth about it, and when in doubt about what constitutes exaggeration… think Fyre Festival. Do the opposite of Fyre Festival.
Emily Laubham
