6 Hacky Marketing Tactics to Give Up This New Year

Nope. *archive*

That's what happens every time I see an email with "RE:" in the subject line, but it's clearly not from someone I've ever emailed. Why are people still doing this? Tricking prospects into opening your email is never a good idea. It might get you more opens, but you've also made your prospect feel foolish and potentially wasted their time. Here's a list of similarly slimy habits that marketers need to quit in the new year:

1. Trick Subject Lines/Clickbait Headlines:
   Standing out is crucial, but tricking people into clicking is a short-sighted strategy. A disappointed prospect who feels misled is unlikely to engage with your actual message or trust your brand.

   Instead: Focus on clear, concise, and compelling subject lines and headlines that accurately reflect the value you're offering. If your content isn't resonating, revisit your messaging and topic.

2. Usurping Socially Motivated Hashtags:
   In an era of heightened social awareness and real-time information, hijacking trending content for unrelated promotional purposes is egregious. Capitalizing on tragedy or important social movements to push your product is not only unethical but can also lead to a significant and lasting negative backlash against your brand.

   Instead: If you genuinely want to contribute to a relevant conversation, do so authentically and by adding value or sharing a unique perspective. Focus on how your brand can genuinely support or amplify positive change.

3. Fudging Numbers:
   With more sophisticated consumers and readily available information, fabricating data or outcomes is a recipe for disaster. Exaggerated claims will eventually be exposed, leading to a damaged reputation, loss of customer loyalty, or worse.

   Instead: Showcase genuine results and testimonials. Be honest about your product's strengths and weaknesses. If you don’t have the data yet, focus on creating thought leadership or third-party research that speaks to your audience’s pain points.

4. Denying Mistakes:
   The speed of social media means mistakes are amplified and scrutinized faster than ever. Trying to sweep errors under the rug or deflect blame will likely backfire spectacularly. Consumers appreciate honesty and accountability.

   Instead: When you mess up, own it. You can only ignore it for so long before your reputation is permanently harmed. Apologize sincerely, explain what happened, and outline the steps you're taking to rectify the situation and prevent future errors. This builds trust and shows your audience that you value their experience.

5. Impossible Pop-Ups:
   Annoying and intrusive pop-ups suck. Not only do they frustrate users and disrupt their experience, but search engines also actively penalize websites that employ overly intrusive ads on mobile.

   Instead: Focus on providing value upfront and offering clear, non-obtrusive ways for users to learn more or opt-in. Consider less disruptive options like slide-in banners or embedded forms.

6. Autoplay:
   Let's be clear: nobody enjoys landing on a website and being immediately bombarded with sound. It often leads to users quickly navigating away.

   Instead: Respect your audience's preferences. If you have video or audio content, let users choose when and if they want to play it. Provide clear controls for volume and playback.

While some things in the marketing world evolve, the core principle of respecting your audience remains timeless. These "nope" tactics are detrimental to building a sustainable and trustworthy brand in today's environment. Let's commit to better practices and building genuine connections with our audience.

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