Since Black Friday madness is about to start everywhere, I want to tell you about a 2019 marketing fail by the British brand Knomo.
They promised:
“30% off our best products!”
But in reality:
Discounts applied only to less popular colors and models.
Result:
A ton of negative reviews and a big hit to customer loyalty 🥲
You’d think it’s obvious that promising one thing and delivering another is a huge red flag, yet somehow this respectable brand launched the campaign anyway.
Trying to grab a piece of the November–December profit pie (when people spend like crazy), business owners and marketers often repeat this and other classic mistakes.
❌ Mistake #1: Selling Expectations Instead of Reality
Like in the example above — you write in your newsletter, “30% off everything!” but in reality, it’s just for umbrella stands or green polka-dot socks.
What you lose by doing this:
- Trust
- Repeat sales
- Brand respect
Be specific and transparent:
- What’s included in the promo
- Which products exactly
- How long it lasts
- Any limitations
❌ Mistake #2: Copying Everyone Else
If your campaign looks like this:
- “30% off for 3 days only!”
- “Promo code BLACK2025”
- “Best prices of the year!”
Then your Black Friday is no different from the hundreds of other sales that happen every year. Customers will go wherever it’s $10 cheaper.
Plain discounts are boring. Try instead:
- A bonus gift for loyal customers
- A limited-edition collection
- Exclusive access to previously retired products, services, or courses
- Bundle offers
❌ Mistake #3: Overestimating Your Capacity
In the chase for huge profits, you promise customers dream deals you can’t actually deliver:
- You sell more than you can handle
- You get so many orders that your team physically can’t ship them all on time
For info-businesses:
Don’t sell unlimited seats for courses that include personal support. That’s a huge mistake — you’ll either break your promises or burn out completely.
Instead:
Offer a limited number of spots — it becomes a powerful trigger for purchases and keeps your sanity intact.
At Marketing Truck, we don’t want you to panic or mess things up this Black Friday — we want you to be prepared.
Know your numbers, plan your offers, and don’t promise what you can’t deliver.
When you’re ready to go beyond generic discount campaigns and build real, smart marketing that works — we’re here, ready to help.
Marketing Truck 