We live in an age where fast pace is the norm. Blink and you’ll miss it, is the urgent moniker of today. This especially applies to Marketing. Technology and our limited attention spans are both a marketers dream and their enemy.

Travel marketers, in particular, have used so many tricks to relieve restless punters of their hard earned dollars. And it’s getting just a little crazy.

The trends, if that’s what you’d like to call them, have become very obvious. As if we don’t have enough general stress in our lives, without these urgent calls to action to spur us into a buying frenzy. The madness really began through consumers taking charge and booking their own holidays, flights and accommodation through the ease of the internet. Travel companies far and wide have embraced the savvy of the consumer and have found ways to keep them engaged until a purchase is made.

All facets of the travel industry have taken on what I call “urgent marketing”. The pressure is put very firmly on the consumer. The message is that there is no time to waste. Much of this is nothing new, for years we have been told to “Hurry!”, “Don’t Miss Out!”, get yours “While Stocks Last”. But those terms are so old-fashioned now, as is the idea of the Sale as being the best time to buy. Travel operators and marketers have unleashed new, cleverer tactics. Here are just a few:

“LIMITED EDITIONS”

What could be more appealing than something only available in limited numbers? There are only so many people that will get that item, be it a bespoke Gin with only 2,000 bottles produced (“that’s bugger all! OMG! I just CAN’T miss out!”) or to snap “sales” offered by airlines.

In the fiercely competitive world of aviation, when you get that online pop-up (usually after you’ve been detected as searching for a trip to that destination, using that airline), you see a great fare and consider it almost a no-brainer. What?! A $650 return trip Sydney-Tokyo on All Nippon Airways? Yep, it’s a bloody good deal.

But look closely and you’ll see the locked-in, no room to move restrictions. No cancellations, whatsoever. Change the flight to another one and pay hundreds – half the fare that you paid. That’s if you can make any changes at all. Perhaps only in an unprecedented natural disaster, would this be waived. Even then, I think not. If you’re booking months out, which is usually the case for any kind of deal like this, then your circumstances have more potential for change. Take the deal and they have you – hook, line and sinker. Very few of us would allow ourselves to lose the money outright.

The same applies for hotels. There are no so many rates to choose from. Knowing that the customer is always looking for the best deal, the best rates offered are completely restrictive. There are often added incentives, such as a room upgrade upon arrival (if available), a $100 property credit, a late check out, or even a sunset cruise. Bargain, you think. Well, yes, sometimes. Only if you take the trip. Because if you choose that rate, it is non-refundable, non-cancellable, and you have to pay the moment you book it. The entire stay paid upfront, locking you in. Again, no room to move. There is a reason that the Best Flexible Rates are still the most popular.

“2 FOR 1 COMPANION DEALS”

These “deals” are increasingly common. Two get to fly for the price of one. What a bargain! No, actually it isn’t. These are mostly based on rack-rate, fully-flexible fares, which very few pay anyway. Airlines know the majority go for the basic, cheapest fares. It’s all about the spend. Buy two basic fares and I’ll bet it amounts to the same or less as the so-called ”companion” fares.

Both the least expensive basic fares and companion fares have similar lock-you-in restrictions. The amount of revenue airlines make from the large number of flyers who are forced to amend of cancel their reservations is astronomical. You are only getting a reasonable deal if you don’t budge. Not one inch.

You also have limited time to take this deal (3 days only! Hurry! Or you’ll miss it!) So, the pressure is on. And again, the restrictions, change fees, and often no cancellations, means you have no room to manoeuvre.

“35 PEOPLE HAVE LOOKED AT THIS TODAY”

This, I absolutely despise. These crappy little pop-ups when you’re having a good old browse that tell you how many eagle eyed flyers have looked at the EXACT same itinerary as you. (“S**T! 35 People! So many! Should I hurry?!”)

Then, when you go that one step further and look at the flight or the hotel room, you are advised there is only one seat / room left! More need to hurry! (“Wow! Just as well as I caught this bargain NOW!”)

If you do take it that (almost) final step, then you see that you only have 15 minutes to complete the booking, otherwise you’ve lost it! (“Can I type fast enough?!”)

Of course, all of it is an absolute crock. But so many must fall for it.

As humans, we always want what is sold out (“Sucked in, you already missed it – you can go on the WAITLIST! – we know where you are, we will let you know and send you a million emails in the meantime”), or we desire what is in limited supply. Absolutely anything to get you, Mr. & Mrs. Customer, as you are so much harder to lock down when the power is entirely in your hands.

If you choose NOT to go ahead with your booking, companies now remind you that you haven’t completed your booking. (“Is something wrong? We are not letting you go, you know”) I have had numerous email reminders on a single fare I once looked at. Gone are the days when you can just browse, make comparisons and decide later. You will be hounded to the nth degree through the entire, unpleasant, experience.

Once you make a purchase, airlines, hotels, restaurants and just about everyone else decide to use you as their marketing barometer and thrust a survey at you. This is getting ridiculous. Almost every time you make a purchase for just about anything you are asked for your feedback. How much time do these companies think we have on our hands?

The key to navigating all this with some sensibility, indeed the only way to avoid the unbridled stress that comes with the new marketing, is to ignore it entirely. It is not easy to do this though, when messages of urgency pop up in front of your face every which way you look.

Take control, take many deep breaths, and ignore all the spin. It is truly rubbish. Go at your own pace. Spend a bit more. It’s actually quite satisfying. Then you can breathe easier through the whole process and into the lead up to your trip. Unwinding at the other end will be infinitely quicker.