Sale Today Only

🏷️ “Sale Today Only!”

And the crippling fallout from "the little white lie"

You’ve seen the signs.

“SALE—TODAY ONLY!”
Then you drive by tomorrow… and the next day… and apparently “today” has been happening since 2013.

There’s a place in small-town B.C. I pass all the time. Big sign: Garage Sale Today! They’ve been “today-only-ing” people for over a decade. At this point I’m convinced even the squirrels know it’s a scam.

And you know exactly why they do it.

👉 Make us believe the deal is now-or-never.
👉 Trigger our FOMO.
👉 Get us through the door.
👉 Cross their fingers and hope we buy a lamp shaped like a dragon...

🤥 Let’s Call It What It Is: A Lie

I wrote this piece a while back, from Mexico, where “Sale Today Señor!” is practically a national sport. Even when it’s obvious the sale has lasted longer than most Netflix series, we go in anyway… and occasionally buy something.

But here’s the kicker:
If we keep rewarding the behaviour, why would anyone stop?

More importantly…
What happens when this mindset creeps into your organization?
Those “little white lies” about products, services, timelines, workloads, expectations…
You know—the stuff that “doesn’t really count.”

🧩 The Real Problem Isn’t the Sign

It’s what the sign represents.
My wife (a very wise woman - are you reading this Honey?) once said something that stuck with me:
“There are no small things.”

A “tiny” lie in your marketing often points to bigger truths hiding under the rug:

• Are you telling customers everything they need to know?

• Are you transparent with your staff?

• Are you honest with yourself about how the business is actually doing?

• Are you negotiating in integrity, or just hoping no one reads the fine print?

No organization brags, “We occasionally lie—just a little!”
(If they did, I’d attend their annual general meeting just for the entertainment)

🔍 Your Turn: Conduct a ‘Sale Today Only’ Audit

Take a walk around your business—literally or metaphorically.

• Where are you bending the truth?

• Where are things “technically” true but practically misleading?

• Where do your actions drift away from your values?

And once you spot it…
There’s really only one thing left to do.

🚀 🟦 Call to Action: Lead With Integrity—Every Day, Not Just “Today Only”

If you want an organization people trust, follow, and choose—start telling the real story, not the “garage sale” version.

And if you want help aligning your culture, values, and behaviour so your team isn’t accidentally modelling inconsistency or “white lie” leadership…

👉 Let’s talk.
I help organizations build empowering, honest cultures—no fake sales signs required.