Jam or Honey?
That’s an easy question, right?
However, once we are asked if we want jam, honey, sausage or cheese, we’re confused. Too many choices! And a bagel has only two halves. Damn.
One of my currently most admired authors, Kevin Hogan, places quite a spotlight on the choice question in his book The Science of Influence - Hot to get anyone say YES in 5 minutes or less. The title’s a little lurid, but Hogan knows his business. And the question is very important for your business.
Too many choices create a cognitive dissonance. We want one thing, but we also want another. The more choices there are, the more likely we’re overwhelmed. We may get paralyzed and, in the end, might choose nothing.
Another effect is that the more choices there are, the less appealing they are. Having many choices makes us wonder if there can’t be yet another choice that totally meets our expectation. Seeing ten beautiful suitcases in a row makes only stick out all those little details on each that hold us back from buying. Having only three to choose from, we’ll probably find an acceptable one and leave happily.
That’s the angle of the buyer/customer. But what does that mean for you as service provider?
- Concentrate on and market only a few of your fields of expertise. This applies to ads, websites and flyers. Nobody wants to know every little detail at once. Don’t try to sell a vendor’s tray, as we say in Germany.
- If you offer a service that’s hard to explain, work with a few interesting showcases.
- Don’t advertise where everyone else does too. While it’s good to be active e.g. in the same web forums as your competitors, don’t hang around in places where they are in the hundreds. Create your own niche where there’s less competition and therefore less choice.
- Narrow down the options, once you find out what the customer really wants.
- If necessary, direct the customer to the choice you think is best for him. (Always nicely, of course - you want him to become a steady customer, right?)
By the way, I’d take the honey. What about you?