The Choice Paradox: Why Customers Want More And Less Simultaneously

Take out that cell phone from your bag.
 And look at the features.

It can tell time; it can be a stopwatch; it can keep diary 
appointments; it can help you pass time with ingenious
 little games; it can probably take photos; send text messages;
 maybe even double up as an mp3 player or a torch.

You could probably call the moon with your cell phone

Now let’s assume we zapped back in time a bit…

Let’s say you were in the phone store. To buy a cell phone (what
 else?) And let’s assume the salesman showed you a phone model that could only…um…take and make calls. Would you buy that phone? Or would you want to see another model, with..uh..more features?

It’s not that much different when customers buy into your 
services and products

They want the whole jangbangdoowahwholeshebang

. They know they can’t use all the features you offer in your
 service or product. But it doesn’t matter one itty-bit to a customer. And herein slips in the paradox of choice.

Customers want it all, when buying a product/service, and yet are appalled, even intimidated by the post-purchase scenario.

So how does the post-purchase scenario roll out?

 Let’s take an example, shall we? Customers buy a program like 
Photoshop for its myriad features. Then end up using just a few
 tools. They buy a VCR or DVD recorder that dances, prances, and
 schmances. But they use just the basic functions. And yes, just
 like you, they go for the cell phone that has the most tantalising features, but end up using a few, if any.

Ok so we’re a greedy race, but how does that make a difference 
to your marketing?

It’s the intimidation factor of choice

. We like to schmooze with the concept of ‘more for less’, but when we get more, we actually gulp. We don’t know where to start.

What to do.

Where to go.

And this is why you need to roll out two distinct steps to make the intimidation of choice go away.

Step One: Load up the wagons

. When you’re selling a product, don’t hold back. In your sales pitch, load up every single benefit and feature you can think of. Pull out every single bonus out of your bag. Stack the stuff high, if you know what I mean.

The customer will see what you’re offering. She’ll drool a bit. Her brain cells will go boppity-bop, and if the offer is just right, she’ll buy.

Which brings us to Step Two.

Step Two: Only show the customer the good stuff. 

Take step one. Strip out all the lah-dee-dah, and you have Step Two. In effect, in Step Two, you’re out to make darned sure the customer feels the least amount of intimidation possible. So your post-purchase note or instructions should stress only on the most important features.

Doesn’t make sense does it?

 But look at you when you go to a buffet.

Logically, ten thousand
 calories of over-eating shouldn’t make you happy. But your greed
 is a happy-chappie, and pulls you along to this smorgasbord of
 food. So you pay your pile of pesos, and in you go.

About five minutes later, you don’t know where to start.

Should you attack the lamb chops? 
Should you savour the pasta?
 Should you even bother with the salad? 
Should you? Should you?
 Should you?

Now imagine if there was a sign that said: Chef’s
 recommendations.

Hmmm, what a helpful sign that would be, huh?

It’s no different if you have a product or service

. If you’re in consulting, the client wants the lamb chops on top 
of the pasta, with turkey and asparagus toppings of your service. Well, sell the darn thing to her. But once she’s in the system, only concentrate on two or three of the most important
 parts of your service. 

The parts that helps the client see an instant growth in income,
 or customers or whatever.

It’s the same if you’re selling a product

. Every product is bundled up with gizmos from here to the North 
Pole, but eventually what the client really wants to know, are the
 two or three most important things about your product.

Or in other words: The chef’s recommendations.

How does this work in real life?



Let’s see some examples shall we? 

1) Car Mechanic: You offer the works. You do the works when
 you’re servicing the car, but only point out the main two-three
 things when the client comes up to pick the car.
2) Web Designer: You offer a web site that can do it all. Yet on
 completion, you show the client the most important features to
 get the web site up and running.


3) Subscription or Membership: You offer all the bloo-blah before sign up. Then show the new member only what’s important to move around the ‘club’.

So does that mean you get rid of all the fancy features and benefits? 



No you don’t. If I’ve been promised the earth, I pretty much 
want the darned thing. You’re still delivering all you promised,
 plus the cherry on top. But to aid consumption of your product
or service, you need to reduce the intimidation way down, by
 stressing only what’s important.

The biggest problem a business faces isn’t one of attraction. 

It’s one of consumption. Because as humans, we like small bites.
 You and I are greedy you-know-whats when we’re in the purchase mode. 

In fact, in most cases, we don’t even know what we’re buying. We’re just happy that it’s all bundled as part of our purchase. The scary part comes a little later, when we have to actually consume the darned thing.

That’s when you step in. And reduce the choice.

Yes, I bought because you were offering me more. But now that
 I’ve bought, make sure you show me less.

That way I can make my call on my cell phone without wondering 
about how to call the moon.

Next Step: Find out—Why Customer Buy (And Why They Don't)