The Thing About Choices (Part 2)

Photo by Egor Myznik on Unsplash

In my last post, I wrote that, instead of focusing on having more choice, we should focus on having more confidence in our choice. 

This is harder than it sounds, of course, as it demands that we do the work to understand our values, our decision criteria and what it is we’re looking for, as we make decisions about the work we do. If we know what we want, then we’ll make better, more confident decisions.

This idea holds true not only in terms of choices we make for ourselves, it’s as valid in how we (should) think about selling to and servicing our customers.

More often than not, our go-to position is to offer the customer more choice. Give them alternate varieties. Offer different formulations. Add more bells and whistles. More must always be better.

We do this with all the best intentions, driven by the idea that more means we’re catering to what the customer wants, and acknowledging them in all their complexity. Because if we offer them a plethora of options, they’ll see that we know what we’re doing, have the expertise and will pick us.

Except that’s not always what happens. Customers don’t always buy from the organization that gives them the most choice. They buy from the company that gives them the most confidence in their choice. 

Because at the end of the day, buyers want security. They want to know that the thing they’re buying will do what needs to be done well. They want to know that they’ll receive commensurate value for the exchange. And they want to be sure that they’ll look good to others having made the purchase. 

This might mean having more options and alternatives to choose from, but it might not. More often than not, they really just want to know: will it do what I need?

The more comfort we can give them that it will indeed work, the more quickly they’ll make the decision to buy.

This means we need to start with the best of what we can offer - not offer more, make what we do offer, really, really good. 

But as important, it means a few things that have nothing to do with the product itself. It means:

Being clear and transparent about what we do really, really well.

Being equally as clear about what it is we don’t do.

Providing examples of tangible impact from peers who’ve made the same decision.

Advising versus selling.

Being human in the process.

Consumers don't want more choices, they want to be more confident in the choices they make.