Loved the recent article by Patrick Spenner in Forbes where he writes that brands are trying too hard to engage with consumers via social media and that marketers are generally pushing out too much information, causing people
to over-think purchase decisions and making them more likely to change
their minds about a product, be less confident in their choice and less
likely remain loyal to the brand.
He commends that brands need to simplify the decision-making process, so much so that consumers
actually think less about the decision. Marketers can do that in three
easy ways by helping consumers:
- Trust the information they receive – providing recommendations by consumer advisors, ratings and reviews.
- Learn effectively without distraction – simplifying the research process by offering clear and streamlined brand-specific product information targeted to each decision stage.
- Weigh options confidently – making transparent buying guides and brand differentiated information easily available.
When used together, this approach is known as Decision Simplicity.
Not only is Decision Simplicity the number one driver of
likelihood to buy, but the impact of simplifying purchase decisions for
consumers is four times stronger than the favored marketing strategy of
engagement.
