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Making a purchase decision — sometimes even for small items — can be stressful enough. Here are three simple ideas to make it easier for your customers:
1> Better information
2> Better legalese
3> Better trials
4> Check it out: Office kitchen notes
1> Better information
If your customers are already researching products before they buy, make yourself their first stop with some useful, honest information. When Michigan-based grocer Spartan Stores saw studies finding shoppers were in search of better nutrition information, they created a simple color-coded system to help them out. Now more than 16,000 products on their shelves are marked with orange, green, and purple labels to highlight product qualities like low-fat, low-sodium, and sugar-free. You could do something similar with easy-to-find product reviews, nutritional facts, or product comparisons.
The Lesson: One of the easiest ways to make life easier on your customers is to give them all the research they’re already looking for.
Learn More: Progressive Grocer
2> Better legalese
Don’t ruin the relationship with your customers with a bunch of confusing, scary legal terms. Aviary, who offers a suite of web-based graphics programs, offers a plain-English bulleted summary alongside their legalese. It doesn’t take away from the legal agreement — it just helps customers make better decisions. If you’re considering something like this, also take a look at your user manuals, your safety guides, and your contracts.
The Lesson: Work with your legal team to create some language that doesn’t require a law degree to decipher.
Learn More: Aviary.com/terms
3> Better trials
Make life easier on your customers by giving them more options to sample or more opportunities to test your stuff before they make a purchase. Massachusetts’ Plan B Salon, realizing customers would benefit from discussing hair style options and meeting stylists before going to the salon, now offers 15-minute video consultations via Skype. It’s free and it gives the salon a chance to meet prospects face-to-face while they’re still shopping for stylists.
The Lesson: An in-person sampling of your stuff is the best way for a new customer to find out how great you are. It’ll beat out any fancy website or high-dollar campaign.
Learn More: Springwise
4> Check it out: Office kitchen notes
The office kitchen can be a battleground when hungry stomachs are involved. Check out this post that compiles some of the greatest passive aggressive kitchen wars of all time.
Check it out: TheChive.com
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