The human brain is a masterpiece of nature. It has the ability to communicate a structured language, construct a classical concerto and calculate the origins of the universe.
But for all it’s computational power, the brain’s decision making machinery is amazingly fragile.
Working memory has a finite capacity. According to psychologist George Miller, the conscious brain can juggle only seven pieces of data at any one moment. Heaping on additional information quickly capsizes decision making.
Neuroscientist Jonah Lehrer observes, “Choices that seem straightforward – like choosing a jam in the supermarket – can overwhelm the prefrontal cortex. It gets intimidated by all the jam data. And that’s when bad decisions are made.”
Uncertainty is the costly side-effect of overwhelming your customers with too many choices. Generally speaking, the more options customers have at their fingertips, the more indecisive they’ll become. And complexity often creates the desire for simplicity.
Simplicity is the strategy used to counteract complex purchases.
Consider the emergence of the Flip Camcorder. The Flip eliminated all the doodads and gizmos that prevents us from using – or otherwise buying – a camcorder: Confusing menu options. Bulky size and shape. Cords and recording tapes.
On the flip side (pun fully intended) take a look at the simplicity that the Flip camcorder offers:
- Point-and-shoot with the press of a button
- Pocket-sized shape
- Built-in hard disc and USB adapter
- Runs on two AA batteries
- Low-price, starting at $149.99
Sounds pretty east-to-use, huh? It’s no coincidence that by simplifying the video camcorder, Flip quickly became the top-seller in the $2.4 billion-a-year camcorder industry.
So how might you simplify your product or service to dominate your market?
Mon, Jul 6, 2009
Marketing Strategy