“-the fact that some choice is good doesn’t necessarily mean that more choice is better.”
-Barry Schwartz, author of The Paradox of Choice
The market respects and rewards confidence. Giving the consumer too many options can be confusing as to what your brand represents and can ultimately lead to decision paralysis. The consumer becomes consumed with making the wrong choice.
Customers come to you because you are seen as an expert in your field and your job is to provide them the best solution. If too many options are presented, the consumer subconsciously assumes that you do not know what you are doing and are not sure what’s right for the customer. This hands over an extreme amount of power to the consumer that ends up diluting your brand and what it stands for.
As a culture we have an unhealthy obsession with choice. As a consumer we demand options and as a company we want to cover every scenario possible. The problem is that when you stand for everything, you stand for nothing. Too much of a good thing can be damaging to our psychological and emotional well-being. A culture that thrives on the number of choices available can lead to dissatisfaction and paralysis in decision making, resulting in no choice or sale at all….with sales being a companies bottom line, this can be disastrous.
The solution? Cut out all other options, allow no uncertainty. Limit options and people will respect your boldness to disrupt traditional markets and commoditized solutions. Stand up for the solution that best represents your company. Limiting the number of options makes it easier for the customer to choose and makes a strong statement about what your company represents.
At Ashcraft Design we build brands through ideas that resonate with consumers to significantly impact business growth. Our unique vision and understanding of how to use design to create accessible aspirational products and services builds brands consumers love. Check out some more of our work to see other ways we connect with consumers and grow brands.
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