Many of us assume that the more we can engage with our customers, the better.  The common wisdom tells us that more engaged customers tend to be more loyal.  But recent surveys by Corporate Executive Board tell a different story: for many consumers, the rising volume of communications from marketers isn’t empowering — it’s overwhelming.  Consumers actually want marketers to simplify the decision-making process, so that consumers can think less about the decision. Marketers can do that in three easy ways by helping consumers:

• Learn effectively without distraction — simplifying the research process by offering clear and streamlined brand-specific product information targeted to each decision stage.
• Trust the information they receive — providing independent ratings and reviews and recommendations from advisors consumers can trust.
• Weigh options confidently — making transparent buying guides and brand differentiated information easily available.

While the advice above may initially seem counter-intuitive, the studies found this approach to result in significantly higher likelihood to purchase.  Read all the details here: http://hbr.org/2012/05/to-keep-your-customers-keep-it-simple/ar/1.

To find out how to simplify decision-making for your customers, give us a call at (818) 752-7210.

Sources: “Marketers Have It Wrong: Forget Engagement, Consumers Want Simplicity,” Forbes.com 7/02/2012; “To Keep Your Customers, Keep It Simple,” Harvard Business Review, 5/1/12