By George Farris
YOUNGSTOWN, Ohio – I was in my first (and only) year of college and also working in the produce department of a local grocery store. My major was marketing and I was inspired. So I began to conduct marketing experiments and research in my produce department.
I wanted to determine if shoppers followed a pattern or predictable traffic flow when they entered the department. Most of the shoppers were older women who kept their purses in the child seat of the cart. Every day for two weeks I spent an hour tracking their travel around our department.
Seventy-five to 80% of the time, the shoppers’ first stops were at sections with large displays and signage. The signs usually announced a sale. Sometimes, the signs featured my hilarious puns. “Have you tried our corn? It’s ear-resistible!” or “Lettuce entertain you” and “Please Romain Calm,” “Salad Dressing. Please Cover Your Eyes.”
What began to seep into my own cabbage head was that consumers tended to go where they were directed. We saved them time by pointing out what they assumed was the right product at the right price. They followed the path of least resistance.
Fast forward several decades. Consumers and even B2B prospects still follow that path of least resistance and buy what mostly digital signage recommends.
Websites
Most websites have a “contact us” button and link. You can improve on that by at least 400%.
We recently completed a website that used four primary Calls To Action (CTAs): (a) Get more information, (b) Request a proposal, (c) Request a meeting, or (d) Schedule a phone call. If they schedule a phone call, they are directed to a calendar with available dates and times.
The website now gets six to seven times more leads. Why? Because we made it easier for prospective clients to answer.
You can apply the same concept to paid social media ads and boosted posts. You can (and should) do it with digital ads.
Funnels
Sales funnels are fun if you are on the receiving end. Not so much if you are the person going down the funnel. One thing is certain: They work. Very well. Offer a free demo, a free trial or a free ear of corn.
Consumers will click that “Collect your free____” button and for some reason, assume that’s it. A free demo, trial or ear of corn will magically appear immediately.
Au contraire mon frère. Now you must put in your email address, and it better be accurate, or your ear of corn goes to the next person. Do you want the free demo AND a discount? Just enter your mobile phone number.
Research shows most people are happy with that arrangement. It’s easy. It’s the path of least resistance. You can always block the marketer later. But by then, they’ve sent you a few more CTAs and sales funnels.
Still, both you and the consumer win if you do it right.
George Farris is CEO of Farris Marketing.