Make Me Feel Smart

It’s amazing how many opportunities we get as buyers to feel dumb. Imagine you need a new laptop and maybe it’s been a while since you last purchased one. What would you look for? You’d probably glance at things like processor speed and storage capacity and hope you got what you needed. But a company could make you feel smarter if they said, “This is a great laptop for most people’s business needs.” Or “If you’re doing any video editing or want to play games, this would be the best laptop for you.”

It’s not any one technology that helps us feel smart. An airport with lots of great signage can help us feel smart because we can navigate ourselves through the process. When you order food at a restaurant, if the menu describes any uncommon words, you’ll feel better about knowing what you’re thinking of getting. An air conditioning and heating expert can sell the right sized unit and services for a company by walking the prospective facilities management team through the sizing and provisioning process in a simple calculation spreadsheet.

This is a choice, not a technology. Think through the paths that lead someone through their experience with your product or service and find ways to make that person feel smart. Build them. Create them. Engineer ways to make your buyer feel smart, served, and supported.

No one will ever be mad at you for helping them feel smart.

Small disclaimer: if you ever patronize people, THAT will make them mad at you.

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