Human behavior can be hard to predict when changing conditions cause distress.
Stressful changes are perceived in a range from inconvenient to threatening. Those perceptions influence what people are willing to do. It’s important to understand how consumers perceive conditions & their levels of control.
If customers are inconvenienced by changes, you’ll lose credibility by offering responses to threats. If customers feel threatened by changes, you could miss sales by offering ways to avoid inconveniences.
People reject negative ads that seem like scare tactics. Influence people through their perceptions instead of trying to alter emotions.
Losing or gaining benefits of physical objects can affect emotions through perceptions. Emotions shape perceptions, then those perceptions influence emotions. Your offers can interrupt that spiral. Help people notice damage & understand problems, so they avoid losing benefits.
Retailers should help people avoid or reduce stresses from significant losses. Customer consultations are vital for individual service & indicate offers to advertise to prevent losses.
Describe how changing conditions can affect people's lives & how you help people control results & limit negative effects.
People could lose progress or chances to advance if they aren’t prepared. You need a range of offers for preparing for emerging changes & adjusting if changes don't happen as predicted.
Offer ways to preserve & adjust benefits gained from improvements, so people decrease stress & don't lose pleasure.
You can build superior value by exploring issues many retailers ignore. Example: People can fully benefit from healed injuries if they know how to avoid reinjuring themselves. Would different product versions reduce injuries or would techniques matter more?
Superior customer service is often a matter of combining products & information.
Distress Makes Physical Problems Worse.
Distress happens when people: 1) aren’t ready to stop or control changes; 2) won’t accept changes; &/or 3) don’t know how to prepare for & recover from negative changes.
Stress increases as people try to avoid mistakes while searching for solutions. When you have a reputation as a solution source, people can reduce search times by starting with you.
People can get faster, better results when you prevent gaps by connecting problem diagnosis, products & facts.
Emphasize how knowledge is necessary for optimal, long lasting results.
Example: ‘It can seem easy to make quick repairs with cheap products because long-term problems appear later. (Store) has information about diagnosing & solving problems, so you’ll know what to do, how to do it & when it’s complete. Products will be matched to long-term results you need.’
The Right Products for the Right Conditions
Communicate with consumers to monitor conditions. Communicate with suppliers to interpret how product specifications fit conditions. Example: Thick oil isn’t always right for every need.
Though perception seems to be reality, help consumers interpret their perceptions, so solutions are accurate.
When you search suppliers’ offers, you need to balance local conditions & what products are promoted to do. Example: Some products can withstand high temperatures, but how often is that needed & does that product withstand low temperatures?
Help customers identify damage & assess their skills, so you can choose plans & kits.
Guide how they do tasks. Example: ‘If you’re learning as you do this, it’ll take longer, so you have to start now to finish on time. We can add basic tool, material & task instructions with the plan. (Product) needs X hours of drying time, so start early on a dry weather day. This advanced tool works quickly, but you’d need time to learn the techniques, so your first project might be relatively long.’
Offer products with proactive plans as solutions to differentiate yourself from retailers just selling products.
When you know about impending issues & work with suppliers, you can help customers with timely plans to reduce stress & mistakes.
Arrange supplier deliveries after helping determine when customers need results.
Offer Example: ‘(Authoritative sources) warn us about (issue). Since neighbors' needs can be different, (store) has checklists for choosing (products) & planning tasks. Let’s review your conditions now & find ways you can avoid problems. We’ll combine products & plans for the results you need at the right time.’
Being in Control is a Benefit.
When conditions are beyond people’s control, priorities change. People are apt to postpone opportunities & focus on avoiding losses. Some losses feel more threatening than others.
Your knowledge might include ways to mitigate or avoid current & potential losses.
Offer Example: ‘Retailers might claim to have solutions, but they only sell products. You need the right products plus actionable information to control conditions & solve problems. (Store) offers full value of consulting with you about products you need for results you want. Investing in total results is better than paying for products.’
Multiple small losses can have negative multiplier effects, so warn about future losses & offer guidance in choosing options.
Example: ‘Let’s solve & prevent problems to save you money & reduce stress. Sometimes you'll stop a series of problems by solving one problem. For example: Water leaking around windows can weaken window frames & walls. Look for evidence of leaks like this (picture). Problems are fully solved by high quality products with specific actions. (Store) combines top quality products plus consultations for identifying & effectively solving problems. The full value you get from (Store) includes understanding causes & effects, so you can prevent recurring problems. Let’s prevent & solve problems that cause stress. Life is the total of your experiences & (Store) is designed to make your experiences easier. How you change experiences depends on details we can discover with questions & answers about your conditions. Let’s combine our knowledge with products to create great experiences.’
It’s Great to Be Needed.
Integrate your store with people’s efforts to mitigate or avoid threats. Determine which losses are apt to happen & which threats you can minimize better than competitors.
Based on current information, is there enough time to prevent losses?
If there's only enough time to mitigate losses now, can you offer a solution later?
Example: ‘Prepare for problems from imminent rough weather. Look for problems like these (pictures). (Product) is strong & flexible enough to resist some hail damage. If overpowering wind & hail cause damage, you can use (tools) to remove & replace damaged material. (Product) is easy to reapply, so you’ll be ready for the next storm. Though weather is stronger than man-made products, (Store) can help you prepare for storms as much as possible. (Store) has products & information you need for local conditions. Let's review your needs, so you'll be ready for summer weather.’
People can be so distracted by current needs & desires, they aren’t aware of looming trouble.
Help people track how causes lead to effects & effects become causes of other effects.
Example: People prepare for cold weather effects on their bodies, but forget about property problems & effects of those problems.
Explain causes & how you help people limit negative effects.
Offer Example: ‘The forecasted cold weather can strain old furnaces. If your furnace breaks down now, you’ll wait for expensive emergency repair service. If your furnace can’t work any harder, it’s time to buy space heaters for your most used rooms. Your furnace’s work load will be reduced as it maintains lower temperatures in unoccupied rooms. Space heaters can match each family member’s individual comfort needs. Bring your family requirements & room measurements to (store), so we can choose the best heaters for your rooms.’
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