Your customers don't want to think

Hello!

By now, maybe just maybe you’ve recovered from the mayhem that was Black Friday. I’ve already had reports of record sales from some clients, which I love to hear. If you were partaking this year, I hope it went well for your business.

Last week I thought I’d give your bursting inboxes a break. But now that the commercial dust has settled, I’ve got some tried and tested ecom insights for you. It’s good to be back.

Recently, I read an article that feels more relevant than ever with most of us feeling festive but slightly frazzled. The article was about ‘cognitive ease’ and its role within UX and ecommerce. It echoed the principles that we preach here at the studio, and so I thought I’d share the highlights reel with you today as a reminder for some good housekeeping during this all-important trading period.

Here’s what I’ve got for you this afternoon:

Insight
🤯 Your customers don’t want to think

Resources
🤓 Easy resources to see out your year (Music, Wise Words, Design Inspo).

🤯 INSIGHT

Your customers don’t want to think

Not just at this time of year—but every time of year.

There’s a psychological phenomenon known as ‘cognitive ease’, and it refers to how effortlessly we process information. When something is easy to grasp, it feels trustworthy and approachable, encouraging positive actions. Whether you’re navigating a website or reading copy, reducing your customers’ mental effort helps them feel confident in their decisions and more equipped to make a purchase.

Here are 6 strategies to reduce the mental load and drive conversion:

1. Prioritise clarity
   Replace complex jargon with simple, concise language. When needed, break down information into more digestible chunks using techniques like bullet points and accordions.
   

2. Curate options thoughtfully 
   Too much choice overwhelms and creates decision paralysis. By streamlining your products into curated collections, or utilising comprehensive filters, you can make decisions easier and more enjoyable for your customers.
   

3. Design for simplicity 
   I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again, good design is grounded in intuitive functionality. The best user experiences anticipate the customers’ needs, then create clear pathways that the user doesn’t have to think about.
   

4. Educate, don’t overwhelm 
   Educational content can be a useful tool for some industries. How-to videos, tips and tricks and testimonials can do a lot to get a customer over the line, removing the need to seek out information by having it readily available in a digestible format.
   

5. Create a nice vibe
   You know what they say about approaching tasks with a positive attitude, well a good mood can assist with cognitive ease. If you create a joyful experience, you can influence perceptions and build goodwill making your customers much more likely to follow through with a purchase.
   

6. Consistency is key 
   Aside from looking unprofessional, if your brand feels different at every touchpoint, this creates a jarring and mentally taxing experience for your customers. A cohesive tone, aesthetic and values goes a long way towards building advocacy.

Do the above, and you’ll create an easy, breezy experience for your customers that not only sparks joy for them but positively impacts your revenue. Win-win.

🤓 RESOURCES

Easy resources to see out your year

In keeping with the theme of easing the mental load, I thought I’d share a few things that I’ve enjoyed lately. They’re as fulfilling as they are easy to digest. I hope you enjoy them too.

🎧 Listen: Malte Marten

Personally, I’m not a huge fan of Christmas carols (don’t come for me), but this whole year I’ve been loving a bit of handpan. It’s soothing and meditative, and it’s the perfect background music when you’re feeling wired. Malte Marten is a particularly talented artist, and I highly recommend listening when you need something to calm your nervous system in these final weeks before the summer break

📗 Read: Greg Isenberg on happiness

Multipreneur, Greg Isenberg has a lot of useful insights about business and technology, but this recent LinkedIn post on achieving happiness really resonated with me. In no particular order, he lists 32 tips. Some are genuinely useful, some offer valuable perspective and some are just a good reminder when you’re under the pump.

Check out the first 10 (no particular order):

1. Default tip 30% at regular spots (you’ll make friends and service will be upgraded)

2. Have two types of days - maker and manager

3. Attempt to build 1x small business that prints cash quietly (never sell it)

4. Buy the expensive version of things you use daily when you can

5. Live where ambitious 25 year olds are moving (at least once)

6. Have a spot you can walk to when life feels like it's imploding

7. Keep "regret prevention" budget - use weekly without guilt

8. Find your zone - the 4 hours you're actually good

9. Know your number - when you'd actually stop (then downshift)

10. Take one massive risk every 5 years

🎨 Design Inspo: OP-XY, Teenage Engineering at it again

For years I wanted to buy the OP-1, a famous synth that is actually in the Museum of Modern Art. However, I never got around to it—plus it was $$$.

I am always looking to reduce friction in getting my ideas into the world, something that directly impacts our development at Studio Almond.

So I was more than excited to see TE release the OP-XY, the next level of the OP series. It’s a sequencer that allows for full composition. Whether it’s a handpan track or minimal eastern-German techno, this has you covered.

Even if you’re not a music geek like me, I think you can appreciate that it’s a work of art. And yes, this time I have taken the plunge and paid my deposit—even the box is beautiful.

If you’re still thinking: “Alex, what on earth are you talking about?” Maybe this will help. Watch what it can do here. And for a laugh, check this out.

And on that nerdy note, I think we’ll leave it there this week.

Thanks for reading!

Have a great weekend.

Alex Murton
Managing Director & Co-Founder
Studio Almond