Page 22 - Decoding Decisions ~ Making sense of the messy middle

22 CHAPTER 2 IDENTIFYING THE MESSY MIDDLE

The loop is our best attempt at describing the non-linear nature of the messy
middle, with its back and forth between destination sites and mental modes
until one lucky brand emerges victorious. For marketers the challenge
is simple: how do you ensure that when the shopper stops flip-flopping
between states, it’s your product or service that wins? In other words, how
do you persuade someone to stop shopping around and actually buy what
you’re selling?

But while the endless circulation of the exploration/evaluation loop might

frustrate advertisers, it’s important to remember that it often delights
consumers. The goal is not to stymie the customer or force them out of the
activity they have chosen to pursue, but to provide them with everything they
need to feel comfortable making a decision.

Consumers explore their options and

expand their knowledge and consideration

sets, then – either sequentially or

simultaneously – they evaluate the options

and narrow down their choices.