Page 91 - Decoding Decisions ~ Making sense of the messy middle

91 CHAPTER 5 IMPLICATIONS OF THE MESSY MIDDLE

Fortunately, a growing body of guidelines around the use of behavioural
science is already in the process of being established. At the category level,
there are codes of practice for marketing in financial services, health, and
other regulated markets that set out how these kinds of tactics can be used
responsibly and sustainably. At the platform level, advertising services such
as Google Ads and its counterparts all have terms of use that govern the
kinds of claims and tactics that advertisers can implement. Ideally, each

brand’s own marketing policies should also contain guidance as to how its
messaging can make responsible use of behavioural science.

Finally, it’s worth remembering that the potential cost of doling out sludge
isn’t just the burden of additional regulatory oversight. At the heart of this
report is the realisation that consumer behaviour is constantly evolving,
and that over the past two decades it has started to change faster than
ever. Pressure tactics, such as scarcity bias and the power of now, can even
edge over from nudge to sludge if applied at the wrong moment or used

too regularly. Consumers soon grow wise to the tricks that unscrupulous
businesses play on them, and the cost to a brand of having its marketing
tactics recognised as sludge could be huge. Once lost, credibility and trust
are very hard to regain.

3. Closing the gap between trigger and purchase

The ultimate aim of this approach is to reduce the cognitive burden

experienced by consumers as they explore and evaluate your proposition. It is
particularly relevant for existing customers, who expect that their familiarity
with your products and services should be reflected in a simple, pain-free
purchase process. In short, once the shopping trigger has been pulled, the
goal is to marshal all your design, usability, and user experience resources to
ensure that your ad copy and website don’t shoot you in the foot.

After all, not every customer needs to explore and evaluate new brands.

If someone has bought from you before and they were satisfied with the
experience, they are likely to turn to you again to answer the same need. If
you don’t place any unexpected impediments or barriers in their way, there is
a good chance they’ll make a repeat purchase.