The purser on the plane this morning reminded us as we landed that the airline had just won two industry awards. She didn’t name them but the point was made. Endorsement brings that extra degree of confirmation that we as consumers have made a good choice. It plays to our collective wish to make wise purchases. It tells us we got it right.
The lack of specifics doesn’t matter. Schemas – the snapshot opinions that we form of people, places, things – are hugely powerful influencers. They help us navigate too many choices, too many questions, too much conflicting information, too little time. They motivate us to engage.
Without realising it, we form schemas for almost everything. Some are positive. Some are negative. Some are unjustified, either way. But the most common one is actually blank. It says “I don’t know what to think”. People literally don’t have a clue.
The reason is simple. You didn’t provide one. Your website looked the same as everyone else. The email you sent them was formulated and vanilla. Your business card has a swirl and an acronym and looks like everyone else’s. There were no endorsements or references, nothing to hold on.
You played it safe, you left it up to them. And there’s a price for that.
