An essential guide for the C-suite.
Each year, millions of flight tickets, hotel rooms, and sweaters go unsold because websites are clunky or crash. A hotel chain, for example, discovered trust broke down the moment guests were forwarded from the website to the booking engine. The form was buggy. People had to fill in too many personal details and subscribe to a newsletter— simply to reserve a room. In a major effort, the company replaced the entire booking portal. Conversions have since almost doubled. Amazon may not be the world’s most creative shop, but it works. Retail is detailed—online and in-store.
Retail firms have learned for decades how details like light, color, and presentation change people’s willingness to buy. The same holds true online. Fast-growing beauty firm L’Occitane en Provence, for example, is constantly perfecting the balance of creativity and simplicity—online and in-store. Even top management consultancy McKinsey complements its strong C-suite presence with the award-winning design of its online publications. Once you’ve seen good, you can’t unsee it.
Netflix, for example, constantly analyses customer viewing behaviour and proposes things to watch next— it hooks people in. Studies have shown that people will buy more if a recommendation is relevant. Timing matters.
