Nudge, nudge: how to coax people to try your tech

Along with Zoom quizzes and banana bread, QR codes were one of the surprise hits of the pandemic.

Not so long ago, tech analysts had given up them up for dead. While they were acknowledged to be a neat way of bridging the physical and digital worlds, usage was low: scanning them required downloading an app on your phone, which felt a lot more effort than simply typing in a web address.

Along came COVID and suddenly QR codes came into their own. Businesses and governments turned to them as an easy means of facilitating touchless transactions. They popped up in everything from restaurant menus to vaccine passports, and with smartphones now featuring convenient built-in readers, usage rocketed.

QR codes were always a clever technology, but we had to be forced to use them before we found out that we liked them. Like many successful products, they had a tipping point: the nudge that shifted them from niche tool to indispensable part of our lives.

Of course, brands seeking to boost take-up of their own technology can’t rely on a pandemic to help them. But what are the psychological barriers you can do something about? How can you persuade people to take a leap into the unknown and give your product a try?

Familiarity breeds contentment

Technology changes fast. No sooner have we got our heads around the latest innovation, and incorporated it into our daily work or personal lives, along comes another that we’re assured is far superior.

But deep down, many of us fear change. Learning a new way of doing things is an upheaval. We don’t know how difficult we’ll find it, or whether it’ll really be any better. These worries are intensified in the workplace, where our reputation may be on the line if a new system fails.

It’s no wonder customers cling to the comfort of the products and services they’re used to. So how can businesses overcome this natural inertia – and encourage people to embrace something new? Let’s look at a few levers you can use.

1.        Offer a free trial

Instead of simply telling people how great your product is, allow them to experience it for themselves. Offer a free trial or slimmed-down version of your offering to help customers see how it could fit into their working lives and better understand its benefits.

2.        Encourage referrals

Social proof taps into our natural desire for validation and reassurance from others. Incentivise referrals from your existing customers with a cash sum, discount or other gift to boost acquisition. Prioritise keeping existing customers happy and engaged with your product so they stay loyal and recommend you to others.

3.        Listen to customers

You may be convinced of your product’s benefits, but what about your customers? Ask existing users about their experience. What do they like about your product? Are they aware of all its features? How could it be improved? The results will feed into both your acquisition efforts and a proactive upsell strategy.

4.        Stand out from the crowd

Take a good look at your current branding and marketing. Are you telling a distinctive story? Is the messaging clear? Or are you looking like everyone else while saying the same thing as everyone else? Refreshing your brand will help you make that all-important positive first impression.

5.        Encourage FOMO

Create a sense of urgency with time-limited offers and discounts. If people feel they may miss out on something valuable or exciting, this can be the nudge they need to prompt them into action, especially if they’ve been wavering up until now.

6.        Use influencers

People are more likely to engage with products they recognise and feel confident about. Consider teaming up with a credible personality or organisation who can endorse your technology. This will help boost visibility and build trust among people unfamiliar with your brand.

7.        Be sticky

Stickiness is a measure of customers’ tendency to come back to your product. The average stickiness rate in SaaS is just 13% – equating to a mere 4 days a month of people using your technology. Think how you can drive loyalty with compelling features, such as personalised services. For example, Spotify’s personalised playlists give users a reason to keep returning to the app – and are also a barrier to them migrating to rivals.

To conclude: humans may be creatures of habit, but it’s worth remembering every technology we use today was unfamiliar to us at some point. Often all it takes is the right nudge at the right time to persuade people to give your product a try – and hopefully, start telling their colleagues and friends how good it is. With these tips, you can push them past the tipping point from inertia to action. If you're interested in learning more about the LogicLogicMagic approach and how we can help your organisation establish stronger connections with your target audience in the year ahead, download our guide here: "Mogic's guide to making marketing more memorable."