Lessons From The Deck Chair #2: People Don't Follow Directions - and what you can do about it.

[ Read Lessons From The Deck Chair #1 here ]

On an individual basis I bet you think you’re pretty good at following instructions.

After all, it doesn’t sound hard to simply follow a sign or basic directions, does it?

But alas… people often don’t pay attention to what they have been told, even when it is in their own interests to do so.

Why?

Maybe it’s because they get distracted with what they want to do. Maybe they’re doing something new to them, their mind is fully occupied, and they can’t take in more information.

End result… they lose focus and don’t concentrate on ‘following the directions’.

Let me give you a few examples I’ve observed on the cruise ship.

1) A young guy (old enough to know better) was sitting next to me in the computer lounge using the internet. When he finished he explained, ‘Wow, they just charged me $60 for 45 minutes’. He turned to me and asked me if that sounded right, and to check with how long I’d been there to give him some bearing on how long he had been online. He should have read the instructions and pricing plans which are clearly displayed on the screen when you log on. I guess he was using the casual rate which is much higher than buying a package of time.

2) Every time the ship enters port an announcement is made not to take foodstuffs from the ship onto shore. It’s against quarantine regulations. This announcement is made every time before you disembark. And there are signs near the gangway as well. But some people still get stopped at the security check and have to go through the hassle of having their bags checked and foodstuffs removed.

3) Playing Bingo is fun and easy – as I mentioned in the last issue. (In fact Peter from our dinner table group reckons you only need two neurons to play it.) However there are regular situations where players get confused, or don’t follow the directions for each game. As a result there are false calls of “bingo”. This is usually good – as it creates some fun as the player making the false call undergoes a little well-intentioned embarrassment, and play continues... so you still have a chance to win!

4) In many ports a shuttle bus service is provided to take passengers from the ship to the nearby town (sometimes it can be 2 to 5 kilometres away). Prior to reaching the port announcements are made on how to obtain shuttle bus tickets from the Tour Desk. However, many people still disembark without tickets and create confusion and a delay in the queue on the dock to reach the shuttle bus. If everyone obtained their tickets in advance the whole process would be so much easier and less stressful when disembarking.

Anyway, that’s enough about the real-life examples.

What does this mean for you and your business development activities?

Never assume your client (or prospect) will follow your directions the first time.

• On your website give multiple opportunities to take action.


• In sales discussions, always repeat key points.


• In your marketing, repeat key messages across your various promotional activities.


• Send a written summary to prospects after important sales meetings.


• Follow up with clients by phone, email, or letter to check they have acted on your instructions.


• Use a series of automated follow up emails to remind and prompt clients to use the information provided, or download the report you have offered.

Show a picture to make it easier for people to take action.

• On websites use a ‘click here’ style of graphic or image. Use a larger image for the most important action. (Note: research shows this works better than having all buttons on the web page the same size.)


• Use a sales process chart to explain to your prospects how you will work with them, and emphasise what they will need to do.


• Use a step-by-step guide to using your products or services – show clients what they should do next.


• Emphasise what not to do, or emphasise your point of difference, by using a simple graphic – remember the Ghostbusters logo, a ghost with the familiar red line through it (Ghostbusters = no ghosts).

Give examples of what to do.

• Relate stories about other client to create a vivid picture of what needs to be done (and why).
• Provide options for what clients can do, and give examples of when or why they would choose each option.

It would be wonderful if our prospects and clients carefully followed our instructions first time around.

But don’t expect it to happen that way. Anticipate the need to repeat your message. And use different mediums wherever possible such as images, spoken, and written words.

If you want to maximise your success pay attention to how you can help your prospects become clients, and how you can help current clients use more of your services or products.

Never assume they will act on the first message.