Denise Ryan of Raleigh, NC has an interesting series about decision-making, over stimulation and the paralysis of analysis. In part one of the series she talks about the downside of too many varieties to choose from:
Here’s how it works – imagine you are at some fancy, schmancy food fair and there is a table selling fancy, schmancy jams (or whatever the hell it is). One table has six different types of jam; one has 24 different types. Which table sells more jam? (No, this is not the SAT).
The one with 6! 30% of people buy there, only 3% buy at the table with 24!! 27% more people buy at the table with fewer choices! This is huge!!
She goes on to relate a story from her own experience – of being overwhelmed by a whole wall of candy bars to choose from when really all she wanted was something sweet. Too many choices kept her from making a quick decision and being on her way.
Part two gives a handy primer on how to avoid choice overload and how to deal with it when it does happen.
I found these two pieces good lessons for my own business education and hope you will too. Denise has some pretty good information there so I hope you will check it out. The best part is that everything she talks about relates back to chocolate somehow. If that’s not magic, I don’t know what is. Anyone who can tie brain functions to chocolate is tops in my book!
9:17 pm on October 17th, 2008
Hey Carl! Thanks so much for the plug!! Wait till you see how one of my clients incorporated chocolate into their meeting. I think candy can turn this whole economy around! : )