Understanding Why Users Struggle to Engage with Your Product
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Chapter 1: The Challenge of User Engagement
Many entrepreneurs excel at generating interest in their products, yet struggle to convert that interest into lasting customer relationships.
During a recent conversation, a founder expressed her frustrations: "I've created a fantastic product that could really benefit many, yet hardly anyone takes the time to learn how to use it. Most users drop off within a month or two. What’s wrong with people?"
"I get it," I replied. "People can be frustrating."
"You're not supposed to agree!" she sighed. "I'm feeling lost and need to rekindle my motivation to work on this frustrating venture."
I wanted to support her, but offering encouragement to entrepreneurs isn’t my strong suit; after all, the journey of entrepreneurship is notoriously tough. Plus, it can feel like people simply don't recognize the value we are trying to provide.
"It's not entirely that people are problematic," I clarified. "They can be a bit complacent."
She raised an eyebrow and asked, "Isn't that just another way of saying the same thing?"
"It's about intention," I explained. "If people were truly problematic, it would imply they’re deliberately trying to undermine your startup. But I doubt that's the case. What's really at play is that people often resist changing their habits. The challenge is overcoming that complacency."
To clarify, labeling people as complacent isn't an indictment of their character; rather, it highlights a common tendency to avoid proactive solutions to their challenges. This is a crucial hurdle that entrepreneurs must navigate to find success.
The Suitcase Scenario
As I pen this article, I’m unwittingly illustrating this very point. I’m seated at my kitchen table, and beside me lies a suitcase.
My wife and daughter just returned from a trip this morning, and the suitcase has been sitting in the middle of our kitchen for the last several hours. In that time, each member of my family—and even our dog—has stumbled over it or stubbed a toe on its edge.
Consider this: despite being a clear nuisance and an easy fix, none of us have taken the initiative to move the suitcase. It even has wheels! So why haven’t we just rolled it aside?
The answer is simple: we’re all hesitant to alter our routines. However, this isn’t about a lack of effort. In fact, I’m actively engaged in writing this article right now, demonstrating that I’m more than willing to invest time in things that matter to me.
The laziness we’re exhibiting isn’t about a reluctance to work hard; it’s more about not wanting to divert from our current tasks. For instance, when I stubbed my toe, I was focused on preparing dinner. Though I recognized the suitcase as an obstacle, moving it would have taken me away from my immediate goal of serving dinner. Instead, I opted for the quicker fix of simply telling myself to avoid it.
This alternative wasn’t ideal, and yes, I ended up tripping over it again. But at that moment, my priority was on the meal at hand, and I wasn’t willing to invest the time to solve the problem.
Understanding Behavioral Change
While tripping over a suitcase isn’t a monumental issue, it exemplifies a fundamental challenge that entrepreneurs face.
The same reluctance I felt about moving the suitcase mirrors what you, as a business owner, will encounter when attempting to persuade potential customers to engage with your product. It’s not that people are unaware of their problems or incapable of seeing your solution. The real challenge is that customers are often more focused on their goals rather than on resolving problems.
I’ll emphasize this important distinction again:
Customers are more concerned with achieving their goals than with solving problems.
In my case, while cooking dinner, I was focused on getting the meal ready for my family. Yes, moving the suitcase would have taken mere seconds, but it would have interrupted my current task, leading me to ignore the nuisance.
This dynamic is mirrored in your offerings. For customers, using your product is not their ultimate goal (even if it is yours). Your product serves as a means to solve a problem while they pursue their objectives.
Even though your solution might help them reach their goals more efficiently, using your product requires a change in behavior—and altering behaviors is often challenging.
Strategies for Encouraging Behavioral Change
So how can you encourage someone to alter their habits, especially when they are laser-focused on their immediate objectives?
The key lies in making the new behavior as effortless and rewarding as possible, seamlessly incorporating it into a person's daily routine so that the benefits are clear and the effort required to change feels minimal.
This involves a deep understanding of the context in which your product will be used. You must identify both the obvious pain points and the subtler inconveniences that users may not even recognize. Then, design your solution to feel like the natural next step rather than a diversion.
For entrepreneurs, this often means revisiting your approach—not necessarily to redesign your product, but to rethink how it’s introduced and woven into users' lives. Consider these strategies:
- Creating an Intuitive Experience: Your product should be user-friendly and straightforward to minimize the friction associated with adopting new behaviors.
- Demonstrating Immediate Value: Show users how your product enhances their lives right from the first use. Tangible benefits can be a powerful motivator for change.
- Leveraging Existing Habits: Integrate your solution into behaviors that users already engage in. This makes the new behavior feel like a natural extension of their current routines.
- Providing Education and Support: When behavior change necessitates learning, offer clear, accessible resources to guide users through the transition.
Whatever tactics you choose, remember that your focus should not be solely on persuading people to use your product. That approach is self-serving, emphasizing your needs as an entrepreneur rather than your users’ needs as customers.
Instead, concentrate on helping customers seamlessly integrate your solution into their everyday lives. Shift the perception of your product from being an inconvenient "suitcase in the kitchen" to an essential tool that aids them in reaching their goals.
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Chapter 2: Insights from Industry Experts
In this insightful talk by Jeff Patton, he explores the complexities of product thinking and offers practical strategies to navigate these challenges effectively.
This video delves into the psychology of consumer behavior, revealing the underlying reasons behind purchasing decisions and simplifying the selling process.