Harness Friction to Drive Sales

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The Framework for Determining Good Friction

Insights from Demand Curve

In marketing, "friction" typically refers to obstacles that prevent people from converting. Most advice suggests reducing friction to maximize conversions. But not all friction is bad. Sometimes, it can drive purchases and keep users engaged. Here's our framework for understanding good friction:

Aligning Product Friction with Business Model Friction

Low Friction Balance:
Low product friction means easy sign-ups and getting started, while low business model friction means straightforward pricing.

High Friction Balance:
High product friction involves complex sign-ups or features, paired with a more complicated pricing structure.

Examples:

• Instagram: Easy to sign up for and free to use.
• Spotify: Simple to start with a low subscription fee.
• Semrush and HubSpot: More complex products with matching intricate pricing.
• Palantir: Highly complex and pricey solutions for enterprise clients.

Good Friction Types

1. Personalization

• Example: Canva asks users what they'll use the platform for during onboarding.

2. Cross-Selling/Upselling

• Example: Suggesting related products or upgrades near the checkout.

3. Helpful Tooltips or Product Tours

• Example: Short guides or tooltips that enhance user understanding.

4. Major Announcements

• Example: Headspace’s popup introducing a UI upgrade.

Bad Friction Types

1. Credit Card Requirement

• Example: Requiring a credit card for sign-up deters users.

2. Early Push Notification Prompts

• Example: Asking for push notification permissions too early in the user journey.

3. Mandatory Account Creation

• Example: Forcing users to create an account to check out.

Key Insights

Balancing friction with your business model can significantly impact user engagement and conversion rates. Good friction can enhance the user experience, while bad friction can drive users away. Align your product and business model friction effectively to create a seamless and engaging customer journey.

Turn Visitors Into Customers with Psychological Biases

Insights from Chew on this

Understanding psychological biases can transform visitors into loyal customers. Here’s how to harness these biases for better conversions.

The Magic of Framing Bias

Imagine you're in a grocery store. Would you buy meat labeled "20% fat" or "80% lean"? Most people choose "80% lean" because it sounds healthier, even though both are the same. This is framing bias, and it can significantly impact how users perceive value.

Implementing Framing:

• Price Framing: Experiment with different ways to present pricing, such as "$X per day" or "XX% off".
• Goal Framing: Tailor your product description to specific customer goals, e.g., "Never lose a single hair again" instead of "Hair loss product for women".
• Ask-Framing: Change calls to action to calls to value, like "Get better sleep" instead of "Buy now".

🎯 The Anchoring Effect

People give disproportionate weight to the first piece of information they receive. Use this to your advantage by presenting a higher price point first, making subsequent prices seem like better deals.

Tactics:

• Before and After Pricing: Show a higher original price before presenting the discounted price.
• Bundling: Offer a high-priced bundle alongside the product you want to sell, making the latter seem more affordable.

⏳ Creating Urgency and Scarcity

Urgency and scarcity compel immediate action. However, they must be authentic. For example, if you claim "only 50 pieces left," ensure the product goes offline once sold out to maintain credibility.

Effective Strategies:

• Limited Edition Launches: Build hype with limited-time product releases.
• Push Notifications: Use app notifications to create anticipation without overspending on email/SMS campaigns.

📈 Leveraging Social Proof

Social proof is essential for building trust and converting visitors. Use varied types of social proof to resonate with different customer segments.

Utilization:

• Reviews: Tailor reviews to specific landing pages to address relevant customer concerns.
• User-Generated Content (UGC): Feature UGC from platforms like TikTok on your website to enhance credibility.
• Press Logos: Display mentions in reputable publications like Forbes or Buzzfeed to establish authority.

Key Takeaways

Understanding and utilizing psychological biases can drastically improve your conversion rates. By framing your product positively, creating authentic urgency, and leveraging social proof, you can transform visitor interest into customer loyalty.

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