The Reason to Explain the Obvious

How often have you seen messages like these on packages:

To open, lift flap. (On a cereal box)

Caution. Contents hot. (On a coffee cup)

Harmful if swallowed. (On practically anything that’s not food)

Keep out of reach of children. (On insecticides and household cleaners)

We tend to think, “well, duh.” It seems so obvious, and in these cases this is probably done more for legal reasons than for anything else.

But, as marketers there’s a reason to explain the obvious. It’s to get people to do what you want them to do. What’s obvious to us, is not obvious to the casual observer.

How often do you go to a store (or a website) and have difficulty finding what you’re looking for? Out of frustration you’ll leave. How many others will do the same?

We want someone to lead us to what we want, without making it seem like we’re being led. That’s why marketers need to make things as simple as possible.

The customer needs to feel like they are in the right place, at the right time, looking for exactly what they want. Take them down a path they won’t regret.

You need to address questions as simple as: How do I buy this? Where do I find more information? What hours are you open? What is your address? What does your business do? Seems pretty basic, doesn’t it? Yet, it’s surprising how many times you can’t find this out. Answer the basic questions then go further.

Explain how the product works: This can be done with videos, testimonials, and product reviews.

Provide steps so the customer knows what to expect: If it’s online, show how many steps it takes to complete a transaction and where the customer is in the process. Let them know what information they’ll need to complete a transaction. That way they’re not rummaging through file cabinets looking for paperwork, which takes them away from completing their task.

Communicate with the customer: Provide information about the transaction, as well as contact information of who to reach for certain situations. Follow-up after the transaction to see how the customer is doing.

We all want to be assured that we’re being taken care of and explaining the obvious is a good way to do that. It doesn’t take much more than caring to take care of a customer.