Picture this: you’re on the lookout for a new CRM software for your sales team.
Like many business owners, you don’t have much time, so you likely quickly scan multiple websites in-between meetings, considering the value proposition and pricing. One landing page in particular catches your attention - a section boasting in bold letters: 97% of customers recommend this software. The claim is followed by some client logos, including companies you know. This intrigues you enough to keep scrolling.
You see a button offering a 14-day free trial to sign up for the software, no credit card required. You like how easy the process is - ultimately, you decide to sign up and try it out. After all, why not? You can always go back and cancel.
You probably guessed what happens next. After two weeks of your sales team using the CRM, you’re much more likely to keep using this software rather than learn the ropes and quirks of a new one, let alone start the search all over again. And just like that, the software company has gained another paying customer.
Was their marketing so good that they convinced you to choose them over other companies? You might notice there's no mention of hard selling in this story: your choice was entirely voluntary. What they did, on the other hand, was make it extremely easy for you by nudging you towards a decision - in this case, signing up for the 14-day free trial.
This effect has a name - and it’s called nudge theory.
In their 2008 book Nudge, Richard Thaler and Cass Sunstein argue that humans are far from rational decision-makers. On the contrary, our decisions are shaped by various factors, most of which we’re unaware of - as a result, we often make poorer choices. The authors maintain that subtle changes in how choices are presented can significantly influence people’s behavior in predictable ways, without limiting their freedom to choose.
“Nudges” are gentle interventions that direct people towards better choices without overly pushing or restricting other options. To be considered a nudge, an incentive needs to be simple and easily preventable - a well-known example is placing fruit next to supermarket checkouts to decrease junk food consumption.
Obviously, nudge theory has wide-ranging implications for our everyday lives and environment, influencing everything from business strategy to policemaking and UX design. Shaping people’s decisions in a predictable way can be an invaluable marketing tool, however, we need to be mindful of using it ethically. Guiding user behavior without aggressive selling or restricting choice freedom has come to be known as nudge marketing.
But what are the key differences between marketing as we know it and marketing using nudge theory insights?
We all know that one brand which feels too pushy and salesy. The goal of nudge marketing is exactly the opposite: using subtle cues to guide customers towards a decision that feels natural and intuitive to them. The overall aim is to simplify the buyer journey - make the whole process, from passive looking to buying, as smooth as possible.
How is this achieved? While traditional marketing focuses on persuasive strategies and strong messaging, nudge marketing leverages what Thaler and Sunstein call choice architecture - the deliberate design of people's decision-making environment. Think about it. How many steps does your customer need to take to go from initial looking to an eventual purchase? Are you making it simple for them, or unnecessarily complicated?
With nudge marketing, you’re not trying to convert aggressively by implementing bold CTAs or highlighting product benefits. Instead, you’re auto-checking boxes or leveraging social proof - statements like "1000 companies trust this solution".
In summary, while traditional marketing says "here’s why you should want this," nudge marketing says "here’s the easiest way to choose this."
Traditional marketing:
Nudge marketing
If you’ve read this, you’re probably wondering: How can I start implementing nudge marketing right now? It all starts with being more conscious and deliberate about how you display your service or product - and a few small changes can go a long way.
We've put together three actionable nudge theory insights guaranteed to help with your conversion rate optimization (CRO) and enhance your customer experience.
Would you prefer to go through the pain of choosing - or have the choice already made for you? If you’re still convinced you would prefer to choose for yourself, here’s a surprising fact: this isn't how people usually make decisions. Our brains try to conserve energy and reduce cognitive effort as much as possible - and thus, we tend to stick with the default option - the one we automatically receive for doing nothing.
How many times did you have to choose between plans and went with the pre-selected option because it felt like the “recommended” one? We are much more likely to choose something when it’s presented as default, even if it doesn’t necessarily mean the best decision for us.
Introducing a default option, whether it’s a recommended plan or an auto-checked box, is a simple and effective way to increase your conversion rates. More customers will go with the default choice, because it eliminates choice paralysis - and they'll have a feeling they did something “right”.
Tied to the default effect is the phenomenon of social proof. Like the magic word "recommended", people love to see evidence that other companies are using your product or service. We are social animals, easily influenced by the actions of others. In marketing, you can use this fact to your advantage.
Displaying client testimonials, reviews, or simply customer statistics increases your credibility on the market and people's trust in you. Here's a tip: don't only mention the number of happy customers using your product, but also their thoughts about it. Customer survey insights or Trustpilot reviews are a great way to get this information and increase conversions. Your prospects will think: This company is using their product, and they're happy. What's stopping me from doing the same?
When skimming a website, how likely are you to read anything beyond the display headings? UX designers are well aware that people are more likely to notice and respond to options that are visually prominent - in other words, salient. By the term salience, we mean how much something stands out and grabs our attention, leading to increased conversions.
Why is salience especially important for B2B marketing? B2B buyers are busy and often distracted, quickly scanning through different websites. Using your space strategically and making only the most important information pop is not a nice-to-have - it’s an essential.
By visually distinguishing certain options or making pieces of information more noticeable, you can steer your customers’ behavior how you want - without limiting their freedom to choose.
If your conversion rate is stalling, it’s probably not your product - it’s how you’re presenting the choice.
Nudge marketing isn’t about manipulation, but about making the process of buying from you easy and smooth. It’s a low-cost strategy that can be incredibly effective - particularly in B2B, when decision fatigue is a real factor and sales cycles are long. Implementing subtle nudges in choice architecture can increase your conversion rates, without increasing your ad spend.
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