Try it Before You Buy It

I’ve come on to several new products in the past few weeks; one is Clickable, a web based application to manage and optimize your PPC campaigns, and second is Outside.in for publishers. I love the fact that both of these great tools allow you to test their features, judge their value to your needs, and then make an informed purchasing decision.

One of the biggest fears I have, and most consumers have, is the fear of post purchase doubt. I don’t want to feel wrong, and I don’t want to fret that I’m making the wrong decision. I mean I have trouble clicking “Send” on emails some times because I’m nervous there is a typo or an ambiguous phrase somewhere, so I am ridiculously meticulous about any major purchases or commitments. So one of my favorite things, both as a consumer and as a marketer and creator of goods, is the ability to try it before you buy it.

How can I make an informed decision to purchase this x thousand dollar tool if I don’t know its going to work for me. Sure it works for them, but they’re not me, I want to see it work for me. You would never buy a car without a test drive (at least I wouldn’t), so why would I commit thousands of dollars and hours towards something if I can’t give it a whirl around the block first?

The ability to test something out gives the feeling of confidence in your product that both consciously and sub-consciously builds trust in your product. It gives consumers the extra bit of assurance needed to make a commitment. As a consumer it shows the producer is willing to stake the deal on their ability to deliver, and as a producer it makes me feel comfortable asking for a bigger sale. When everyone at the table is happy, the deal goes smoothly and everyone can walk out with their head up knowing they are confident in their decisions.

I understand why most companies don’t give their products out for free to try, because they are scared people will return them. And some people always will because its just not possible to please everyone at the same time. Sometimes its not the right fit, but if you’re willing to extend the confidence in your product to a test drive, its going to reap rewards, build relationships and ultimately end with bigger, better deals and happier customers.