The More Choices You Offer, the Further Away a 'Yes' Becomes: The 'Psychology of Subtraction' in Decision Making
Thinking you are being kind,
you end up increasing the number of choices.
But in reality—
The more choices there are, the harder it is for a 'Yes' to emerge.
This is not a matter of preference or values, but a
'common principle' in psychology, behavioral economics, and sales.
■ [Conclusion] The number of choices is not a measure of 'persuasive power' but of 'confusing power'
When processing information, the human brain
prioritizes 'avoidance' over 'comparison'.
In other words, when there are many choices,
people tend to choose to 'avoid' rather than to select.
In behavioral economics, this is called
the 'paradox of choice'.
The more you have to choose, the more painful it becomes.
The more you hesitate, the harder it is to decide.
And in the end, what comes out is—
'I'll pass for today'
—a form of 'safe retreat'.
■ [Why does a 'Yes' disappear when there are too many choices?]
There are three reasons.
1. People intensely dislike 'uncertainty'
'Which one is the right answer?'
'I don't want to regret my decision.'
As information increases,
the fear of 'loss due to a decision' grows.
2. Without a 'standard,' the brain cannot process information
What is actually needed is not the 'amount of information' but
'a standard for how to choose'.
Comparison without a standard
is nothing more than noise to the brain.
3. People can only compare up to 'three things' at a time
This has been made clear by research into decision-making.
There is a limit to the brain's capacity for the number of choices it can handle.
The moment that limit is exceeded,
people stop comparing and escape into 'postponement'.
■ [The 'Tragedy of Too Many Choices' in Sales]
The more you increase choices thinking it's for the best—
• Explanations become longer
• Comparisons become more complex
• The focus becomes scattered
• The other person's expression stiffens
• After a silence, they say, 'I'll think about it again'
This isn't because the salesperson's efforts are bad, but because
that is simply 'how the human brain is designed'.
The direction of the effort and the results were simply misaligned,
that is all.
■ [Why 'YES' Increases the Moment You Reduce Choices]
When you reduce choices,
a 'clear path' is created in the customer's mind.
When there is a path,
people can move forward with confidence.
There is only one point.
Create a 'state where it is easy to decide'.
It is not about the amount of information.
It is not about skillful explanation.
It is not about the technique of pushing and pulling.
A 'state where it is easy to decide' is the foundation that produces a YES.
■ [Use Starting Today: The Art of Subtraction in Proposals]
Rather than 'what to add',
'what to subtract' is more important.
① Present the 'optimal solution' first
'To start with the conclusion—this is the choice you will regret the least.'
→ By planting a flag, hesitation is reduced all at once.
② A maximum of three choices
・Optimal option
・Comparison option
・Trial option
These three are enough.
3. Provide a "standard" for how to choose
"If you are worried about X, thinking in this order will prevent regret."
→ People find it easier to decide when they are taught "how to choose."
4. When in doubt, organize your "perspective," not information
"Why don't you try focusing only on this for a moment?"
→ This creates space and makes it easier to move forward.
■ [Summary]
・The more options there are, the further away YES becomes
・The brain chooses "avoidance" over comparison
・Decisions require a "standard"
・Three options are enough
・Sales is the job of designing a "state where it is easy to decide"
When "adding" information doesn't yield results,
take the plunge and switch to "subtraction."
YES is born the moment you reduce.
▼ Read the next article here ▼
"Silence is a 'weapon.' Why silence increases your YES rate"