How service designers get people into bed

The manager of a New York City mattress made a mistake.

Rather than ordering their usual monthly stock from the wholesaler, he ordered more than his warehouse could hold. To make room fast, the store began offering to collect people’s old mattresses.

Within seven days they sold more than in the previous seven months. They soon became the No. 1 mattress company in New York City.

The decision to buy isn’t just about your product. It involves a series of decisions (and how difficult these are perceived to be). Every decision involves cognitive effort. The simplest most attractive choice will always win.

Take Amazon One-Click as an example. In fact, research published in the Harvard Business Review found that companies that were easier to buy from sold 58% more than their competition.

Whether trying to sell a product or trying to persuade people to do something, it pays to start by making it easier for them. You may find you hit your targets in days, not months and leave your competition for dust.

- Written by Thomas Cornwall, head of service design at Rainmaker