Has this happened to you? Whether online or in-person, there’s a customer who lingers, hesitates. They’re eyeing your item or menu. They’re asking questions about it. You think they’re going to buy and then they walk away or abandon their online cart without making a decision. They don’t say no, they just don’t say yes. 

When you see someone who’s interested, but then walks away, it’s likely not your product or service that’s the problem. It’s the fear of a better option.

The problem for most people is that there are endless options that are just a click away. Customers are paralyzed by choice. They scroll through product pages, read countless reviews, and compare minor details, all while wondering, “What if there’s something better?” 

Businesses in every industry (from retail to professional services) are affected by this modern dilemma. 

The good news? 

It’s not a lost cause.

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​A few years ago, a trend hit—customizing your offerings to what your customers wanted. It involved surveying every part of their experience and shaping your business based on results. Customer-designed offerings kept a lot of businesses alive during COVID. The idea is a great one, give them what they want, make them feel important, and they’ll return.
 
This premise was so widely adopted that we all became professional survey takers. Now every moment you spend with a business (online or in-person) is followed by a survey on your experience. From airlines to doctors, they’re all doing it. These requests are exhausting and make people regret giving out their emails.
 
But it’s important to ensure your business offerings are in-line with what your customers want, right? So how do you ensure this without giving them survey fatigue? Here are a few ideas that will help you get the information you need without annoying them.
 

​Fly fishing is fascinating to watch. It involves a series of movements that lure a fish into biting. It’s more about the rhythm than the bait. “Landing” a loyal customer is much the same.
 
You can easily get someone to buy from you with a discounted price or crazy offer. But that’s not sustainable. In the long run, you want that customer to keep returning to buy from you, or at the very least, refer you to others.
 
That takes a certain finesse.
 
And like fly fishing, it requires an ability to put it all together in a fluid motion. While looking for customers on Instagram is just one component of a marketing strategy, it can be an important one if you’re trying to increase visibility.