So, I always over-do everything. Rich calls this “over-egging the pudding”.
Not sure why this is. Maybe to do with being an American? Because we always do everything louder and OTT? Took me ages to tone it down when I first came here – ages! All my British friends would literally cringe when we were out in public. Felt like I had to learn to whisper all the time. (Now, it’s second nature and am horrified by loud fellow Americans when I see them in action. Was I really like that? Gak!)
Anyhow, this over-egginess crept into the business. Of course it did, because the business was just me responding to the needs of customers – and inventing weird and wonderful products – and Rich desperately trying to keep the whole thing in check. We describe this process by saying that I’m the kite, and he’s the guy who holds the kite string.
As things developed, they just got complicated. Didn’t mean for this to happen – it just did. Made one kind of goats milk soap, and then another. And then another! All different lovely scents! Because if one is good, five is better! Like when you go into a clothes shop and see a stack of lovely jumpers – in delicious colours – and you want the whole stack. But of course the whole stack is too spendy, so you just buy one. Then you get home and are disappointed because it looks so – meagre. And it’s not the same. It’s the EFFECT of the whole stack you loved. Know what I mean? Same with creating products. Fun! Impactful! People loved them! Just got carried away!
So – found one kind of tincture – to deal with symptoms while gut health protocol worked its effective but SLOOOWW magic – and then another. People have different symptoms! Need many different tinctures!
Formulated one kind of pure herbal tea – with real flowers! Gorgeous! Then another – then another…
You get the picture.
Before you know it, our website is COMPLICATED. Too complicated, Rich complains. Should make it simpler, like his vintage tractor websites. (Note: there is NOTHING more complicated than a tractor website. They each have about a gazillion parts, and each one is specific to that particular kind of tractor, and the specific year of that specific tractor, so DON’T talk to me about complicated.)
Here’s Rich on one of his prized vintage tractors btw –
See that face? How can I argue with that face? (Can’t. No point in even trying. He says things to me in that Welsh accent and I just believe everything he says. Plus he has a laugh like a pirate. I never had a chance. Anyhow, he’s always right in any case. SUPER annoying. Must be boring to be Rich and be right all the time. Though he says it isn’t boring at all, but v. enjoyable.)
Anyhow, can’t lie, website was very complicated. (Entirely my fault. Turns out most things are. That’s being a boss for you. Non-stop glamour. Haha.)
So – long story short, we’ve been trying to detangle the whole thing. Can’t give up products, because love products. People would complain. But need to re-organise. Make it simpler. (UNLIKE Rich’s tractor websites.)
So here’s what we’ve done – instead of a load of kefir pages, we’ve got one kefir page – with two types, in a drop-down. One soap page – with five flavours. Same for skin lotions, tinctures, teas, etc.
Because – and here’s the concept – otherwise it’s too many marmalades. Not making this up. V. clever scientists did a study, called “When choice is demotivating: Can one desire too much of a good thing?” and showed people loads of marmalade – 24 or 30 choices.
Guess what happened? It put people right off. They didn’t want any. Too many marmalades! But if they were only shown 6 choices to begin with, participants were much more likely to choose one. And they were also happier afterwards, reporting “greater subsequent satisfaction” when their original set of options were limited.1https://psycnet.apa.org/record/2000-16701-012
Note to self, in order to to counter future over-egging: A Confused Mind Always Says No.
Interesting, yes?
So – what do you think?
Also, would love to get your opinion on our new drop-down organisation on the website. More confusing? Less confusing? Sneak a peek at our website and let me know your thoughts. How many marmalades is the right amount – for you?
Hugs,
Shann.x
Shann Jones MBE
Director/Founder Chuckling Goat
ps If you’d like to speak to one of our gorgeous Nutritional Therapists about anything related to gut health, crack on, Dai John! They’re available on live chat 8 am to 8 pm, average response time is 50 seconds. NO AI and NO bots, just real, trained human experts! And they love to chat…
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