From time to time we’re presented with alternative options that we were previously unaware of.
And more frequently than not, we seem to quickly jump at those opportunities.
Like being presented with an appealing smoothie flavor previously hidden from the menu.
Or that blue shirt that fits you so incredibly well but also comes in dark green. It just happens that none of those green shirts are out on the “floor.”
Or when you and Matt have a really strong connection, but then Brian calls out of nowhere. Quite the surprise.
It could be the fear of scarcity that drives us to choose the alternative options, in lieu of our own assured confidence.
But I think it’s the idea of being original, of standing out, of grabbing an option that’s not presented to the mass public.
Call it novelties.
I think marketers have certainly caught onto the idea of that, but is an alternative smoothie flavor really that novelty? I mean maybe they just didn’t have room on the menu board?
So maybe it’s not novelties after all.
But then why the heck then did you choose Vanilla Mocha Almond Coffee Surprise instead of your original choice of Almond Mocha Coffee Vanilla Splash. (Yes, I realize those are basically the same. That’s the point).
You chose the smoothie without even listening to the girl taking your order.
Perhaps in a world where everyone has seemingly instant and infinite access to everything, we just want to stand out. Perhaps we want to be different. And choosing the alternative is our way of doing that.
For businesses, novelty and the idea of choosing the alternative is a big deal.
It could just be the answer we’re all looking for.
Hey! Thanks for reading our post. If you like what you’ve read, why not consider getting Feasible in your inbox daily (M, W, F). Sign up here.
