Does too many choices cause resistance?

In my experience in the real estate industry I have found that too many choices can cause resistance.

For instance, the more homes an agent shows a buyer the higher the chances that the buyer will become overwhelmed and not make a decision.

The solution... freedom within limits. Or put another way, reduce the number of choices.

What do you think?

Originally Posted by AZBroker In my experience in the real estate industry I have found that too many choices can cause resistance. For instance, the more homes an agent shows a buyer the higher the chances that the buyer will become overwhelmed and not make a decision. The solution... freedom within limits. Or put another way, reduce the number of choices. What do you think?

Here is a quote from Kevin Hogan that you might agree with:

Cognitive dissonance is what happens when you hold two or more beliefs or ideas and don't know which to choose. It makes you feel overwhelmed. People like to have choices; it gives them freedom. But if you give people too many choices they will simply freeze and do nothing.

Originally Posted by SalesGuy Here is a quote from Kevin Hogan that you might agree with:

When you give one piece of information at a time in a dialogue rather than issue a blast of encyclopediac proportion, you help people make decisions. When you find out what someone is looking for and wants by definition choices are limited.

Often the bombarding of someone with information and choices is the result of not paying close attention to the person you're dealing with and/or not knowing your product line well enough to fit specific needs.

Originally Posted by MitchM When you give one piece of information at a time in a dialogue rather than issue a blast of encyclopediac proportion, you help people make decisions. When you find out what someone is looking for and wants by definition choices are limited. Often the bombarding of someone with information and choices is the result of not paying close attention to the person you're dealing with and/or not knowing your product line well enough to fit specific needs.

It is true that a salesperson can increase the possibility of resistance by presenting too many choices.

Originally Posted by SalesGuy It is true that a salesperson can increase the possibility of resistance by presenting too many choices.

When I've been out to buy something the salesman offering me choices I don't want is always the result of two things - one is I don't really have a clear idea about what I want so I'm rather vague OR the salesman isn't asking me questions to eliminate nonoptions and come to the limited choices I want.

Originally Posted by MitchM ... I don't really have a clear idea about what I want so I'm rather vague...

I don't think you're alone in this regard.

Originally Posted by SalesGuy I don't think you're alone in this regard.

Even when someone isn't sure the skilled salesman will ask questions to find out what the potential buyer wants and not try to get him into something he doesn't want - usually people have a clear enough idea to know what they don't want BUTare not aware of the options - that's where the salesman's asking questions and paying attention to answers comes in.

That's my experience.

Thanks everyone for the great input.

Originally Posted by AZBroker In my experience in the real estate industry I have found that too many choices can cause resistance. For instance, the more homes an agent shows a buyer the higher the chances that the buyer will become overwhelmed and not make a decision. The solution... freedom within limits. Or put another way, reduce the number of choices. What do you think?

No question about it. When I worked in the TV department, that was the most frequent complaint I got.

Absolutely,
I think that the more your mouth is moving the possibility to loose your client becomes higher.

Like I said in one of my threads - You have two ears and one mouth - Use them like that. If the customer is fine knowing as little as they know - SHUT UP.