A problem I've seen repeatedly in e-commerce, is a business launching an entire re-brand of their store, in the hopes of growing their business. Everyone is excited about the launch. It looks amazing! Customers will love it! And then, after launch day…
...their conversion rate plummets.
Why re-designs often fail
In business, as in life, it's often the small things that make the biggest difference. Too many businesses try to make one big change in order to achieve dramatic results. More often than not, this strategy fails. Why?
Because it's impossible to predict everything that could go wrong.
The benefits of iterative design
Instead, it's better to iterate your way towards success. That means making small changes and testing them out before making any larger decisions.
The key to successful iteration is to start small. That means making changes that are easily reversible and testing them out on a limited scale. Only after you've gathered data and feedback should you move on to larger changes. This approach may seem slow, but it's actually the fastest way to reach your goals. Why? Because it allows you to quickly identify and fix any problems that arise.
Iteration is also the most effective way to learn. By constantly testing and refining your ideas, you'll develop a deep understanding of what works and what doesn't. This knowledge is invaluable when it comes to making decisions down the road. When you do finally want to make bigger changes, you'll be armed with a wealth of information on what matters to your customer, and why.
Yet, over and over I see brands forgetting about the small stuff and only focussing on dramatic changes.
New is exciting!
But new isn’t necessarily better.
So, next time you're looking to make a change in your business, forget about the big bang approach. Start small and iterate your way to success! You'll be glad you did.
