I ate at a restaurant this week that had a very interesting sticker in the restroom.
The paper towel dispenser had a sticker that said:
Remember… These Come From Trees
The message was simple: Don’t waste paper towels.
The principle behind the simple message is much more powerful: When you help your customers see the consequences of their actions, it will change their behavior.
Instead of telling your customers what not to do, tell them what happens if they do something.
Instead of restricting customers to a certain limit, educate them what occurs when they exceed that limit.
Instead of leaving customers to experience the unknown, help them see the trade-offs their preferences require.
Subtle communication of meaningful messages will gently guide customers in the right direction without alienating them or offending them.
Think about how you can get your customers to see the downstream consequences of their actions.