How do we - as individuals, employees, or business owners - get the things we need to get done everyday?
Some people have to-do lists. Others block their days down to the minute on a calendar. Whatever system you've created, it is likely the result of a focused, intentional effort on your part to Get Things Done.
But how do organizations Get Things Done? It becomes increasingly difficult to take action as an organization grows larger; it's like a smorgasbord of individual processes, competing priorities, and red tape. Sales teams in particular face a never-ending list of to-do's.
We all know effective decision-making is key to business success, yet there is no mechanism to measure or improve it like a KPI. Allow us, then, to introduce you to the concept of the nudge - a word you will encounter at least 20 more times as you read on.
Nudge theory is a far-reaching tactic rooted in principles of behavioral economics and psychology. Nobel prize-winning economist Richard H. Thaler first defined the “nudge” in his 2008 book of the same name.
｜“A nudge, as we will use the term, is any aspect of choice architecture that alters people’s behavior in a predictable way without forbidding any options.”
Choice architecture refers to the way choices are presented to decision makers, which happen to be each one of us on a daily basis. The big idea is that seemingly small changes in a choice environment can influence dramatic changes in behavior.
The Apple Watch is a great example of the power of nudging. Every Apple Watch owner knows that if they’ve been inactive for a long time, their watch will prompt them with a “Time to Stand!” or “Close Your Rings!” reminder. An observational study published in the Science Advances journal found that when nudged, people were 43.9% more likely to stand up than when they were not. That’s a remarkable change in behavior generated by a simple buzz on the wrist!
In the corporate setting, nudge units are set up within companies to promote specific behavioral changes in employees, customers, or both. Impact is delivered in keeping the initiatives simple and straightforward, while continuously testing assumptions about people’s behavior through experimentation.
Nudge theory relies on one key certainty: human beings act inconsistently. We weigh some factors more than others, we rely on heuristics and feelings, and we don’t always make objectively right decisions. Nudging embraces these truths, empowering individuals to move toward a desired action rather than forcing their hand.
Salespeople, especially when first starting off, often face something of a choice paralysis. We all know the feeling. Everyday, in every given moment, there are an infinite number of actions one could take. In the world of sales, we refer to these actions as touches– email this contact, follow-up with that prospect, and so on. Without some kind of prioritization system, salespeople would be completely overwhelmed by all the choices laid before them. And even when they do make a choice, it’s difficult to fully evaluate the benefit of one course of action over another.
Do you run through a mental to-do list each time you sit down at your desk? We aren’t even fully aware of how much information we store in our brains, but some of it is bound to slip. Of course, there are the various tracking tools, calendars, and good old post-its on the laptop, but the effort required of you remains the same. You have to do the work and tell your system the necessary inputs - what task, how important, and when to remind you.
Now imagine you sit down at your desk and, like the Apple Watch, your ecosystem is ready and waiting to tell you what to do instead.
Kaboom AI’s Nudges were born from the desire to enable the entire account team to be the best version of themselves. Intuitive and actionable, Nudges come to you with brief snippets of information throughout your work day to keep you on your A-game. From Meeting Preparation notes to Account Health Score alerts, Nudges act as your external brain, documenting and analyzing all of your sales touches to inform future suggestions.
A Nudge is not a command - it’s entirely up to you to engage or ignore. But you’ll find that as you accept the Nudges, the benefits of taking action begin to manifest. Interacting with your Nudges builds good workflow habits and significantly reduces your cognitive load. Over time, Nudges become your built-in work partner, a relationship that enables you to be both proactive and productive. Better still, Nudges learn from these interactions, anticipating the needs of you and your customers.
We made this process as easy as possible. Kaboom’s Nudges live where you live, taking on whatever form best suits you. They can be Slack notifications, emails in the inbox, or a top of the mornin' check-in on your Kaboom dashboard.
Account management is all about knowing the needs of your customers and consistently evaluating how your solutions meet those needs. With Kaboom, you no longer have to get stuck manually drafting an account plan or debating over opportunities to cross-sell. Let Nudges do the grunt work for you, freeing you up to make the moves that matter.
Consider this your first nudge in the right direction! Click here to demo Kaboom’s platform and see your future sales partner in action.
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