Klaudia Kowalczyk – ż­ˇ˘k8Ć콢Ěü Kolejna witryna oparta na WordPressie Tue, 03 Oct 2023 07:37:47 +0000 en-US hourly 1 https://wordpress.org/?v=6.8.1 What is the sunk cost fallacy and how to avoid it in 7 easy steps /what-is-the-sunk-cost-fallacy-and-how-to-avoid-it /what-is-the-sunk-cost-fallacy-and-how-to-avoid-it#respond Thu, 14 Sep 2023 08:11:49 +0000 /?p=63279 In 1965, the construction of a supersonic Concorde jet started, which was the subject of the contract between the British and French governments. At the very design stage, it was assumed that the investment wouldn’t be profitable (due to the high costs of production and the unprofitability of flying with rising oil prices). The final value of producing this aircraft was 10 times more than it had been expected, and that’s why only 20 jets were built. The planes were used for 30 years but kept generating losses until they were finally discontinued at the end of 2003. The Concorde project is a perfect example of the phenomenon known as the sunk cost fallacy. In today’s post, we will explain this cognitive error and how it can affect the decisions you make. Read on.

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What is the sunk cost fallacy?

The sunk cost fallacy, also known as the Concorde effect, is a cognitive error that is about making decisions based on money, resources, or effort already invested in a given project, instead of rationally assessing the future benefits. In practice, this means that people are afraid of losing what they’ve already invested, and continue erroneous actions (often subconsciously) even though all the evidence suggests that further investments are simply unprofitable. In this respect, Richard Thaler, an American economist, formulated three hypotheses:

  1. the more costs incurred, the more effort you make to save the project,
  2. suspending the project is less painful than resigning from it whatsoever,
  3. over time, the project is finally depreciated or canceled, regardless of the invested money.

Examples of the sunk cost fallacy

The sunk cost fallacy can be noticed in various aspects of everyday life – both personal and professional. Let’s take a closer look at some examples:

  • Business – a company that has already invested a lot of money and time in a particular project that doesn’t bring the expected results, may continue to work on it despite a lack of real prospects of its success (not to ‘lose’ the money that has been already invested).
  • Education – a person who spent many years getting an education in the chosen field may be willing to continue working in a position that doesn’t bring them any satisfaction (simply because they have already spent a lot of time and other resources on learning),
  • Personal relationships – people may stay in toxic or unsupportive relationships as they fear ‘losing’ time spent with a particular person.
  • Financial investments – investors may continue to invest their resources in slipping stocks or unprofitable projects as they have previously invested a lot of money in them, and they don’t want to waste it.
  • Politics – policymakers may continue to implement projects that don’t deliver the expected results just because significant public funds have been already spent on them.

Why is the sunk cost fallacy harmful?

Sticking to unprofitable projects simply because we have already invested our resources in them may lead to greater time and financial losses. However, these are not the only consequences that are associated with this cognitive error.

Such decisions are based on irrational convictions rather than on actual data, facts, and analyses, and make us feel uncomfortable, frustrated, and stressed. When it comes to business, the sunk cost fallacy may block new opportunities, which can sometimes lead to decision-making mistakes.

How do we avoid the sunk cost fallacy?

Although the sunk cost fallacy is a subconscious feeling, it’s possible to combat it. However, it’s necessary to take a realistic approach to decision-making. You may, for example:

  • conduct a rational analysis of the benefits and invested resources,
  • define goals accurately,
  • allocate resources thoughtfully,
  • accept the incurred losses,
  • ask your coworkers, mentors, and experts for feedback to help you remain objective,
  • continuously search for alternative solutions,
  • prepare a contingency plan in case of failure, which will help you make a decision to cancel a project and keep calm.

Combat the sunk cost fallacy with ż­ˇ˘k8Ć콢Ěü

Using ż­ˇ˘k8Ć콢Ěü at work, you can minimize the risk of falling into the sunk cost trap at the very planning phase. Start with setting your project’s budget, estimate the time you will need to finish it and impose its deadline.

In ż­ˇ˘k8Ć콢Ěü, you can also use the check-in feature, thanks to which you can ask repetitive questions to your team, for example, about their work progress. With check-ins, you no longer have to send updates manually – just decide when and how often they should be delivered to your teammates.

You can also avoid the sunk cost fallacy by being up-to-date with your team’s work. A transparent Kanban board, whose sections and statuses can be adapted to your working style, will make it a lot easier. What’s more, you can share the Kanban board with external individuals, which will let you get their feedback.

sunk cost fallacy

Summary

We strive to be cost-effective both in our personal and professional lives. That’s why we need to be aware that our decisions can sometimes be influenced by the sunk cost fallacy. We should try to mitigate this effect by taking alternative options, asking critical questions, conducting rational analyses, and getting external opinions.

We can achieve better results, in line with our expectations and goals, by making conscious decisions and walking away from unprofitable investments. However, this will undoubtedly require a great deal of courage and the ability to keep our emotions in check, which we should constantly work on.

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Root cause analysis – benefits and goals /root-cause-analysis-benefits-and-goals /root-cause-analysis-benefits-and-goals#respond Fri, 15 Sep 2023 06:30:33 +0000 /?p=63263 In every enterprise - regardless of the seniority of the business, market position, or industry in which it operates daily - mistakes, problems, accidents or failures happen. In such situations, those in charge often try to take countermeasures as soon as possible, which helps in the short term but does not guarantee that the situation will reoccur (generating further costs and consuming owned resources)

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A better solution then, is to conduct a study such as Root Cause Analysis (RCA). Below we explain what this tool is, what its purpose is as well as what positive results its application can bring to an organization.

What is Root cause analysis?

Root cause analysis is a widely employed tool that works not only in a variety of fields (from engineering to healthcare, medicine and business to manufacturing or quality management), but sometimes can also come in handy in our daily lives. Root cause analysis is an approach that through its systematic process leads to identifying the basis of problems, incidents and failures that have both already occurred and are potential.

Making use of it comes as the consequence of thinking that actions focused on this aspect – that is, the real essence of the difficulty – is usually because it is more effective than simply reacting to symptoms that may reappear some time later.

Benefits of Root cause analysis

The main benefit associated with root cause analysis is the prevention of recurrence, which becomes possible precisely by removing the reasons why issues and failures happen. This improves the quality of the products, services or processes offered, reduces the costs incurred and ensures more optimal use of resources. However, this is not the only positive result of adopting this technique – among additional benefits we can mention:

  • Better risk management – root cause analysis helps understand what factors can lead to problems, enabling more effective risk management for both one-time projects and day-to-day operations,
  • Increased safety – In sectors such as industry, medicine or transportation, RCA helps to identify hazards (the substrate of accidents), which increases the level of safety,
  • Improve customer satisfaction – By eliminating the reasons for complaints or grievances, the customer’s relationship with our brand improves.

Objectives of root cause analysis

It might seem that the overriding goal of root cause analysis is to understand the actual reason behind the issue or failure that occurred, which stands in opposition to focusing only on the immediate symptoms and taking corrective action. However, we should stress that such action is only a manifestation of the use of the tool described. This is because RCA aims – through specific steps – to identify areas for improvements, leading to an increase in efficiency, quality of undertaken steps as well and speed of occurring processes.

Thus, adopting Root cause analysis supports the continuous improvement of products, services or processes, which is expected to bring a positive result for all stakeholders (employees, customers, business partners, etc.).

How to carry out the RCA?

How should the RCA process be carried out to make sure it produces the expected results? The best way is to follow these steps:

  1. Identify the problem – choose a specific problem, incident or failure that you want to investigate, and then describe exactly what happened and what the effects were.
  2. Gather data – use reports, documentation, records, witness testimony and other available sources to get a complete picture of the situation.
  3. Identify potential causes – focus on identifying all factors that may have caused the problem (e.g., with an Ishikawa diagram). Remember that some of these may be hidden or not obvious.
  4. Test potential causes – Once potential causes are identified, they should get tested to confirm or rule out their involvement in the matter
  5. Identify the root – find the reason behind the failure that matters most (i.e., has the worst effects).
  6. Implement corrective actions – based on the identified reasons, develop specific corrective actions that will reduce or eliminate the risk of recurrence of the problem. Once you have implemented them, remember to evaluate their effectiveness, and stay flexible (as corrective actions may need to be adjusted as new information becomes available).

If you are not sure what’s truly the source of the difficulty, you can ask your employees for their opinion. A project and team management system, ż­ˇ˘k8Ć콢Ěü, will help you maintain open communication. With the check-ins feature, you can send an automatic message to all (or selected) members of your team asking them to respond to a given topic. You can also set these as regular notifications (e.g., on certain days and times). In this way, you will gain a broader perspective on a given problem and learn about the potential reasons behind it from other people’s perspectives.

Root cause analysis

Root cause analysis – summary

If you are looking for a way to improve quality, efficiency, safety or customer satisfaction within the products or services you offer, root cause analysis should suit you fine. However, you must humbly accept that RCA is not a magical medicine that makes all problems vanish. Nonetheless, applying the principles of the Root cause analysis to find out the basis of certain issue significantly increases the chances that you will succeed and achieve your business goals. What’s more, don’t forget that RCA ensures the troubling matters to occur less frequently (or be eliminated), which always comes as good news to all involved parties.

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What is leading by example? /what-is-leading-by-example /what-is-leading-by-example#respond Mon, 04 Sep 2023 06:32:59 +0000 /?p=63030 If you were to say what makes an effective leader, you’d probably start by listing such elements and attitudes as empowerment (increasing the responsibility placed on the shoulders of employees), active listening and action or trust in colleagues, among others. However, there is one feature that surpasses all of these aspects which constitutes the essence of successful leadership. It also plays a key role in motivating others both to develop individually and to work towards set goals, as well as building positive relationships with the team. We refer to it as leading by example. In this article, we’ll explain what leading by example consists of and why demonstrating it is so important for the proper fulfillment of the leadership role.

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What is leading by example?

Leading by example is a principle of supervising according to which a person who manages a smaller or larger team not only gives orders or commands but also follows them – sets standards of behavior, ethics and attitudes through his or her actions and conduct (e.g., in engaging in ongoing activities).

Such a demonstration of appropriate and desirable behavior is usually perceived positively by subordinates of a given manager and thus is also more likely to be repeated and more firmly established. For what reason? Because it establishes effective leadership based on authenticity, a high level of commitment and appreciation of those around acting in pursuit of a common goal.

Benefits of leading by example

Why does the attitude of leading by example bring positive benefits to the organization? Firstly, the leader’s behavior as a role model for employees leads to the creation of an organizational culture based on values such as respect, openness and honesty (and others relevant to the organization). Achieving such a result is possible thanks to the following key aspects:

  • Consistency – a leader who keeps his or her word builds trust among employees. If a supervisor requires others to adhere to certain standards but does not respect them, it can lead to confusion, disrespect or loss of authority,
  • Inspiration and motivation – observing a leader who achieves success through hard work, dedication and integrity makes employees feel motivated to make similar efforts and commitment,
  • Problem-solving – if a leader has the ability to deal effectively with the difficulties encountered, employees are more likely to think that together they will overcome all obstacles, which increases the level of trust in the team,
  • Employee development – a leader who demonstrates a commitment to their own personal and professional development, motivates others to invest in themselves and develop their skills,
  • Cooperation – by promoting cooperation and openness, the supervisor encourages others to share their ideas. That in turn, boosts innovation and improves the implemented activities.

How to implement leading by example in an organization?

Enforcing leading by example in an organization requires concrete actions and commitment from both leaders and employees at various levels. Here are 3 key steps that can help you successfully fulfill this principle.

  1. Self-awareness of leaders
  2. As a first step, leaders should thoroughly understand their values, attitudes and behaviors, while increasing their knowledge and awareness of how much influence they can have on their subordinates. In this regard, it is crucial to conduct an analysis of individual strengths and weaknesses, as they respectively establish authority in the team or makes others display undesirable attitudes. Then, leader has to determine which of these attitudes employees should follow suit, and which to avoid.

  3. Identify the desired course of action
  4. The second step to introducing leading by example into an organization is to identify (e.g., together with management and other leaders of individual departments or teams in an intensive brainstorming session) the values that will form the foundation of leadership based on leading by example. Next, it’s necessary for the management to recognize those particular behaviors which match company values and which leaders (and most importantly, employees) should exhibit in their daily work.

  5. Practicing desirable attitudes
  6. The last of the indicated steps involves establishing long-term agenda with course of action which leaders follow and proceed as agreed (within the framework of compliance with the organizational culture developed or yet to be built). Depending on the arrangement, they can:

    • Regularly communicate values and expected behaviors through meetings, presentations and internal training,
    • Reward employees for demonstrating desirable attitudes,
    • Create an atmosphere where employees and leaders support each other in the pursuit of exemplary behavior,
    • Nurture an open culture in which all members of the organization feel comfortable communicating their concerns, suggestions and ideas,
    • Organize training and development programs that help leaders and employees develop behaviors in line with established values.

How to introduce leading by example using ż­ˇ˘k8Ć콢Ěü?

ż­ˇ˘k8Ć콢Ěü has several handy features that will help effectively implement leading by example. The first of these is kanban boards. If you apply them, you can not only break down the tasks that need to be completed within a given project but also assign them to individual team members. The leader can take on some of them so that the other employees know what he or she is responsible for and can track the progress in real time.

Another feature is logging the time worked on a specific task. This data is then available in the timesheet tab. In this way, all team members can see who and how much time (including the leader) was spent on a particular task.

Leading by example, and open communication are also important. In ż­ˇ˘k8Ć콢Ěü, this is supported by all sorts of features, including check-ins (automated questions to employees), or comments on tasks, as well as integrations with messengers such as Slack, Zoom, and Skype.

leading by example

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Summary

Experts recognize numerous qualities that people in leadership positions in dynamic and competitive times must possess to adequately carry out their roles. Flexibility, communication skills, an attitude of understanding and empathy are qualities that undoubtedly matter in the area of effective leadership.

However, let’s note that a good leader should first and foremost be a role model for others, inspire them to follow the same values and standards. Managers and executives following the leading by example, however, must not forget about continuous self-improvement, self-awareness and honesty with themselves – to provide authentic and effective leadership, they must be willing to reflect on their actions and learn from their mistakes.

leading by example

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What is an org chart? /what-is-an-org-chart /what-is-an-org-chart#respond Tue, 29 Aug 2023 08:14:00 +0000 /?p=62874 What is necessary for a company or institution - regardless of its size - to function effectively and harmoniously, achieving each of the set goals in turn? You’ll probably name a variety of elements ranging from a well-chosen team with the necessary competencies, a tailored strategy of action to meet the needs of the target group or acquiring all the necessary resources.

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Still, there’s one more element of extreme importance you may have omitted – the efficient structure that a company or organization establishes. This structure consists of dependencies and responsibilities that are effectively visualized by the so-called organizational chart. Below we explain what exactly this tool is, as well as point out what benefits its use brings to companies and institutions operating in various industries.

Org chart – or what?

An org chart isn’t just a simple, straightforward drawing, but a complex management tool to depict – but most importantly understand – the structure of a given company, institution or other entity. It is a graphic visualization of the hierarchy (from the highest to the lowest level), the division of responsibilities as well as the links between various entities (different teams or individuals).

It is a handy means for employees (especially those just starting), as it helps them see the structure of a company or institution by clearly defining the roles of each unit and their scope of responsibilities and competencies. It can also be practical for outsiders (such as potential investors or partners) who want to know how a company or institution operates. The essence of an organizational chart, therefore, lies in ensuring transparency and effective management of the resources at hand

What does the org chart contain?

There are different types of tools described (from hierarchical, to functional, to matrix, i.e. focused on ongoing projects). Exactly what elements are included depends on the specific case (especially the size of the entity and the industry in which it operates). Most often, however, it includes information on such elements as:

  • executives – in the highest part of the visualization are placed in the most important executive positions responsible for making key decisions concerning the entire company or institution. Here usually appear such people as the president, deputy president, general managers (of such areas as HR, marketing, development, sales, etc.), and sometimes top managers,
  • individual divisions or departments – each department (e.g., marketing, HR, IT, sales, legal and compliance, etc.) is represented by a separate block, and in it there are individual positions and roles (within departments there may also be teams responsible for a specific area, e.g., the marketing department the communications, performance and outreach team),
  • Breakdown of positions – within each department or division, the specific positions that exist in the company or institution are also listed (from directors to senior and junior specialists, to interns and trainees), often with their assigned responsibilities,
  • lines of communication and subordination– as part of the graphic representation of the structure, it is also indicated who is responsible for reporting its activities and to whom such a report must be submitted,
  • key/legend – a graphical visualization often also includes a key or legend that explains the meaning of various symbols and lines used in the diagram. This makes it easy for all users to see the structure and understand the meaning of all the different elements.

Why should a company have an org chart?

What good does it do to prepare an organizational chart? Firstly, in this way employees can more easily understand their place in the structure – they know what their tasks are, to whom exactly they are responsible (both within the basic and higher levels) and to whom they can turn in case of a problem.

What’s more, if they need the support of a person from another department, they can check for themselves in the org chart who is responsible for a particular area and be sure (in most cases) that they have referred the issue to the right person. In this way, clearly defined lines of communication and responsibility help avoid confusion and work stoppages. At the same time, the described graphical visualization also makes it possible to identify areas where there are gaps or too much workload, allowing for a more efficient distribution of activities.

org chart

Org chart – summary

Given the benefits listed above, we can safely say that managing a company, institution or other entity without an org chart would be a daunting and extremely difficult task. Communication would be more drawn out, decisions would be less well-thought-out (due to the lack of full knowledge of internal structure and relationships), and resources would be deployed in a non-optimized manner.

An org chart facilitates management, while also enabling an understanding of the company or institution as a whole and identifying areas where improvements and changes can be implemented for further growth and success. Thus, every company and institution – even a small one – should take care to create an accurate and (crucially) up-to-date org chart.

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What is a RACI chart? /what-is-a-raci-chart /what-is-a-raci-chart#respond Wed, 23 Aug 2023 07:59:38 +0000 /?p=62683 Delays in projects or ongoing processes arise for a variety of reasons - starting with improper distribution of resources, communication difficulties, to insufficient knowledge and skills. One of the reasons for this situation can also be the lack of clearly assigned roles and tasks to be performed for each person.

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At a time when projects are increasingly complex and multifaceted, and the teams involved include many people with different competencies, ensuring a clear division of responsibilities becomes crucial. A tool such as the RACI chart can be helpful in this area. Below, we discuss exactly what this solution is and how it can support your operations.

RACI chart – what is this tool?

A RACI chart is a project and organizational management tool designed to assign a specific person to specific tasks or activities within a project or process. Its use helps to effectively manage responsibilities – it provides clarity in the division, minimizes the risk of overlooking activities to be performed, and improves communication (when one person is dependent on another with his or her responsibilities).

Thus, the use of this tool facilitates planning and monitoring of progress, while enabling the achievement of set goals. The described solution is currently used by companies operating in various industries, as well as organizations of the so-called third sector.

What does the RACI chart look like?

What exactly the responsibility matrix will look like can be tailored to a particular team, project or organization. Most often, however, it is presented in the form of a chart, with tasks or project elements in one dimension (e.g., in columns) and the people or teams assigned to them in the other (e.g., in rows).

In larger projects or organizations, the table can be more elaborate (e.g., include decision-making levels as well). The designations indicated below (which explain another name for this tool – RACI) are used to indicate the roles assigned to each person:

  • R – Responsible – a person who is required to perform a task,
  • A – Accountable – a person who must accept the performance of a given task,
  • C – Consulted – a person who has specialized knowledge and can help perform a given task,
  • I – Informed – a person who needs to be informed about the progress of the task, but is not actively involved in its implementation.

Benefits of using the RACI chart

The main purpose of using the described tool is to define precisely who is responsible for performing a given task, which eliminates ambiguities and discrepancies in understanding responsibilities, reducing the risk of mistakes (especially duplication of tasks or their omission).

However, this is not the only benefit of this approach to ongoing projects and processes. The RACI chart also allows:

  • improve communication in the team – when everyone knows what roles and tasks are assigned to them and others, daily communication and cooperation become easier and smoother,
  • ensure effective management of resources – assigning individual tasks to people with the best competence to perform them allows for optimal use of resources (and at the same time ensures that tasks are divided equally, if possible). At the same time, it supports closing within the stipulated budget,
  • effectively manages risk – by assigning an approver role (Accountable) for each task, the person making the final decision can be accurately identified and thus prevent potential problems,
  • streamline business processes – the tool also enables you to identify key tasks, allowing you to rethink your business processes and avoid unnecessary delays or gaps in operations.
RACI chart

RACI chart – summary

The tool in question helps ensure transparency in the distribution of tasks so that delays can be minimized, discrepancies in the understanding of one’s role can be eliminated, and all project participants can work together harmoniously. When using the RACI chart, however, tasks must be assigned according to the actual skills and competencies of individuals, so that each team member has clearly defined roles and knows what is expected of them during the project.

You also need to make sure that the tool is regularly updated as the work progresses and changes are made to the project. This will ensure adaptation to the changing situation, prevent conflicts and maintain the smoothness of ongoing activities.

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What is a perception map in marketing and how to use it? /what-is-a-perception-map-in-marketing /what-is-a-perception-map-in-marketing#respond Tue, 22 Aug 2023 06:17:12 +0000 /?p=62674 In their daily work, marketers reach for various types of tools that allow them to conduct an analysis of the brand's situation in the market, and then take appropriate actions to improve it and achieve better results. From SWOT analysis to Porter's 5 Forces analysis to consumer research, each of the aforementioned tools provides support in building a marketing strategy.

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When conducting consumer research, it’s especially worth reaching for the perception map solution. Below we explain exactly what it is, what benefits it brings to the marketing field, and how to develop it to achieve better results and gain a competitive advantage in the market.

Perception map in marketing – what is this tool?

A perception map in marketing is a tool that helps to understand how consumers perceive different brands, products or services concerning selected characteristics or attributes. It is a graphical representation of consumer opinions on a two-dimensional graph, where each axis represents a different attribute. Individual attributes can be freely indicated by the company in question – depending on what they are currently (or would like to be) associated with.

Each time, however, they should be tailored to the brand and its competitors to ensure that the results obtained can be compared and analyzed. Examples of qualities that might appear on the X and Y axes are price, quality, innovation, durability, luxury or eco-friendliness.

Benefits of using a perception map in marketing

Why is a perception map a valuable tool for companies in various industries? Mainly because it helps understand how customers perceive the products offered or the brand as a whole about the competition. The visual form of representation allows for a quick understanding of what the brand’s strengths are and where improvements may be needed.

Moreover, it provides an opportunity to compare the brand with others in the same industry, so you can easily identify what the competitive advantage is and take appropriate marketing actions to strengthen your position in the market. Sometimes this tool can also identify a niche that is poorly covered by the competition – both in the area of opportunities to develop the product or service you have, as well as to reach new groups of customers.

How does one create a perception map in marketing?

A perception map is created based on a customer survey, usually conducted in the form of a questionnaire, in which consumers rate products or brands based on indicated criteria. For example, in the case of the automobile industry, consumers may be asked to rate different car brands on attributes such as price and luxury.

The results are then presented on a graph with two coordinate axes, where each attribute is represented by a different axis, and the averaged point (corresponding to the results obtained by the brand or product) represents the place of the brand and its competitors. It is worth remembering that the use of the tool in question requires an appropriate research sample and careful design of survey questions to obtain reliable and valuable results.

Developing your perception map in 7 steps

If you would like to prepare your own perception map and achieve the benefits indicated above, you must follow the steps below:

  1. Select features/attributes: decide what features or attributes of products or brands you want to investigate, but remember to match them to your industry and the objectives of the survey you are conducting.
  2. Prepare a survey: create a survey with questions about perceptions of specific products or brands concerning selected characteristics, and then plan how to send it to customers. You can conduct the survey both online and offline, depending on the preferences and availability of your target audience.
  3. Choose a target audience: identify the group of consumers who will ensure that you meet the survey objective. You can decide to send the survey to customers of specific brands, people of a certain gender, age or location, or to the general population of consumers (it is best to implement this activity in cooperation with a specialized research agency).
  4. Conduct a survey: ask respondents to fill out a questionnaire, rating individual products or brands on selected characteristics (e.g., giving them corresponding points on a scale of 1 to 5 points).
  5. Analyze the results: after collecting the responses, proceed to analyze the results of the surveys. Collect all the data in a suitable form for easy comparison, e.g., in a spreadsheet or in special software created for statistical data analysis.
  6. Develop a perception map: based on the results of the surveys received, create a coordinate graph, within which each axis represents a different attribute or characteristic. Place points corresponding to different products or brands on the corresponding positions on the chart (depending on the results of the surveys).
  7. Interpret the results obtained: organize brainstorming around the chart you created to understand how customers perceive particular products or brands in relation to selected characteristics. Conclusions from the analysis will help you better understand your position in the market in comparison with your competitors and adjust the marketing activities you implement.
perception map

Perception map in marketing – summary

The perception map is a tool that has been used for years by marketers working in different industries – but still just as effective. Firstly, it provides valuable information that helps to better understand how a brand is perceived in the market and what consumers’ preferences are.

As a result, the company can make more informed and accurate marketing decisions (e.g., in terms of the activities carried out, external communications carried out, etc.), which in the long run contributes to improving the company’s position in the market, increasing customer satisfaction and standing out among competitors. It is worth using a perception map in marketing – especially because its use does not involve more effort (compared to other available options).

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Facebook landing page – how to create a landing page on Facebook? /facebook-landing-page /facebook-landing-page#respond Thu, 20 Jul 2023 08:37:03 +0000 /?p=61960 Social media have long since ceased to function only as an entertainment hub where people bragged about a new photo or chatted with friends. Companies and marketers have noticed its potential and turned it into a powerful marketing tool. Unsurprisingly, it is a simple and relatively inexpensive way to reach new potential audiences.

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However, having a Facebook page is not enough to make it. You need to take care of a dedicated Facebook landing page as well. What is a Facebook landing page and how to create one? If you’re considering setting up one or find your current one ineffective, this article is just for you!

What is a Facebook landing page?

A Facebook landing page is a page to which users are redirected when they click on a particular ad. Depending on the purpose of the ad, the page should inform users about the possibility of joining a newsletter, provide a description and allow them to purchase a specific product, or allow them to buy tickets to an event. It all depends on the reason the user came to the site and what they just read in the ad.

We now live in a hurry and perpetually short on time, and we scroll social media such as Facebook while waiting in line at the doctor’s office, on the bus ride home or during a break at work. Users expect simple transaction completion, clear descriptions and an uncomplicated process.

It is also worth mentioning here that a Facebook landing page is not a page created strictly for Facebook. In the past, the portal allowed the creation of such pages within its platform, but now they are standard landing pages that are simply configured with Facebook. This does not change the fact that each landing page should be dedicated to a specific advertising campaign.

Why create a Facebook landing page ?

Picture a user who takes a lunch break and scrolls through Facebook and finds your ad. Or one out of boredom on a bus or a tram browses around and notices your ad. The ad catches their eyes and tempted by the attractive product you offer, they click. But instead of going to a dedicated product page that will easily lead them right to purchase, they end up back at the company’s homepage, where they began. Frustrated by wasted time and they drop the purchase. You lose a potential customer. The reason was the lack of a landing page dedicated to this ad.

Advertisers focus most of their attention on creating the ad itself, choosing the right text, graphics and making the whole thing interesting and appealing. They run tests, change the target audience and analyze the parameters, and when the ad still doesn’t bring conversions, they change it completely. Few people take into account that it is not the ad itself that is the problem, but precisely the later process, i.e., redirecting the user.

In this case, both elements must be consistent and both have almost the same impact on the result. The ad is just a lure to catch the eye and catch the potential customer’s interest enough to make them decide to go to the next step, which is to click on the link. A Facebook landing page, on the other hand, is where you can spread your wings a bit and describe your offer, product in detail or add more interesting photos. This means that a weak landing page, or no landing page at all, can make the time and expense spent on creating an ad, only put unnecessary strain on your budget, rather than lead to a sale.

How to create a Facebook landing page?

Before we get to the actual process of creating a landing page, there are a few things to consider. First and foremost, your target audience. Facebook, like the rest of social media, has advanced ad targeting and internal intelligence that does a great job of hitting the designated target audience. If you know what settings you’re going to make in Facebook Ads and which parameters you’re going to set, keep the same in mind when setting up a landing page. This is because you can be sure that the audience you indicate will be the recipients of your ad and, consequently, of the landing page as well.

Another element to take care of is the consistency of the message between the ad itself and the landing page. If your ad offers the user a 15% discount for signing up for your newsletter, then the landing page should have the same title, form and offer the promised discount. Otherwise, the user will perceive your company as unreliable and will not attempt the offer again. It’s also worth making sure that the two forms are visually consistent.

Maintaining these two basic principles will ensure that the landing pages you create will have better conversions and be well-received by your target audience. But how do you create a Facebook landing page?

Start by choosing a landing page creation tool

The process of creating a Facebook landing page looks almost identical to a standard landing page. You can do it with a WordPress page builder or use a dedicated landing page app. Keep in mind that if you know that technical issues are not your forte, you can always ask an outside company to create such a landing page or partner with a freelancer who will create it according to your guidelines. However, if you are taking up the gauntlet, you can use one of the popular tools:

  • Shogun
  • PageFly
  • Leadpages
  • Unbounce

Page design in these applications is simple, even intuitive, and allows you to quickly build a landing page with the correct design and good performance. In each of these proposals, we have ready-made templates at our disposal, which make things significantly easier. You only need to change individual elements to get a tailor-made landing page. Which of these tools you choose is up to you. Check which one you are comfortable with and which one suits your requirements best.

Choose a template that is compatible with the purpose of your advertisement

Each of these tools has a set of ready-made templates that greatly facilitate the creation of landing pages. To use them, however, you need to create a new landing page. To do this, from the dashboard, select Add a Page or Create the new page. After creating and naming it, you will be redirected to the template directory. Browse through the available gallery and pick the one that suits you best.

Facebook landing page

If you decide on one of the options, click the Select Template button. Remember that you do not have to use ready-made proposals at all, and if you feel up to it, you can design your landing page completely from scratch. However, if you are just taking your first steps in this topic, it’s best to choose one of the templates that has the correct layout and, above all, is optimized.

The next element is to customize the content. You will do this in any application in a very simple way. All you have to do is click on a given element, such as a headline, and in place of the sample text, enter your own. You will also change the graphics in the same way. Remember also that you can remove individual elements if you think there is too much of something on the page.

The landing page should also allow you to view reports and visitor data. Facebook has its internal tool for this purpose, the Meta Pixel, the code which you can also place on your landing page. This will keep both under control, and you will be able to easily check if everything is going as intended or if changes need to be made. When choosing a tool for creating a landing page, make sure it has data reporting capabilities and works with the Pixel.

The last step is to publish the finished site. But before that, run some final tests, check if there are any errors on the page and if all the links work properly. If so, save and publish the page.

Although we mentioned that this is the last step, it does not mean the end of the work at all. The landing page should be constantly monitored, checked and modified if necessary. Launching it into the world is not enough, make sure to monitor and fix it regularly.

Facebook landing page

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How much does it cost to make a landing page? /creating-a-landing-page-how-it-costs /creating-a-landing-page-how-it-costs#respond Tue, 18 Jul 2023 06:42:37 +0000 /?p=61816 A landing page is a marketing tool that helps you achieve your goal. Although many people also call it the home page, these are two, completely different pages. They differ not only in appearance, but most importantly, in purpose. A home page is a comprehensive description of your company or product, where users can find all the necessary information, as well as get redirected to other sub-pages such as a blog.

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A landing page, on the other hand, is a typical one-page site that focuses on one specific marketing or sales goal. The price of creating a landing page depends on the creation method you choose. You can create a landing page in several ways. The final effect will be almost the same, the options will certainly differ in price. Are you at the stage where you want to design your own landing page? Wondering what the price is for creating a landing page? If so, this article is for you.

Creating a landing page yourself

If you feel that website design is something you can enjoy, try it yourself. A landing page is a fairly simple site, and you don’t need specialized programming skills to create it, at least in most cases. Much depends on what tool you design in. Among the most popular is WordPress, in which creating a basic website is not heavily complicated.

Firstly, there are many website templates available on the Internet, and if you choose one that is strongly similar to your vision of the site, your work will be very little. All you need to do is change a few elements, add your own multimedia, descriptions, and you’re done! The whole creation process involves dragging individual elements and placing them in the desired place, so even beginners can easily handle it. All you need is willingness and time.

Does making the site yourself mean that you’ll get it completely free of charge? Only your work will be free, while you will have to include in your budget the cost of maintaining the site. In addition, if you opt for a paid theme, you will have to pay for that as well. It is impossible to say exactly how much it will cost to make a landing page yourself, but it is certainly the cheapest way among those discussed.

Applications for creating a landing page

Until recently, the ability to code was a prerequisite for creating websites on your own. Nowadays, anyone can do it with at least basic technical knowledge and the ability to navigate freely on the Internet. Dedicated applications for designing a landing page that guides the user step by step are helpful. Their resources include ready-made templates tailored to the industry or purpose of the landing page. Your task is reduced to changing individual headings or descriptions and filling in the necessary information. Interestingly, such pages are pre-designed by professionals, so they have great conversion rates.

The main advantages of this solution include a simple setup process, an often free trial version that is sufficient to test if this solution is for you and advanced parameters. The final cost of this solution depends on the sophistication of the landing page and the selected application. You will even create some options completely free!

And what to do when these elements are missing or you need a more advanced site design?

Freelance help

Creating a single website does not require working with an agency or hiring an IT specialist. If you know it’s a one-time action, you can enlist the help of a freelancer. Looking into local Facebook groups or searching popular classifieds sites, you are sure to find someone. Pay attention to this person’s portfolio and see if his or her style suits you, and discuss all the details of the project before you finally start working together.

In this case, the cost of buying hosting or maintaining the site and any paid add-ons are also on your side. On top of that, you need to add the freelancer’s fee, which, depending on the complexity of the project, can range from a few hundred to even a few thousand.

Remember, however, that this solution, in addition to its many advantages, also has its disadvantages. Freelancers work quite fast and complete tasks efficiently, but for them it is just one more project. When handing it over, they don’t care what happens to it next (or at least most contracts are structured this way). Most landing pages require temporary updates and administration. If you think that once uploaded the site will manage on its own, you are sadly mistaken. Working with a freelancer is a solution for people who can take care of the site and know how to make possible changes to it or how to optimize it.

The agency you entrust with the execution and care of the landing page

Entering into cooperation with an agency gives you many versatile opportunities. Firstly, you get access to a team of various experts who will not only help you design your landing page, but also take care of its marketing or optimization. Of course, it’s not that you have to use all the options at once, it’s an alternative that you can use if necessary. Certainly, this is the most comprehensive option that can ultimately bring you a lot of benefits.

However, it is important to remember that professionalism comes at a price. In addition to being the most comprehensive option, it is also the most expensive. For landing pages designed by an agency, you should expect costs of several thousand.

How to decide which option is the best solution for you?

Each of the methods presented above differs significantly from each other, and making a final decision on which method is worth choosing is not at all that simple. It is a very individual matter and depends on many factors, but we hope that this brief summary will help you a little in your choice.

First, consider what you really want, what your budget is and whether you have the time to implement the landing page. These are the key issues on which your choice depends.

  1. Creating a landing page yourself is a solution for people who:
    • Have a small budget to allocate to a landing page
    • Have basic technical knowledge and are proficient in various programs
    • Have time to complete the project and don’t care about getting the site up quickly
  2. Hiring a freelancer is a solution for people who:
    • Know that the landing page will be a one-off project
    • Can manage the site independently and make changes to it
  3. Employing an agency is a solution for people who:
    • Are looking for a comprehensive solution
    • Want to put the landing page under comprehensive care
    • Have a budget for implementation

Creating a landing page – the price you have to prepare for

Each of the methods for devising a landing page we outlined requires consideration in your campaign budget. There are no completely free landing pages, even if created on your own they require your work and maintenance on the server, and often this also involves the purchase of paid add-ons. So what is the price range for creating a landing page? It all depends on your expectations, the sophistication of the project and additional activities performed on the page such as a marketing campaign.

Many landing page creation apps allow you to test the tool for free for 14 days. During this time you can test your skills and see if this solution is for you. Only when you find that the final product meets your expectations you can purchase the full version. This way you won’t incur unnecessary costs and save money if you decide that you’d rather put the task in the hands of professionals after all.

Mobile landing page a must-have that you must remember

When creating your landing page, you must think of your target users. They are the audience of your content, and whether your form of communication is interesting to them will determine whether they will stay for longer. Aside from what elements should be on your landing page, one of the most important things is to make your landing page compatible with mobile devices. Reports for 2022 show that more than two-thirds of the world’s population uses a smartphone. This number is growing steadily year after year, and there is no indication that this trend will reverse in the future.

Most of the ready-made wizards or tools for creating a landing pages have the function of adapting the page to the mobile version and allow you to preview it. This gives you an image of users using cell phones. Although it requires a little more work, it’s really worth it. Small screens have their own requirements, and a standard landing page will simply display badly on them. The only reaction of users will then be to close it and look for another result.

creating a landing page

Does it even make sense creating a landing page?

It certainly does. A landing page is a powerful online tool that allows you to achieve your goal, but also to test different solutions and see how they translate into audience interest and engagement.

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How to create a Landing Page on Wix? /how-to-create-a-landing-page-on-wix /how-to-create-a-landing-page-on-wix#respond Mon, 17 Jul 2023 06:34:58 +0000 /?p=61758 Nowadays, with the Internet playing a huge role in business and communication, having a professional website is an indispensable part of success. However, for many people, especially those without programming skills, this seems an unattainable dream. Wix, a well-known and popular website development platform, has the perfect solution for anyone who wants to create an attractive and effective landing page - Wix Landing Page.

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Wix Page Builder – what is it and what advantages does it have?

Wix is a global website builder that’s been available since 2006. It allows you to create websites, online stores, as well as simple landing pages. It enjoys great popularity mainly because of its accessible and intuitive wizard which has a simple design and because it offers great possibilities with functionality comparable to WordPress.

Landing Page on Wix offers advanced personalization features that allow you to customize virtually every element of your site. You can change colors, fonts, sizes, add images, videos and more to create a unique look that stands out from the competition. In addition, you can optimize your site for SEO to ensure it ranks properly in search results and attract more visitors.

What’s more, landing page on Wix also offers advanced analytics tools to track the effectiveness of your landing page. You can monitor traffic, conversions, average time on site and many other authoritative indicators. This will help you make basic decisions and improve your site to maximize its potential.

How to create a landing page in Wix?

Let’s start with a brief reminder of what a landing page is and why it’s even worth creating one. A landing page is a separate web page that has a specific, concrete function, and the user is redirected to it after clicking on an ad. Mostly, each landing page is assigned a separate purpose, or at least it should be, according to its design.

Although each landing page has a different design, tailored to the needs of a particular company, they do have certain features in common. One of the most important, looking at it from a marketing perspective, is the CTA (Call To Action) button, an element that encourages users to make a set conversion. Depending on your assumptions, this could be to make a purchase, start a subscription, sign up for a newsletter or waitlist. You can read more about what elements a landing page should contain later in this article.

Creating your landing page in the Wix wizard is intuitive and doesn’t require much programming knowledge. It can be said that the Wix landing page program is designed to guide you step by step. Before starting the process of creating a new page, you have to decide whether you want to start from scratch or prefer to use one of the available templates. The page builder is constantly evolving, and there are now more than 800 templates to choose from, tailored to a variety of themes. Below we will describe both processes of creating a Wix landing page.

Create a Wix landing page using a ready-made template

To create a landing page using one of the available templates, go to the pages tab after logging in, then click the “add page” button and select “landing page” from the list.

Landing Page on Wix

In this category, there are several ready-made templates to choose from, which achieve the most popular goals:

  • Coming soon – inform about a planned event or the arrival of a new product or store
  • Registration – collect personal data of interested users

Once you have selected the template that best fits the needs and purpose of your landing page, click the “done” button. Still, remember that you can customize each template. Use the “settings” section for this purpose.

Landing Page on Wix
Creating a custom Wix landing page

None of the suggested templates appeal to you or do you have a vision for your landing page and want to make it your own? No problem. Despite appearances, creating a custom landing is not difficult at all.

Landing Page on Wix

In the same panel i.e. “add page”, select the option “blank page”, and then press “done.” After clicking, a blank space will appear ready for design.

Landing Page on Wix

Here you can rename it and then proceed to create it. The side menu bar allows you to:

  • Adding a ready-made section such as contact, about us, etc.
  • Selecting the design of the site: text color, theme, choosing backgrounds
  • Adding a media button

The most important rules to remember when designing a landing page on Wix

A landing page is often confused with a homepage, but they are two, completely different pages. The main difference is that a landing page should be designed so that the user who arrives at it knows exactly why he or she is there – it must fulfill a single, chosen purpose. So it’s important to strike the right balance when it comes to the amount of text.

There can’t be too much of it so that it doesn’t overwhelm the user and distract him from the main purpose, but there must be enough of it so that he knows what it’s all about. The home page, on the other hand, can have a bit more of this information and it can be varied, covering both products and the company itself.

However, let’s return to the landing page. Here the text must be concise and specific. It is good practice to convey information through media i.e. photos or videos, where written text is only a supplement. It can highlight the benefits that customers gain by choosing your offer. It is important that the text is not a clumped wall flooding the entire screen, but has a title and headlines. These are the key ones and should indicate the advantages, be interesting and encourage people to read the offer.

Unfortunately, most users do not read the text contained on the page, but only “scan” it by flying through the screen with their eyes. It is also important to properly break up the text and keep space to facilitate reading. For a landing page, lists, subsections and loose text fragments work better than blocks of text.

Speaking of text, there’s another element worth including on your landing page: social proof. What is social proof? It can be reviews of satisfied customers, testimonials, logos of companies that work with the brand, etc. – in a word, anything that shows that a company is respected and users are satisfied with its services or products. It’s worth including this element on your landing page, as most consumers trust reviews and recommendations and they are an element that builds trust in a company.

The design of the Wix landing page itself should be clear, simple and transparent, as well as visually appealing. While it’s not easy to find the golden mean, it’s worth working on it a bit so that the final version of the landing page on Wix meets these objectives. It’s also important to stay visually consistent with the brand, so apply colors from the logo or colors that match the character of the company in question – this means that everything ultimately has to remain consistent with the company’s branding.

Now, you’re surely thinking: it is not difficult at all! Indeed, building your Wix landing page is a simple matter and a lot of fun. While doing so, you should also not forget that it is a very effective marketing tool that translates into real conversions and therefore profit. Now that you know that building a landing page on Wix doesn’t require special skills and having one can bring you a lot of benefits – there’s nothing to stop you from trying! To start with, you can go for a dedicated wizard, where ready-made designs are available. Choose one of them, customize it and enjoy increased traffic to your site!

 landing page on Wix

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Customer Journey Map – what is it and how to create it? | UX research #35 /customer-journey-map-what-is-it-and-how-to-create-it /customer-journey-map-what-is-it-and-how-to-create-it#respond Wed, 26 Apr 2023 12:33:21 +0000 /?p=59040 Customer Journey Map allows us to increase empathy in the organization to better understand the user and their path on our website or app. As a result, we will be able to improve our customers’ experience. Read the article if you want to learn how to design a CJM and how it can help you develop a better product.

Customer Journey Map – table of contents:

  1. What is a Customer Journey Map?
  2. Advantages of creating a Customer Journey Map
  3. How to Create a Customer Journey Map?
  4. Summary

What is a Customer Journey Map?

A Customer Journey Map is a visual representation of a customer’s experience with a company or a specific product. Such a map is a diagram that typically covers touchpoints, customer sentiment, pain points and actions in a set order. The main goal of devising a CJM is to empathize more with the user and form a clear vision for improving their experience. There are no rigid rules on what a CJM should look like – it can be either a simple, schematic table or an elaborate diagram, depicting many paths.

Above all, the map should be tailored to the company, the product as well as the project – to help the research and design team match the product to the customers’ needs.

Advantages of creating a Customer Journey Map

A customer journey map primarily provides project team members with one common source of information with which to work. It should help the team visualize the customer journey as a whole and better understand (and then solve) its problems. Perhaps the greatest benefit associated with developing CJMs is empathy. It is what makes us realize and reminds us that our customers are real people with real problems.

Customer Journey Map allows us to understand multiple customer paths and many personas. Maps help us understand where the similarities and differences between customer experiences lie, allowing us to reach different personas and solve their problems more effectively. They allow us to visualize customer pain points and understand which personas and types of users (customers) are most important from the company’s point of view. This data will help prioritize planned product improvements based on this most influential.

CJMs are also a great way to summarize and understand the research that has been done previously. They can also facilitate auditing your current operations to make sure they are in line with current customer needs. In the case of such an audit, it helps to see what the actual customer journey currently looks like – with all the flaws, problems as well as areas for improvement.

How to Create a Customer Journey Map?

Creating a customer journey map does not have to be complicated, but it will be essential to plan it properly and think about what purpose you want to use it for. To create a valuable CJM, several steps should be taken care of:

  1. Conduct interviews with stakeholders
  2. At the very beginning, you need to figure out how your team will apply the resulting map. If the team doesn’t do it, it won’t be effective – so it’s a good idea to determine what each team member should take from the customer journey map to find it useful.

    The list of stakeholders will vary depending on the organization, the project and how the map is incorporated, as it may include people associated with the product, the UX team, analysts, customer service, sales or marketing departments. The main goal of stakeholder interviews is to understand in which form the customer journey map will be most functional and to identify key points of contact.

  3. Decide which user personae to include on the map
  4. The next step is to determine which customer journey you will map. To do this, you must decide which user personae (representing key audience segments) should be included. Defining the personas or customer segments at this stage will also help narrow down the pool of participants for the next step, which is user research.

  5. Refine your ideas with user research
  6. After conducting stakeholder interviews, identifying touch points and selecting personas for mapping, it’s time to get serious about dedicated customer journey mapping research. There are various ways to survey users to devise CJMs – the choice of method depends, of course, on our needs and time resources.

    The best solution will combine qualitative and quantitative research. You can use the customer data you already have (from Google Analytics, Hotjar, sales or customer service data) and combine it with some in-depth interviews to expand the context and knowledge of your customers. You can also employ unmoderated usability tests, diary or ethnographic surveys, or a combination of these.

  7. Create an empathy map for each persona
  8. It’s time to use the insights gained from user research to complete empathy maps. The purpose of an empathy map is to learn more about how a person experiences certain things – this allows you to supplement your list of dry data about a persona and make it a little more human. You will need a separate empathy map for each persona/customer segment. The empathy map consists of 4 elements, covering what the user says, thinks, does and feels.

  9. Sketch a customer journey map
  10. At this stage, you should already have enough information to make a preliminary sketch of the customer journey map. Making a preliminary sketch at this point will help you create a more complete final map and focus on the most relevant areas. This step is a kind of audit of the process so far and helps guide the next steps.

    This first, schematic version of the customer journey map doesn’t have to be detailed, it’s just meant to illustrate what you’re currently working on. The initial draft also helps identify areas where information needs to be supplemented.

    Once you have a map sketched out, think about the lists of points of contact you made earlier. Consider whether your map is missing any of the most important ones. At this stage, you can also ask yourself questions about the individual steps on the map – is there anything that happens in between? Does anything need more or less detail? Review your initial notes from the brainstorming and stakeholder interviews to determine if your map covers all the things previously identified as essential.

    Remember, this is just a draft – if you don’t know something, aren’t sure, or are missing information, you’ll be able to supplement and improve your map in further steps.

  11. Choose the type of customer journey map that best suits your needs
  12. Depending on the goal you want to achieve, there are several types of SJMs you can choose from.

    Customer Journey Map

    Customer Journey Map – current status

    These customer journey maps are fact-based maps that show what the current customer journey looks like. This is the most common type of CJM. Current state maps help identify, document and come up with ways to solve current customer problems.

    Choose this type of customer journey map if you wish:

    • communicate the existing problems to stakeholders, show exactly how the product does not meet the customer’s needs and convince them to take action
    • focus the team around a common, better understanding and empathy with the customer
    • explore new research and product opportunities based on the current state of the art

    Customer Journey Map – future state

    Customer journey maps in the future state visualize what the ideal customer journey could look like in the future. This type of map helps the team align on a shared vision of what your final product should be. generally, the best option would be to create a current state map first – since much of the same data will show up in a future state map. Future state maps require much more creativity from the team and hypothesizing about what the customer journey would look like and how it would differ from the existing (current) one.

    Decide on a customer journey map in a future state when you want to:

    • focus the team around a shared vision of where your product is going
    • explore possible reactions, hopes and expectations of customers
    • create a map for a brand-new product or experience that doesn’t yet exist

    Customer Journey Map – a day in the Life of a Customer

    A day in the life of a customer in the form of a customer journey map follows someone throughout the day. It documents everything a customer does – from their morning coffee to their dinner plans – whether these things will be related to your product. Such a map will differ from current as well as future CJMs in that their scope is not limited to your company’s touchpoints.

    Choose this type of customer journey map if you wish to:

    • learn how other elements of a customer’s life affect their experience with a product
    • identify the moments when your product could be most useful to your customers

    Service blueprints

    A service plan can be a useful supplement to a classic customer journey map. Service plans cover all the little things that make up a successful customer journey.

    Choose a service plan when you need it:

    • learn about the elements that influence the current customer journey
    • identify structural changes you can make to improve the user experience
    • plan procedural or organizational changes
  13. Select customer journey mapping tools
  14. Choosing customer journey mapping tools is the final straightforward part of the whole process. There are scores of different tools useful for creating CJMs – select the ones you find easiest to use or have access to. Remember that the goal of journey mapping is to get a common, accurate picture of the customer experience, not to create a work of art. Therefore, if you don’t have design experience, select simple tools and focus on the content rather than the style of your map. We list some tools worth considering below.

    Simple and publicly available tools to help create customer journey maps include: Paper, PowerPoint, Google presentations, Miro, LucidChart

    Customer journey prototyping tools: Sketch, AdobeXD, Figma, AxureRP

    Dedicated tools for creating customer journey maps: UXPressia, FlowMapp

  15. Build a customer journey map!
  16. The last step will be the easiest of all because you are just putting together all the elements you prepared earlier. Start by looking at your draft customer journey map – have you completed all the data you were missing? Do you already have all the information to create a complete map? If so, it’s time to translate all the data into a CJM and create a customer journey using the tool of your choice.

    You can create your map from scratch, however, there is a wide selection of ready-made customer journey map templates only to fill in. This will save you a lot of time and allow you to focus on the content. When you’re done, be sure to review the completed map with your team to make sure it’s clear, accurate and functional for everyone.

Summary

Creating a customer journey map is not difficult, and it allows you to better understand the user and diagnose the most problematic elements in the product. It will also help build empathy and increase stakeholder engagement. Make sure to properly prepare for creating a CJM and do your research diligently. Having that, you will surely visualize the customer path, which you can apply in creating a better final product that meets the users’ needs.

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How to prepare a UX research report? | UX research #34 /how-to-prepare-a-ux-research-report /how-to-prepare-a-ux-research-report#respond Tue, 18 Apr 2023 09:02:30 +0000 /?p=58710 To present and communicate research findings is probably one of the most crucial (and demanding) UX researchers’ abilities. Their difficult job of moderating interviews, analyzing surveys and looking for trends doesn’t end with analysis though – an equally essential task is to prepare a research report and present it to stakeholders. Research reports and their presentation are a great opportunity to demonstrate the results and significance to the rest of the team. Read the article to learn what UX research report and presentations entail and how to prepare them properly!

UX research report – table of contents:

  1. What is a UX research report?
  2. Written reports or live presentations?
  3. Types of research reports
  4. How to prepare a UX research report?
  5. How to present the research results to stakeholders?
  6. UX research report – summary

What is a UX research report?

A UX research report is a document that summarizes all the details of the study conducted, including the research questions, the chosen methodology, important insights together with recommended next steps. The main purpose of reporting is to communicate the results to all stakeholders and provide accurate, objective information to help take further steps in the project. A UX research report is:

  • A summary of the survey data and results,
  • A well-written document with a standardized structure,
  • Information often including links, charts, images and other data sources,
  • A basis for decision-making supported by real data.

In the context of UX research, a report shared with those outside the research team should resemble a summary, i.e., a shorter document with more emphasis on the next steps and business application than on the methodology itself.

Written reports or live presentations?

Gathering and analyzing research findings is only half the job. The prepared report must be comprehensible to the audience who should extract the key findings from it and remember everything relevant to the project. It is therefore necessary to adapt the format of the research summary to the audience. They usually take the form of written reports and/or presentations.

Written reports will work well when talking to smaller groups, a distributed team or technical stakeholders such as engineers or other researchers. They can take the form of PDF files, emails, or pages in tools such as Confluence or Notion.

Presentations, on the other hand, work well when speaking to a large audience. This can include a slide show, presenting pre-recorded videos or conducting a workshop. Creating both a detailed written report and a presentation ensures that different types of audiences can access and use the findings.

Types of research reports

Research reports can come in different forms, which are typically tailored to the type of conducted research. For example, usability research will require a usability report, while competitive analysis will end with a competitive analysis report, etc. The most common types of UX research reports include:

Usability reports – documents that outline the background and methodology of the usability test, as well as key findings on user behavior, expectations and challenges.

Analytics reports – with qualitative and quantitative data to analyze past performance, these reports should summarize insights and make recommendations.

Competitive analysis reports – reports based on evaluation of data related to customer perceptions of the brand and product, the competitive environment or industry trends.

Qualitative research reports – written reports on research using qualitative methods such as 1-1 interviews or diary studies.

Quantitative research reports – written for research studies using quantitative methods, such as first-click tests or A/B tests.

How to prepare a UX research report?

A basic outline of a UX research report should include an introduction, research objectives, business value, methodology, key findings and recommendations. Below we will describe what exactly should be included in each of the above-mentioned points.

Introduction:

  • a general overview of the research,
  • business objectives,
  • user pain points,
  • potential business application.

Research Objectives:

  • key decisions that must be made,
  • research questions.
  • hypotheses and expectations.

Business value:

  • company-level goals,
  • team-level goals,
  • product development goals.

Methodology:

  • the research methods used (including an explanation of why they were used).

Key findings:

  • recurring, recurring themes and trends,
  • relevant quotes, audio-video recordings,
  • links, such as to a drive containing more source data.

Recommendations:

  • clear, specified solutions and next steps in the project,
  • recommendations indicated directly by users,
  • suggestions for further studies to conduct in the future.
UX research report

How to present the research results to stakeholders?

Once you have finished creating the UX research report, you should inform stakeholders about it and draw their attention to how valuable the document is. How to do this? Here are some tips to consider.

  1. Understand stakeholder expectations
  2. Typically, during the research process, interviews are conducted with stakeholders. Through them, the researcher can learn about their needs and goals, and thus understand what they can expect from the report presented to them. Therefore, it is worth including the most relevant (from the stakeholders’ point of view) findings and the impact of these results on their daily lives. You should also tailor the report to their preferences.

    Stakeholders may have different needs and expectations concerning the conducted research. That’s why, you should place great effort to match the presentation to different stakeholder groups by providing, for example, several different formats and ways to interact with the report.

  3. Define your own goals
  4. At the beginning of the presentation, it is handy to remind the audience why the research in question was conducted in the first place. Then answer the following questions: What were the research objectives? How will the collected information be used? How will they influence design decisions?

    Objectives are, of course, something the researcher constantly refers to during the research. Their value, then, is probably already known. Tying the study to the goals in this way leaves no room for stakeholders to doubt the importance of the work being done.

  5. Explain the research methods used
  6. The choice of research methods was not random. The researcher selected them to support specific research objectives. It is therefore worth showing stakeholders the process behind the selection of the methods in question, so they can better understand how the researcher approached his task. At this stage, therefore, it is important not only to explain what the method is but also to show how the participants were presented, how the research sessions were conducted and how the results were analyzed.

  7. Choose an appropriate form of presentation
  8. The presentation format chosen will have a big impact on whether stakeholders will understand the information they are given and how much of it they will remember. In most cases, they will not have the time or knowledge to analyze extensive sheets of raw, unprocessed data. Stakeholders often only need (and expect) a summary of key insights, presented in a way that is relevant, practical and easy for them to understand.

  9. Use storytelling
  10. No matter what presentation format a researcher decides on, it is good practice to use narrative elements to keep the audience engaged. Storytelling is communication that moves people.

  11. Attach research artifacts
  12. While conducting the survey, research artifacts were likely collected in the form of videos, audio recordings, transcripts, emails, screenshots, photos or charts. Including such items will add variety to the presentation and keep the audience focused. It is also a way to show, “tangible” evidence to support the conclusions drawn and illustrate the findings in question.

  13. Propose the next steps
  14. This part of the presentation probably contains the greatest value for stakeholders. Based on the data discussed, the researcher makes clear and specific recommendations for further action, including future research, if necessary. This stage should therefore probably receive the most attention.

UX research report – summary

There is nothing more daunting in the work of a UX researcher than working hard on research and discovering interesting relationships, only to have stakeholders ignore or overlook them. This is why it is so important to prepare a UX research report in an accessible format. By properly preparing and presenting the results to stakeholders, the researcher will ensure a better understanding and support of the project.

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How to create a landing page in WordPress? /how-to-create-a-landing-page-in-wordpress /how-to-create-a-landing-page-in-wordpress#respond Tue, 18 Apr 2023 07:45:50 +0000 /?p=58684 A landing page is a special website to which people initially interested in your offer are redirected straight from ongoing advertising campaigns or social media. This is your chance to convert them into potential customers. How do you create a landing page in WordPress that will sell and help you build relationships with your customers? We will try to answer this question in the following article.

How to create a landing page in WordPress? – table of contents:

  1. Why a landing page and not a standard homepage?
  2. Some basics to help you create a WordPress landing page
  3. Let’s take a look inside – how to make a landing page on WordPress?
  4. How to create your landing page on WordPress?

Why a landing page and not a standard homepage?

If you don’t yet have your landing page, you’re probably wondering what’s the point of creating one anyway. Can’t customers get redirected to a standard homepage? After all, it’s the place with a lot of information about your company and the products or services you offer, right? Well, not exactly.

Let’s start with the fact that a dedicated WordPress LP, unlike a standard homepage, has a rather distinctive design to encourage specific actions. It all depends on how the advertising campaign directs to it was run. The landing page is also a stand-alone page that will collect leads at all times. Flexibility and customizability are precisely the greatest advantages of a LP.

Both of these elements, i.e., the earlier trailer in the form of an advertisement and the landing page, must work together. A LP can serve many purposes. This is where you can encourage customers to sign up for a waiting list for a webinar or a new ebook, or communicate a special discount for club members. How you run this campaign is up to you. Remember, however, that the LP is your chance to grab a customer’s attention, and it’s up to you to turn interest into sales.

We also mentioned that the landing page should correspond to the marketing strategy in which it featured or to the social media data from where the redirection takes place.

There’s another reason for creating a landing page. Your company’s homepage is one and unchangeable. Regardless of what appears on it and from what source it was redirected. So it must be universal, which has its pros and cons. A LP, on the other hand, can respond strictly to the needs of a particular campaign and target a specific audience. You don’t have to limit yourself and you can create several landing pages and put a slightly different offer on each of them. This way you have a better chance of hitting the needs of the visitor.

Some basics to help you create a WordPress landing page

Now that you know why you should have a WordPress LP, let’s focus on what it should look like. First and foremost, it should be simple. This applies to both its design and the text contained on the page. Its visitors should know exactly why they came there, the landing page should be about one item or a specific offer. It shouldn’t also contain additional distractors or redirects. The text itself must remain consistent and catchy. Here it is necessary to apply the language of benefits.

However, do not forget that the landing page must be eye-pleasing. It is your business card, which represents your company. A person initially interested in your offer is the one who forms an opinion based on it. While the content itself is also important, visual perception is even more decisive. This is where seconds count, so make sure your website looks professional.

The landing page should therefore be, above all, specific. The customer needs to know exactly why they are on it and what they can get.

Let’s take a look inside – how to make a landing page on WordPress?

Headlines

Let’s start at the beginning. What a person going to a landing page sees first is the headline. And a lot depends on it. So you have about 30 characters to convince the customer that your offer is worth using. Not much right? So the headline needs to be consistent and catchy at the same time. One sentence that perfectly summarizes your offer and tells why it’s worth using.

Content

Naturally, the content matters. Here you can focus on the value you offer the customer. Use the language of benefits for this and accurately describe the benefits they will receive. Also, be sure that the text ultimately addresses all the customer’s concerns.

Social proof

Social proof is the ultimate weapon that can do far more than a mere product description. Here you can provide feedback from satisfied customers, a case study or insert the logos of companies you work with. There is only one rule: all reviews must be authentic. Therefore, if you are just starting your business and do not have a circle of trusted customers, it is a better choice to wait to develop this section than to use fake reviews.

Call to action

Finally, we come to the point. After all, in the end, the landing page is created so that the visitor performs the assumed action. Here, too, the rule invariably applies: specifics count. The message should speak clearly about what the user will receive when he or she clicks the button. Don’t go for a cliche “check”. Attract your readers with “receive a free e-book” or “enjoy a 10% discount.” That way they’ll know exactly what they are clicking on and what benefits it brings.

How to create your landing page on WordPress?

Let’s start with the fact that it is much easier than you think. Landing pages are rather simple in design and don’t require you to know complicated WordPress features or have coding skills. Just use the page builder of your choice and you’ll see that it’s really fun. There’s a whole bunch of ready-made templates to choose from, which you can customize to suit your needs. In most of them, you can change individual elements such as the size or type of font, as well as the placement of individual blocks, the elements that make up the page. It’s a bit like building with blocks. And if you need more than that, though, the wizards also allow you to edit custom CSS.

The most popular landing page builders

Gutenberg Editor is a fairly simple block editor that defaults to WP. While you can’t expect miracles from it, for creating simple landing pages on a limited budget it will work perfectly.

landing page

Everyone who knows what WordPress is has probably heard of Elementor. It’s one of the most popular website builders, which offers great possibilities. The advantage of its popularity is that there are numerous templates available online that are compatible with it.

landing page

An equally popular tool is Divi. Whether someone chooses Elementor or Divi is more a matter of taste. The two tools are very similar and both are operated in block editing mode.

landing page

SeedProd is a plug-in that is available in both free and paid versions. The latter is, of course, definitely more powerful and has more functionality. It is a fairly simple wizard that requires no coding knowledge and is designed typically for creating landing pages. This means that virtually every element is already customized, and all that’s left for you is to fill the page with catchy content and add matching graphics, i.e., cosmetic tweaks. In addition, it is lightweight and SEO-friendly.

landing page

Another well-known plug-in is Beaver Builder, where you can conjure up your landing page from ready-made templates quite easily. You can, of course, modify them and rearrange the various elements at will.

landing page

Remember that practice makes perfect. Before creating a landing page, get familiar with the wizard, check out its capabilities and watch some tutorial videos. There is a lot of free knowledge on the Internet – take advantage of it. Just get the basic skills and you’ll see how much fun it is.

However, if you don’t feel up to the task or have limited capacity, you can always outsource your landing page to a third-party company.

Read also: 5 landing page mistakes that cause conversions to drop

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