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"That's a thing?" he asked. "People do this?"
It was so obvious to me. But he was genuinely surprised.
I was talking to a client the other day and I was telling him about how to set up the landing page we were working on.
I suggested that it have no main navigation, so users shouldn't be able to access the main site.
He'd never heard of this tactic.
To me, it seemed obvious. Swimming as I am in a cocoon of copywriters and marketers, the concept of dedicated landing pages that push people to take one specific action seemed like something EVERYONE knows.
But the reality is - everyone in MY circles might know it. But that's a very small percentage of humanity.
So often we assume that what is common knowledge to us about our products is obvious to our customers as well. We feel like it would be redundant to explain it to them.
But in all likelihood - they DON'T know these details.
Here's the kicker: they won't even look confused. They won't ask questions. They'll just... move on.
Your customers don't know what they don't know. They can't miss what they don't realize exists. They won't furrow their brows in confusion; they'll simply not be interested in your product because they don't understand what it can actually do for them.
It's like trying to sell a smartphone in 1980. Without explaining what apps are, what the internet is, what texting means... it just looks like an expensive phone with a weird glass front. Not worth the money at all.
Think about it. When was the last time you bought something from a category you knew nothing about? Maybe it was a specialized kitchen tool, or high-end camera equipment, or skincare for a specific condition.
Remember how the product descriptions that spelled things out clearly were so much more helpful than the ones that assumed you already understood something?
This is called the "curse of knowledge" - once we know something, it's nearly impossible to remember what it was like NOT to know it. We forget that our customers don't live in our world.
Take a look at your website copy, your product descriptions, your ads. Are you skipping over explanations because they seem "too basic"? Are you using industry terminology without defining it?
The customers who need these explanations won't raise their hands. They won't tell you they're confused. They'll just quietly click away to a competitor who makes them feel smart by explaining things clearly.
Here's your reminder that you should not be afraid of sharing details that seem obvious to you. Because your customer probably doesn't know it - and that missing knowledge might be the very reason they're not buying from you.
Want to make sure your product page isn't missing something important? Let's talk Power Up.
Imagine explaining Spotify to Mozart,
Chavy