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Hi everyone! Happy Sunday!
I don't know about you, but I feel way better writing this newsletter on Sunday instead of Friday because my mind is free and there are way fewer things to worry about (unlike during the week). And here's why:
I'm still furnishing my apartment and honestly can't wait for this shopping spree to end, both financially and even more emotionally. I feel exhausted from constantly choosing something, you know, making tons and tons of tiny decisions trying to pull them all together.
Even though I love how my place is coming together, I feel so tired that one thing caught my eye this week, because I felt like they were making the choice for me.
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Steal of the week
You all know that you should slap a "recommended / most popular / customers' choice" tag on your target pricing plan, right? So I won't talk about it.
But here's how Resend takes it to a completely new level: as I move the toggle, they don't just change the pricing point as we quite often see in other pricing calculators. They move the preselected plan that matches my case.
Totally small thing, but oh my god, how well it worked for me because I caught myself not even looking at other plans anymore — my eyes were following the highlight.
I always say that a pricing page isn't about selling; it's about bringing clarity. Because no one in the history of humanity bought something just by looking at the pricing page, separated from the product, previous marketing, offer images, word of mouth, burning problem, etc. A pricing page is here to seal the deal — clarify what I'm paying for and how much.
Resend does a great job. They choose for me, reducing the hassle even in the smallest things.
Psychology behind why it works
A lot of things are at play here, and we all know about cognitive overload, so let's highlight less well-known ones:
1. Emotional Reassurance – "I feel seen and supported"
When Spotify says, "Because you listened to X, here's Y," it feels personal. We're more open to suggestions that feel tailored—like someone's paying attention. That emotional connection reduces resistance and builds confidence in the suggestion.
2. Satisficing – "We settle just to be done"
Have you ever bought the first jacket that "seemed fine" just to get out of the store? That's satisficing. When the effort of maximizing (finding the perfect option) feels too high, we go for "good enough" and move on. It's a survival mechanism for overloaded brains.
3. Responsibility Aversion – "If I choose, I'm to blame"
Sometimes, choosing makes us feel accountable. If we pick the wrong thing, we're the one who "messed up." That makes us hesitant. We'd rather have someone (or something) nudge us toward a choice—then we can say, "Well, that's what was suggested."
Mistakes that make users ghost
This is not news — guide users toward the choice you want them to make. But here's the thing: any good tactic can backfire and make users bounce faster than you can say "conversion rate."
The main mistake?
Pushing a preselection that ignores what the user actually needs. When recommendations feel forced or irrelevant, people don't just disagree with your choice—they leave. Because if you're not listening now, why would they trust you with their money?
Sound familiar?
Pushing annual at all costs for someone whose use case is only a month long
Trying to sell a bundle to someone who needs only one product
Asking for input to adjust the recommendation and experience based on user preferences and then... showing a generic offer that sometimes contradicts them
When your "recommendation" feels like a sales trap instead of genuine help, users ghost. Simple as that.
How to implement like a pro
Whenever I'm thinking about recommendations / framing / preselection of any kind, I follow these rules:
Make the recommendation copy fit your target audience's values. Do they care about money? Slap on "best value." Care about social proof? Go with "Recommended /Used by millions." Communicate what people actually care about.
If you ask for input or preferences — respond to it. There's nothing more disappointing than providing information and seeing how it got lost in the void. When users don't feel heard, it causes an emotional negative reaction that sticks with them irrationally for a very long time.
Never push the most expensive choice as the most obvious one. Remember, we always gravitate toward the middle.
If you forget everything, remember this:
Making choices for your users isn't manipulative—it's merciful. In a world drowning in options, the kindest thing you can do is say, "Based on what you told me, this one's for you." Just make sure you actually listened first.
