What Is The Rational Decision-Making Process?
- Understand And Define The Scope
Here’s a rational decision-making example:
Your social media posts aren’t translating to conversions. What could the problem be? Once the analytics reports come in, you realize there isn’t enough engagement. The issue isn’t that your posts are not reaching the right audience, it’s that they don’t engage them. This sets up the next step: figuring out why the problem exists. Why is user engagement low?
- Research And Get Feedback
Rational decision-making example continued:
The budget is good, there are enough views and likes on the posts. So, why is there a lack of engagement? Why aren’t users interacting with the post?
You might need new types of posts; perhaps the current posts aren’t trendy. Maybe the posts don’t evoke an emotional response from the audience. Or they don’t convey what the product can do for the audience.
Now that you know what the causes could be, you are a step closer. It’s time to collate the data.
Rational decision-making example continued:
The team comes together with their opinions and findings. After a few customer surveys, the major issues are identified as follows:
Potential Consumers Don’t Know How The Product Will Add Value To Their Lives. Potential Customers Don’t Understand The Posts’ Objectives And Aren’t Clear On What The Product Is.
- List Your Choices
- Analyze Your Options Carefully
Next point is about having a back up plan. Once you’ve chosen the plan that is likely to serve you the best, choose the second best option as well. You could use that as your back up, in case things don’t go according to plan.
While it’s great to get a quick solution to a real problem, the solution should be permanent or at least solve the majority of the issue.
The example of the rational decision-making process continued:
This is where you set about deciding the benefits of each of your choices mentioned above.
A video clip post would mean additional costs.
Redesigning the graphics may lead to more views and interaction but dilute your following.
A whitepaper is a good idea, but it doesn’t help with conversions. It’s ideal for customers to click on the CTA.
While GIFs are very popular, the image you choose has to convey the right information and be impactful. You may need to rework the branding for this to work.
While it would be great to have a post that showcases how the product works, it can’t be overly technical.
- Understand The Results You Want
Rational decision-making model example continued:
The best course of action might be to assign different teams for the different potential solutions.
One team could create a GIF, while the other works on the video clip and another on the ‘how to use’ post.
Once the teams have all made rough drafts, a productive critiquing session could be conducted. The teams can then look at each others’ solutions and point out the merits and drawbacks of each.
This way a general consensus can be reached and the best option or options can be selected. It is also advisable to use predictive social media tools. There are algorithms and equations that could help predict the success of a post to some degree.
- Have A Backup Plan
Even though your plan has been made after careful thought, there is a chance that it either does not go as per plan or that an external factor interferes and throws your plan into chaos.
Try to have a back-up plan to make sure that your business isn’t impacted.
Rational decision-making model example continued:
Now that you’ve decided to go with a combination of a GIF and an information-based post, go ahead and begin drafting your white paper as well.
- Implement
As logic and data have been used to reach the decision, it’s likely going to be the most effective one.
Non-Rational Decision-Making
Non-rational decision-making is quite simply the opposite of rational decision-making. Non-rational decision-making is generally used when there isn’t enough information available or when there isn’t enough time to carry out the research and analysis required to employ rational decision-making methods.
Non-rational decision-making can be used when the person or team making the decisions has experienced that issue before or their collective experience allows them to predict what the outcome of their decision would be.