Oftentimes there is more than one way to do things (like “cut tomatoes”), so offering multiple options is good. Too many options however can have an adverse effect on your presentation, sales pitch, and your image. A customer may get the impression: “This guy does not really know what I want,” or worse “this guy cannot organize his thoughts.”
Before offering options make sure you are not answering too quickly and giving options before you understand the problem. Avoid the Commodity Slice whenever possible, and be in a position where people ask for more instead of you Carrying the Burden of convincing the other person. Usually, one or two options are sufficient. If the customer wants more or wants it differently, they will ask, and you can modify or customize later but do not lead with too many options.
It’s counter intuitive but more options do not indicate more value, but confusion. Imagine if the customer has three or four criteria in their mind (price, being understood, experience with my product/problem, or track record). If you now add five project or pricing options, have you added more value to the customer or confused him even more? Have you answered the questions in the back or his mind or just over-indexed on price or pricing model? Have you tried to sell extra options and capabilities that do not interest him now? The customer must wade through his five concerns and see which one if any of your options matches his needs better. If it’s not clear or you have not addressed a visceral need you have just added confusion, not extra value.
This is not just for sales. With your boss and peers, it’s also good to have a clear recommendation and one possible another alternative or optional item. You don’t want to come across too rigid, but you also do not want to come across with too much noise and options. This happens to smart software developers and architects all the time. They can easily Confuse the Issue with Facts and the interlocutor is now left to wade through a myriad options and choices when they have a million other items on their mind. Follow the Amazon principle of Invent and Simplify.
