What’s the best restaurant? What’s the best way to format a resume? What’s the best way to find a new job? Who’s the best football/basketball/baseball player? What’s the best deal?
Consumers are increasingly using the term "best" as a qualifying criterion when searching for solutions. But how do you, and better yet, how do your customers define best? What do they really mean by “best”? What drives someone to qualify their desired outcome with the term “best” in the first place? Back in 2018, Google shared its research on this subject. Here’s an interesting snippet:
“With so many options and so much information online, consumers increasingly can and have to make decisions based on differences beyond quality, price, and basic features. The deciding factor is often personal criteria for that product and how it solves their individual needs. Convenience, for example, can enter the “best” equation. One person told us, “A taqueria 10 miles away might have 400 5-star reviews, but I'd be fine with a 4.5-star taqueria a stone’s throw away.” One person might be swayed by product features, whereas another won’t. “I don’t care if a vacuum cleaner has a light on the front or an automatic cord winder. The best one for me is best at picking up pet hair,” another person said. That’s not to say price and quality aren’t part of the picture. But how they fit in depends on the shopper. As one person said, “I don’t necessarily look for the best product in the market, but for something that would be the best for what I need the product for.”
Interestingly, “best” doesn’t always mean best-selling. Nor does the best deal always mean the best price. Understanding what your prospects actually mean by “best” allows you to craft the best offer for them.