Preference for immediate rewards over larger, delayed benefits.
It is a behavioral economics concept that refers to the tendency of people to choose smaller, immediate rewards over larger, later rewards. This tendency becomes less pronounced the further in the future the rewards are. It suggests that people often make decisions that are not in their long-term interest when faced with short-term temptations, and that they value future rewards less the longer they have to wait for them.
Hyperbolic Discounting refers to the tendency of people to choose smaller, immediate rewards over larger, later ones. To use this concept for increasing conversions, a tech startup can offer immediate incentives to potential customers. For instance, if the startup has a mobile app, they can offer instant rewards for downloading the app and creating an account. This immediate gratification can motivate people to convert quickly rather than delay action.
Another method of leveraging Hyperbolic Discounting is through time-limited discounts. A tech startup can offer a significant discount or a special deal that's only available for a short period of time. This creates a sense of urgency and encourages people to act immediately to take advantage of the deal, rather than wait and potentially miss out on the reward.
Using Hyperbolic Discounting, tech startups can offer a free or discounted trial period for their services. This immediate reward of free usage can encourage users to sign up and start using the product. Once the trial period ends, they're likely to continue using the service and become paying customers due to the value they've experienced during the trial.
An early bird offer is a discount given to customers who take advantage of a product or service shortly after it’s released. Using the concept of Hyperbolic Discounting, tech startups can offer this kind of immediate reward to encourage early conversions. The prospect of getting a reward right away can be a powerful motivator to take action.
Hyperbolic Discounting can also be applied in the concept of gamification, which involves applying game mechanics into non-gaming environments. By offering instant rewards like badges, points, or levels for performing certain actions (like completing a profile, sharing content, or inviting friends), tech startups can increase engagement and retention. Users are more likely to perform these actions to get the immediate rewards.
Hyperbolic Discounting can be used in designing pricing strategies. A tech startup can offer tiered pricing with immediate benefits attached to higher pricing tiers. Customers are likely to choose a higher pricing tier for the immediate benefits, even if the overall value is better in the lower pricing tier when calculated over a longer period.
A tech startup can offer a bonus or a discount for customers who choose to automatically renew their subscription. This immediate reward encourages customers to commit to a longer-term relationship with the company, increasing retention and lifetime value of the customer.
Decoding the Why explores how high growth companies can integrate the power of behavioral science to unlock product & go-to-market strategies.
Use promo code Patent355 to receive a free eBook and Kindle copy.
.png)
