I just finished watching one of the best TV series in a looong time. It’s called “Severance” and Ben Stiller directed it.

Just because Ben stiller is a comedy genius don’t expect it to be a comedy though. The story is more of a drama that really makes you think. And I love those.

Without giving it away, it’s about how this company allows their employees to be “severed”, meaning by installing a chip in their brains, these people basically will have two separate “lives”.

There’s the “outie”, the personal life outside work. And the “innie” the life at the office.

Thing is, the you that’s working wouldn’t know or remember anything about your life outside work, and viceversa. The you outside work would be in control of it, meaning they could accept your resignations (which never happens).

It’s a super interesting look at the reality of most of our jobs. A lot of people hate what they do at work and would do anything to just disconnect and not have to think or worry about it. In fact, in the show each persona’s experience is a continuum.

Imagine this: you get to work, split second break and you’re getting out of work.

The same is true for the innie. They get to the elevator at the end of the work day, split second break and they see themselves already entering the office again for the new day of work.

One is trapped so the other can enjoy the freedom.

Apart from the many philosophical implications, I thought it very insightful of how a lot of websites treat their visitors.

They don’t think about their lives “outside” of their websites. They don’t think about what’s going on in their minds when they land on a page or what brought them there in the first place.

A lot of websites just throw everything they got at their visitors, like they’re all the same, robotic personalities, merely there to scroll, click, buy.

Big mistake. And it can cost you a ton of conversions.

Instead, treat visitors like the humans they are. Give them multiple paths to help them make a decision. Give them multiple ways to make that decision. Then, help them focus on the decision that’s right for them.

Reason why for every project I always come up with 2 or 3 customer personas, mostly based on psychographics, rather than demographics. Both are useful but it’s the psychology and decision making that guide everything.

If you want to learn more about it, head here.

Cheers,

Chris