Gateway Products: An Old CRO Tactic With New AI Search Benefits

You wouldn’t walk up to a randomer in the shop and say:

“Hi. Nice face. Will you marry me?”

You would start smaller.

• Coffee.

• A date.

• A second date.

Now, I am not remotely qualified to give dating advice.

But what I can talk about is conversion psychology.

The old CRO tactic

For years, people have used a tripwire/gateway product to get someone to say a small “yes”.

Why it works:

• Once people say yes once, they’re more likely to say yes again (we like to stay consistent).

• A first purchase reduces fear: “At least I know they deliver.”

• It creates a trust you can build on.

And provided you deliver a great product and a great customer experience.

The old benefits were increased conversion rates, purchase frequency, and customer retention.

The new benefits…

Now that Google is rolling out personalised recommendations, a first purchase does even more…

It puts you into their inbox footprint and purchase history.

You become:

• A brand they’ve already bought from.

• A brand that delivers.

• A brand that didn’t disappoint.

It’s a massive trust shortcut for this customer and any LLM recommending you to this customer again…

And recommending you to MORE customers who have similar preferences and problems to the original customer.

Here’s a checklist for a great gateway product:

1. Low risk

A small commitment (low cost), easy to return, and a risk-free guarantee.

1. High satisfaction

It needs a “win moment” fast: looks good, works quickly, feels premium, solves the problem.

1. Easy to choose

One product. One decision.

1. Naturally leads to the next step

It should point cleanly to the “real” purchase: full size, bundle, refill, subscription, best seller, etc.

Chat soon,

Peter