SO YOU THINK HAVE A GREAT IDEA

SO YOU THINK HAVE A GREAT IDEA

You’re not alone in fact everyone I have ever met has at least one burning in the back of their brain. You see the Great Idea is one thing that we humans cling to in our misguided belief that we are special. Of course we are not special when it comes to ideas as, just as you are having your epiffany someone on the other side of the world had that thought ten years ago, and you know what makes it worse theirs was better. Oh sure we struggle with the fact and look for weaknesses with their idea kidding ourselves that our way is better….but is it.

As with everything in life there is more than on way to look at a situation and if nothing else other people looking at the same idea can actually be a huge help. We have this misguided belief that you have to be first with an idea in order to be successful, but Facebook and Twitter and a myriad of other successful companies didn’t come first so why should you.

THERE’S A REASON

That we like to believe that our idea is the next sliced bread ( actually only a convenience, not a game changer in bread making) and that is we inherantly hate working and we all dream of that good life with a misguided belief that somehow a great idea will require no work. I kid you not the amount of people that I talk with who think their great idea will lead to instant riches and an easy life never ceases to amaze me.

And the Internet has helped reinforce that thinking, all I have to do is put it there and Wamo instant success. No one talks about coding till three in the morning seven days a week while not making any money hoping that your idea will find a space, or be a game changer. I have spent years talking to people who have spent all their’s and their families, friends money struggling to develop their great idea only to stumble on a simple thing like………..

HOW ARE YOU GOING TO MARKET IT

This is a question that is best asked at the beginning of a project not at the end yet it is often the thing we last think of. Oh sure we think we are building something the market want’s (after all we needed it, couldn’t find it, found one and it was rubbish, etc) but that is not the same thing as marketing it. I am sick of hearing the same call around test your idea on your customer and adjust your product accordingly and people asking everyone they come across…….

“WHAT DO YOU THINK OF MY IDEA”

This is not market research this is simply asking people what they think and everyone likes to be asked and everyone has an opinion. There is a question that should precede this, and it is “Would you be prepared to PAY for a …….. that did this? and if they say NO  that is a very useful response.

It might be useful to ask “WHY” and take on board their opinion. But if they are not going to pay they are not your target market. I have talked with start ups that have an idea based on what they would like to use themselves, based on the fact that they have no money and this product would help them and that’s the problem their target market doesn’t have any money, so how on earth did they expect to make money.   I am the first to agree that passion is  more  important  than knowledge and being resilient is far more useful than a business plan, but unfortunately there is an order of things in the universe and building a scalable business is one of them. Which brings us to…….

IDEA + EFFORT = RESULT

The key word here is effort and with all things effort is both subjective and actual, so what does that actually mean.

Effort comes in many guises and relates in no small way to enjoyment, people who are in love with their idea will travel a lot further than people without passion for the game. But the opposite also applies in that people who love their idea are often loath to share it (this is a common death of a good idea). If you are going into a business it might help to think around what am I prepared to “give away”, notice I say “give” rather than “sell” for it is the psychology behind giving that frees us from the belief that owning is more important than success.

Now I am the first to agree that giving away things is not always a good idea but if you want people to love your idea as much as you try the tried and tested drug dealer approach, give a little away and get them hooked.

The real trick is knowing WHO to give it to and this is where I shall go in my next installment.

IF YOU DO NOT BELIEVE THAT WHAT I AM SAYING IS TRUE PLEASE LEAVE A COMMENT.