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The problem with innovation is that an innovator usually has to be someone who is first to try something before anyone else. If the innovator tries something and it works, that’s when they are usually labeled an innovator. Though if you try something first and fail, you tend to be called more not so flattering names other than innovator. It feels to me even though it is early in 2007, that a lot of companies and marketers alike are all standing around this deep black hole named Web 2.0 and even though everyone is very excited about Web 2.0 and everyone has a great deal of ideas and opinions; no-one is willing to be the first to jump in to see what happens.
I was speaking with a friend of mine who is also in the industry and we were discussing an idea I had that I wanted to pitch to one of my clients. He decided to play devil’s advocate and started asking me questions as if he was my client. The conversation went something like this:
Friend: Hmmm, interesting idea Cord. Has this been successful with your other clients?
Cord: Well, this is something relatively new and in it’s entirety has never been done before to the best of my knowledge.
Friend: Can you give me some examples of companies that has done this and what kind of results did they receive?
Cord: As I said, what I am recommending has not been done before. There definitely are parts of this campaign that has been done and I can absolutely supply you with results they have received.
Friend: So what you are telling me is that I am going to be a guinea pig of sorts? Why should I spend my hard earned marketing dollars on an unproven commodity?
Luckily, I was speaking with my friend on the phone or he would of gotten smacked right in the face, just kidding. Though he did make some excellent points and those same points I have no doubt would of been brought up by my client. So the question is, how do get a client to stand behind a campaign that has really no past results to prove it’s worth?
Maybe for the time being, a bunch of us marketers could all just gather around that Web 2.0 black hole with our clients and start chanting, “Jump! Jump! Jump!” What do you think?
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Technorati Tags: innovator, Web 2.0
Cord,
That is a great topic.
For my part, I start by choosing the right marketing partners. I look for people/companies who have a good opportunity for success and are able to see the value in the long term benefit of conversational marketing.
If, during my first few conversations with them, I am unable to get them from the idea that rankings = success, I choose not to work with them.
However, if I can convince them early of the idea that value added conversation and enhanced user experience with a focus on actually being more valuable than competitors is the way to go, getting them to agree to my out of the box idea isn’t as tough.
Delivering on my out-of-the-box ideas, that’s another story and a whole other conversation.
By putting these concepts into an already-bought-in framework, getting tactical approval in is much easier. Thus allowing me to spend my time on execution and strategy, where it is most needed.
I could not agree with you more Adam. I guess I would ask, if you did not have a choice and had to work with a client who just did not “get it” yet. What kind of tactics would you use to try to get a client to start seeing and thinking in a way he or she has never done before?
I would tell them I was going to take them out back and beat them like a red headed stepchild unless they do what I say.
Seriously though, it’s sales. So the goal is to get them saying yes and build up those yeses to your end game.
No idea is completely unique, most are built upon other great ideas and are just being brought together for the first time.
So, if you can sell the value of each individual idea to the client as valuable for them based on the other successful applications, selling the aggregate idea should be easier and wont require such a leap of faith.
If you want to get someone to the middle of a lake, the only thing you must sell is the lily pads to get them there.
I really do miss the days when you I could smack around clients and get away with it :). As always Adam, thanks for your input and thoughts. They are always welcome.
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I just found your blog, and must say first of all that I really enjoyed the attitude in several of the posts that I read. Unexpected. Humorous. Thought-provoking.
This particular post got me thinking and led me to post an article on my blog.
Innovation is one of those wierd things. We all love new ideas. But can you imagine the personal thoughts of the first passengers to get on a jet aircraft? What, no propellers? How could it possibly fly? Me get on that thing with no propellers? Let’s wait and see how it goes.
The rest of my article is at http://www.perfectCEM.com where I attribute you as the spark for the article. I will be listing you in my blogroll and would appreciate the same. Together we can keep this ball rolling.
I’m with you on the “Jump” thing; I was selling online ads back when the web was just figuring out how to serve them. Before that, I was in marketing at FOX in the pre-Simpsons era. Here’s what I tell people: there are some things we can measure or predict an ROI on and some we can’t. With risk sometimes comes big rewards. If you jump in front of “fresh” eyeballs in a new medium, you get noticed more. I still remember the first banner ad I ever clicked on (for 1-800-Contacts back in 1996). Figure out a way to reach people where they are and they’ll think you’re cool, and smart. Do that and you get an opportunity to be a leader in a market (albeit a small one) and we don’t get many chances to be first anymore, do we? And I usually don’t have to sell them on why it’s valuable to be first. Works best on clients that are Type-A, aggressive personalities with big egos.
New to your blog, by the way. Loving it!
Sherean,
Thank you for the comment and I could not agree with you more. I would add that I think it is about mitigating risk for the client. Allow them to dip their toe in the water before having to jump into the deep end. Thanks for checking out my blog, I hope you come back again.