Dream it. Vet it. Test it.
If you’re in an organization afraid to try new things, look around and ask yourself “what are they afraid of?” Is it cost? Is it risk? Is it the “nothing broken” syndrome (aka laziness)? The fact of the matter is that if you have a great marketing idea, response could outweigh cost, risk can be managed and just because something isn’t broken, doesn’t mean it can’t be improved.
Being the dreamer within an organization afraid to try new things could result in some battle wounds. Don’t be afraid to try something new, but try something new in a smart way. Sure you can dream, but you must also vet ideas and test them in order to gain the organizational buy-in needed to act.
Dream It
So, you have a great idea that you would love to pitch to management? Awesome! Does your idea address a problem your organization is currently facing? A high potential idea should. Whether your problem is low response rates, low conversion, high attrition, etc., your leaders will be more likely to try something new if you can fix an area of concern or make something better. Also, be sure that you bring a goal to the table and a way to measure success.
Vet It
I saw this great quote of the day on Forbes.com today – “In God we trust. All others must bring data.” – W. Edwards Deming. Bring the data! Back up your ideas with analytics. If you already have some base insights, models could be used to predict outcomes. Managers want to know how you will achieve success, and bringing hard data analysis to the table will be sure to gain attention.
If your managers do not have time to review spreadsheets of data, be sure to utilize data visualization tools and keep your data presentations focused on key learnings. Be sure to present your thoughts in an easy-to-understand way and invite feedback and questions to allow others to feel vested in the outcomes.
And of course, don’t forget the finances. Be sure to carefully review the financial impacts of your idea on the company. It might seem nonsensical, but don’t just review the financial impacts of failure – be sure you also understand the financial impacts of huge success. In some instances, such as offering a prize or reward, big response could end up costing you big dollars. Understand your breaking points before moving forward.
Test It
If all else fails, ask your leaders for a small budget for testing. A small test can speak volumes when opening up the door to new opportunities. If the test fails, then you can still learn something, but not have spent large amounts of resources trying out your idea. But of course, your test will be a success because you have fully vetted your idea with analysis on the front-end!
Have a great idea, but not sure how to vet or test it? Let B2E help! We have great analytical tools to help vet and can advise the best testing scenarios for learning.
All the best,
Kari
