From two marketers I read faithfully, Willis Turner and Seth Godin, here are some ideas on ideas.

Willis wrote 3 Deadly Fundraising Words You Probably Don’t Even Realize You’re Saying recently in Fundraising Success. He did a wonderful riff on how the (then!!) Big Three US auto manufacturers steadfastly resisted the idea of putting cup holders in their cars. Eventually they showed up in Japanese cars. People loved them, had to have them, and Detroit was dragged along.

Willis talks about the “Oh, people won’t …” defense, excuse or evasion, as in “Oh, people won’t buy a car just because it has a cup holder.”

He comments:

“Oh, people won’t” is never about the “people.” It’s about the speaker, who:

• Uses it as an excuse for not changing to fit the evolving needs and wants of customers, prospects, and donors.
• Assumes, based on gut feeling rather than research, that he has deep insight into the murky and complex motivations of his customers.
• Wants to take strategic and creative shortcuts buy assuming that nearly all of the “people” will behave the same way. Even worse that they will behave the way he imagines he would behave in the same circumstance.”

Then he applies this insight to fundraising …

• “Oh, people won’t give to label packages anymore.”
• “Oh, people won’t notice if we spell their name wrong.”
• “Oh, people won’t mind if it takes a couple of extra clicks to get to the donation page.”

“It’s impossible to know how many missed opportunities lie in the graveyard of good ideas because of those three words. They shut down discussion so early in the process, they never get recognized as the culprit.”

Amen Willis.

Seth Godin also worries about the good idea. But his concern is recognizing when you might have a really great one. So he’s looking for a different reaction from your audience, colleagues or prospects. His observation …

“I don’t get it”

“I don’t like it”

“I don’t understand it”

Those are the only responses your new idea can possibly generate from many around you if your new idea is actually a great idea, something ownable, something you can build work around.

The popular, obvious, guaranteed ideas have definitely been taken, or are so small that they’re not really worth your blood and tears.”

Amen Seth.

So, to summarize.

What you don’t want to hear: “Oh, people won’t …

What you do want to hear: “I don’t get it”

Gabeesh?

Tom