GarthBox

When Yoplait gave their french yogurt, Oui, to a focus group, the group didn’t take to it right away. And if Yoplait listened to people’s first reactions, they wouldn’t have opened a new door into the yogurt world (we see you Greek yogurt and raise you a French-inspired recipe).

A truth about focus groups is that reactions like shock and confusion and repulsiveness don’t always mean that we’re off-track; it might mean that we’re onto something special.

That’s the paradoxical beauty of innovation: Can’t have devotion without a bit of disdain.

As long as we’re doing right by why the brand we’re working on or developing products for exists, then we ought to push past the naysayers.

 

Stay Positive & Anything Popular Is Always At First Unpopular

Photo credit

There was a gentleman I’d see at a little breakfast shop every weekend. He’d bring in his Chronical of Higher Education and I’d watch him read it.

What I noticed is that he never read it cover to cover. He’d open it with excitement and search for what mattered to him.

He’d see articles like “Poor public policies” and “Playground resentment” until he’d settle on “Rereading books doesn’t help you, move on.” He might have seen other headlines, but he was viewing the newspaper with blinders on, in search for what actually mattered to him.

The same happens when we’re on the road. When we’re on our phones. When we check email.

You have the ability to (pay to) get in front of more people, to show your idea or your business.

More importantly, you have the ability to make something that matters so much that people share with each other; that they ignore the rest.

 

Stay Positive & Better To Get In Front Of The Right People Than All The People

Photo credit

…ought to be done again, and again, and again.

Mainly because you’ll have learned how you could make something better next time.

No point in starting something and learning from it if you’ll never do it again, right?

 

Stay Positive & Pick Your Challenges Wisely

Photo credit

Deep down we know that we can’t create a habit of effort.

We can create a habit of doing things, sure, but the amount of effort we put into them can vary.

Yet, it’s exactly when we have disciplined effort that we create real value.

 

Stay Positive & Challenge Accepted, Right?

Photo credit

Second chances are rarely given. At least, they’re rarely expected to be.

Unbeknownst to most, though, they’re still available, they’re still an option, they’re there.

You can read an email a second time before hitting send.

You can change your mind about the path you’re walking down even if it means back-stepping a bit to get back to the fork in the road.

You can elevate another’s idea after thinking it was a dumb one.

You don’t need to wait to be given a second chance. They’re ripe for your picking.

 

Stay Positive & What Second Chances Are You Taking?

Photo credit

You can list a thousand of them.

Then what?

 

Stay Positive & You Might Only Need One

Photo credit

Reach and frequency are two measurements often drooled over and measured.

Reach is the number of people you can interrupt, get in front of, and have hear (but maybe not listen to) your message.

Frequency is the number of times you can do that to the same person.

Better, I believe, to go for depth; an unmeasurable metric that requires telling your message when and where it’s welcome.

 

Stay Positive & Do It With Care

Photo credit