The most crucial lessons come from looking at the mistakes: those that we make and those that we spot others making. A thought might get triggered by listening to great dreamers like Steve Jobs. But the termination, in terms of realization, implementation and imbibing the essence comes only when you have walked through that journey and declared a new start.
Shankar, who imagined and steered the 43rd round table in Delhi, created amazing examples to drive across the points, we had often read heard and hoped to understand. I will try and share what were my takeaways.
This session, thanks to Rajat Harlalka and the amazing iSPIRT movement, started off with an unforgettable lesson, on what is the Curse of Knowledge.
You need to attend one round table to experience it. For now I can only re-iterate one of the ways it is often represented.
“The moment you know how to speak a language, you forget what it is like, to not know it.”
The same thing happens with you and your product. You know it too well to imagine what it looks like to those who don’t know it. What should the message be, so that the potential customers want to have it?
Who?
So if you are looking at spotting your messaging, spot the Who of your customer.
- Who is your Bob (What Bob?)
- What does he look like
- Where does he go
- What does he do
Why?
Once you have figured out the Who, move on to answer the Why
- Why should Bob need your product
- What’s in it for him
- How does it make him better
Only after figuring these questions would it make sense to move on to ‘What’ your product does and ‘How’ does it do it.
I want you to read that again. Give it some time to sink it. Let it challenge what you think you know.
It’s only after spotting “Who is your Bob” and “Why should he bother” that you product and it’s features and functionality come in.
First response of one of my fellow entrepreneur to this statement was: I know all that.
‘I am the best ecommerce setup for finding XYZ. That’s why he should care’, he went. Really?
It’s like saying, “I am the best writer. You better read my books”. Does that work?
If you have both the answers, feel confident. You are amongst the top 5% companies who have their basics right.
Now what do you do with this knowledge?
Let your Bob know!
This was where I would say, the workshop’s original aim hovered.
If you have your answers, incorporate them in your messaging. Share a story that people can relate to. Share with your Bob that you are going to make him better. Let your messaging help Bob, feel this sentiment.
If you look at the steps we went through and reinforced during our Bob journey, there were just 2. Make yourself :
- Meaningful, and,
- Differentiated, to your Bob.
One other takeaway that stuck with me was this: The best things are simple. Is your messaging there?
Guest Blog post by Kritika Prashant, VoiceTree Technologies
