Innovation or comfort zone?
Humans are largely creatures of habit. We like the familiar. So when companies launch new and exciting products and services they can fall victim to their own innovation.
I was reading an article last week about a Microsoft vendor’s win over Google in a bid for the email hosting contract for the state of California. California could have been a big win for Google – which has been pushing its cloud-based offering as an alternative to more traditional systems, such as those offered by Microsoft – but it was pretty clear about what the state wanted in an e-mail system, and it sounded a lot like what Microsoft was offering. It had simply put together a list of requirements based on what it had had in the past, what users were familiar with.
As Google is learning fast, you can’t always give people what you think they want or need. Sometimes you have to give them what they’re asking for.
But I’m not discouraging selling innovative solutions, far from it; it’s how progress is made. Many users would like the confidence to adopt new ways of working, but are just more comfortable with what they know. So as marketers it’s our job to help your customers and prospects make this move with you.
It means changing mindsets and making the unfamiliar seem more familiar. As rather intelligent and social creatures, people like to chat with one another. The desire to communicate is part of their nature. As Marketers we can use this fondness for habit to our advantage. Get people talking about your new solution; get it out there – physically or virtually. Events, webinars, customer portals, and blogs and tweets will all encourage customers to explore your offering.
Google may have had more success if it had been more attentive to California’s current state of mind.