Thank you for the trigger — 1 — Market Fitment.
There was always resentment to the person who triggered a particular kind of response. Learnings have asked me to look inward as to “Why did that trigger me?” To look at it, the biggest hindrance would always be the ego which metamorphs itself as something else most of the time. In a recent incident, it came out as guilt or resentment when I was making a point about what should be the first thing to go with when a fintech product is launched in the market. Market research and fitment analysis, Flashy Brand name which is mostly similar to Apple and sorts or Frenzy of content creation.
In this instance, my response was multilayered, previous experience of being product-centric and not being customer-centric in the approach and then force-fitting the branding and messaging somehow had created some confusion and heartburn. It's the feeling that all the efforts that were put in to create the brand are useless as there is no one appreciating it as much as the ones who created it. It's a bit icky to create a story even if it is for a fintech product after the brand name is decided without much thought and the product needs considerable hand-holding for it to be part of the customer's life. I would like to think of it from the customer's point of view and the brand person's point of view and would definitely sympathize with the product person's enthusiasm as well. Before all this comes monies, the investor, and the business person involved, who looking for his returns all the time, he/she should also. After all, we are not roaming in Himalayas!
From a customer point of view, why should I adapt to a new product, that would change my routine when I can get it done by a resource that comes to me at a penny cost? Now the postman who conveys the message about the product to the customer, the brand custodians, who are constantly at it on the channels in which they are present and trying to connect with them. You are trying to convey a story, as we all love stories, but that story somehow isn't something that he can relate to his scheme of things, as that means he would have to change a lot of things in his periphery of dealing with his business and he doesnot what it changed as of now, he likes the chaos and the set of people he deals with are habituated to none of the technologies which we are trying to sell them. Of course, when he perishes to be part of the business and a new gen kid or a young person takes over his business as the case it might be in most B2B businesses then these would be essential to be adapted to, either with a notion of making it easier for the business to operate or by the cool quotient of it. So whatever story we tell is being heard but for it to be implemented it would take some time.
“Plans are only good intentions unless they immediately degenerate into hard work.” — $100 Startup by Guillebeau
So how do we as brand custodians fit in, in this whole scheme of things? I would have to refer back to the whole tenet of marketing to find out, what would be the best course of action first to be effective in such an environment.
