PLAY ‘THE DATING GAME’ TO FIND NEW GROWTH
Discovering new meaning for an established product with a stagnant or negative revenue outlook is like re-entering the dating game. This metaphor underlies a new thinking tool called “The Dating Game” that I’ve created as an addition to our X-IDEA thinking toolbox.
The background: A few weeks ago, I was in Germany to launch an innovation project with a multinational corporation. We asked three project teams to seek a new take on a high-performance product that until now has enjoyed profitable growth. However, almost all sales are concentrated in one application that is due to be replaced by a technical innovation that most clients are predicted to switch over to in the coming year.
As such, the teams explored the wider emerging market field to understand what other applications, market fields and business models could be considered to extend the product’s life cycle.
We invited the teams to check their assumptions, asked lots of provocative questions, made them look at different angles to identify new opportunities and unmet needs, and mapped out trends as well as potential markets. All these activities helped the teams to gain novel insights into the real challenges.
For this workshop, I also created a new thinking tool called “The Dating Game” — a popular US TV show of the same name ran from the 1960s to the 1990s — to help people look at their product with fresh eyes. In the end, I decided against using it because some delegates were too conservative. But as I trust the readers of this column to be creative at heart, I am sharing it with you now.
Step 1. Characterise your dating client: Imagine a struggling product as a person who — after the break-up of a long relationship — re-enters the dating game to find new love. How would you describe your product’s attributes?
What’s its essential nature? Young, middle-aged or old? Male, female or maybe transsexual? Modern-progressive or conservative-traditional? Dynamic or static? Small or large? Heavy or light? Fashionable and stylish or old-fashioned and classic? Hip or time-honoured?
How does it look? Clear, black-andwhite, monochrome or very colourful? Light or dark? Sharp or blurry?
How does it sound? Soft or loud? Slow or fast? Low or High? Far or near?
How does it feel? Soft or hard? Hot or cool? Rough or smooth? Intermittent or constant?
How would it smell? Strong or faint? Pleasant or unpleasant? Natural or chemical? Floral? Musky? Sweet or sharp?
How would it taste? Mild or strong? Spicy-hot or bland? Salty? Sweet? Bitter? Sour?
What other essential attributes come to mind?
Once you have identified the attributes, use them to write a compelling, attractive dating profile for your product.
Step 2. Describe the attributes of the ideal date: Imagine the new application, customer or business opportunity for your product as a person you’d love to date. What are the characteristics or your ideal date? List them all.
Of course, while we dream of finding the perfect partner, we rarely get everything we’re looking for. As such, go through your list of attributes and underline those that your date really must have to be the right fit. The fewer “must haves” you insist on, the broader your pool of possible candidates. Once you have narrowed down your list, create one or — even better — a few target profiles to use.
Step 3. Do a makeover: Now go back to your product’s dating profile and take a critical look at it: How attractive is your product to these target dates? Does it need a makeover? New profile photos? A physical tune-up to boost attractiveness? Write down any ideas you get.
Step 4. Specify appropriate dating channels: People today use both traditional and modern activities, venues, media and communication channels to find love, beyond just going to a pub or club. Ask friends for recommendations and introductions. Go to networking events. Enrol in clubs and classes. Use a matchmaking service. Use online platforms like Match.com or dating apps like Tinder. And use social media platforms like Facebook, Instagram or even LinkedIn to befriend potential dating targets.
How does this all relate to your product? What’s the equivalent of all the above activities, events, places and communication channels when it comes to your product? How can you discover and hook up with potential target dates for your product — and vice versa? Remember that dating is a numbers game: the more channels you use and the more dates you go on, the more potential opportunities you have.
Step 5. How to wow your date and start a relationship? Now that you’ve identified fitting activities, events, channels and media, how do you wow dates at first sight? How can you present your product’s attributes at their best? Can your product satisfy them? If yes, in what ways? How can you explore a mutually satisfying future? How can you co-create a win-win partnership? And how will you know that you have really clicked?
Once again, add any fresh insights and initial ideas on how to transform a date into a lasting, mutually satisfying partnership. Finally, extract your final challenge that you want to work on in a subsequent workshop introducing the remaining four stages of X-IDEA.