The lockdown has been particularly hard on strategists.
They have been receiving much of their information secondhand: reading articles, catching Zoom calls with the sales team and attending virtual events. All while trying hard to listen for the unspoken story behind logical data.
But it turns out that secondhand clues are no substitute for first-person experiences. Why is this? Well, lots has been written about the missing clues in video calls. It boils down to just two dimensions: very little context and very little body language.
When we can observe people in their native domain, we pick up on things they don’t know they are doing and don’t think to verbalize. When we ask them questions (through no fault of their own), what really happens is this: they tell us what they think, and while they may have a very logical justification, it’s not what’s really going on.
Because of this, what I’m hearing from strategists is a strong preference for unfiltered and ad hoc methods. In normal times they may go to in-person events and visit clients and partners’ plants just to spend time in the public square. Some source ideas in random conversations at entertainment or sporting events – or even while sitting in the airport lounge. All of this becomes a piece of data in their data set for better framing, free associations and decisions.
These clues combine with other clues to form the real insights.
As we come out of this phase of the pandemic and continue to recover, what I’m hearing is that there is a large demand for fresh, unfiltered information. As you wait for conventional access to emerge, here are three opportunities to consider:
1) Try a conversation app like Clubhouse. If you haven’t had a chance to use the app yet, it’s an audio only, real-time “bird of a feather conversation” tool that is remarkably diverse in all dimensions. It has a global following and you can drop in on rooms that are absolutely stretching in all regards. There are few filters, so you need to be discerning and use cross validation as a rule. That being said, these are raw, unabridged audio conversations with subject matter experts, that in many cases, we wouldn’t have the opportunity to get in a room with otherwise. There is protocol to become part of the conversation, but with just a bit of research, you’ll likely find that you have close social contacts that are already part of the community. If, after working through your network you find yourself stuck, please reach out to me and I can help with the process.
2) Move outside. Take a walk around a fresh retail environment. One of my favorites in the Midwest is the retailer Target for coffee and a browse. Having spent some time with the Target team, I understand just how hard they have worked to create the intersection of high design and high novelty at an accessible price point. This creates a neat demographic of experiences as guests interact.
3) Niche podcasts. This is a great opportunity to “get in the room” with a great mix of thought leaders, insightful analysts and just interesting people to get to know. There is a huge set of options, but for starters, pick up something like Jordan Harbinger, Mad Money and A16Z to get you rolling.
Wrapping Up
It takes real intention to regain diversity in your idea pool . As we come out of the COVID pandemic, begin to go more places, and hopefully have a more normal summer than we did last year, we are excited to have the opportunity to actually improve our database of experiences and insights.
I would encourage you to take steps to intentionally expand your novelty of experience. If you’d like help to develop programs and projects with foresight, please reach out to me at scott@scottpropp.com or call me directly at 847-651-1014.
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