10. Personal experience You have experienced a situation that causes what seems like an inordinate effort for the outcome, especially when it’s something you’ll do more than once in your life. Example: Those automated customer-service systems in which you enter your identifying information, then you’re asked for the same information later. Or, you forgot to turn down the heat before you left for work.
9. Go ahead, I’m listening You’ve heard other people observe the same situation.
8. No one else has touched it You can’t find any other company that solves the same problem. You really try.
7. You sense you have an edge There may be similar solutions, but yours seems measurably better. This can be even better, since having someone addressing a similar issue creates market awareness and preparation.
6. Your target market gets it You talk to prospective users or consumers and they start asking more and more questions about how it would work, and even they offer up ideas. This is what’s called “buy in.”
5. Your value proposition is hard to beat You do some cost calculations and find you have a strong value proposition, such as the buyer will recoup his investment in less than six months.
4. The right help is a link or connection away You know how to get the resources to help you in areas that are not your field of expertise.
3. Bright minds see the light You mock up or storyboard the idea, value proposition and use cases, then go out to talk to thought leaders. They also get engaged and even offer to help.
2. Convincing is easy You spend time talking to prospects, getting feedback and attracting early adopters.
1. You’ve beaten down the doors You get letters of intent, presales (think Kickstarter) or investors.
Barbara Finer is founder and CEO of TechSandBox, an innovation center in Hopkinton that helps accelerate success for science and technology-based companies. Contact her at barb@techsandbox.org.
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