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Appeasing vs Succeeding

January 23, 2007

You should have a forum on your site…..

If you are a business owner you have probably heard advice like this.  If you hear it from an important client, you may feel obligated to appease them and put it up.  However, it is unlikely to succeed.

When you are contemplating any new website feature, blog, marketing message or product feature, it is important to listen to people but it is also important not do make decisions based on one person’s whim.  It does not cost someone anything to give you random advice, such as You should start a blog, everyone has one…

It does cost you considerable time and money to take these ideas and make them a reality.  Here is a reality check for before you do something based on someone else’s advice.

  • Do I have a clear picture of what successful outcomes look like for this initiative?
  • Will this effort or project result in an increase in revenue?
  • Is the opinion I am basing this on a wide spread or narrow opinion?
  • Will this person pay for part of the development costs to have this feature?  (If they have a new idea for a new product, service or feature.)
  • Are there any free ways to meet this need?  Opensource?
  • Are other companies doing this successfully?
  • What do I have to give up to do this?  Is it a good trade off of value?
  • Are you taking action because you believe it is a great idea, based on research and reflection?  Or because someone told you it is something you should do?

Years ago a company I owned got sidetracked by someone else’s idea.  They told us if we built an Incident Management System every university and school would want it.  It was not a bad idea, but we never took the time to look at what it would take to sell the schools.  The truth was, it is hard to get into universities and we lost money.

Now when someone tells me their great idea, I look at how it effects my core mission and my bottom line.  Our success depends on focus and results for our clients where they expect it.  Not in a new idea every other month.

For you to create buzz, you have to know what your core message and mission is and build on that.  Don’t get lost in all the new technologies and pet projects.

- Thank You!

Posted by Ron McDaniel | Filed Under Blog 

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