Last week I attended the first Mass Innovation Nights event. This will be a monthly event to highlight Massachusetts innovators by giving them a forum in which to showcase their latest products and inventions. It was good to meet so many in the local innovation community, and a great way to learn what's going on in our own backyard.
The next day I was talking to Mark Roth about the event, and mentioned that while it was great to see all the new ideas, it typically took me several questions to get a sense of why I should be interested in them. Mark called that the "So what, who cares" test. Entrepreneurs, typically those in the technology sectors, are usually so engrossed in the nuts and bolts behind their invention, that they often skip the first step in explaining them. At the end of the day, people don't buy cool technology. They buy what that technology enables.
Try Mark's test the next time you're evaluating a new idea. The answer to the question, "So what, who cares" should be easy to understand, and it should matter. What answers do you get when you ask that question of the new projects going on in your company?
Ellen,
I was at Mass Innovation Night as well and had a similar experience when visiting the tables. Lots of nuts and bolts.
I did, however, attend two of the lectures (Xelago and Invention Machine) and heard more of a pitch which helped me to uncover the value prop much more quickly.
For me the lectures were the best part of the night.
Steve
You’re right Steve. I did see the Xelego lecture, and then it was easier to discern the benefit more quickly. Maybe it was the lecture format that helped?