I have lots of conversations with hospital and healthcare leaders about patient empowerment. And for years, those conversations have centered on finding ways to help health systems offer educational, financial, and administrative resources through better digital experiences. In other words, using technology to give patients greater control over their own health experience.
Shared resources almost always come before individual resources.
Last week I saw a quote that resonated with me:
“All behavior makes sense with enough information.”
It’s a simple way of illustrating the B2me approach we use at White Rhino. Behind every choice or belief is a person with a history of personal and emotional experiences. And the actions we take - no matter how they come across to other people - are a result of those experiences.
Knowledge built on knowledge is what separates human beings from all other creatures on the planet. In large part, the current lives we enjoy are thanks to millenia of cumulative knowledge.
Anytime you make a decision, or buy something, you travel along what we call “The Journey to Yes”.
The journey, often subconscious, is both a psychological framework and marketing theory that drives much of our work and the success of our clients.
You can see that journey below, but the truth is, buying a pack of gum when you’ve chewed gum a thousand times before is very different from buying something that represents a completely different way of doing things.
While the key steps in the journey stay the same, reaching “Yes” varies for each audience. Bringing a groundbreaking idea to market requires a vastly different approach.
The ironic problem we see is that incredible innovators don’t always recognize that difference. They approach marketing as a generalized discipline rather than a specialized craft, assuming that marketing a lightbulb is the same as marketing an entirely new way to illuminate a room.
But, when you take that traditional approach, here’s what happens:
One of my favorite pieces of psych research is a 1999 study by Daniel Simons and Christopher Chabris.
Before I explain, you can experience the study by watching this video (it’s only 1 minute, 21 seconds). It’s important you watch before reading on, spoilers below.
Habits are so essential to our survival that their behavioral patterns are imprinted into our subconscious neural pathways. And anything that is counter to those habits is seen as a potential threat to our stability and safety.
But what happens when a brand needs their market to break free from these patterns?
When Google Glass launched to the public in 2014 after a $400 Million investment, it was heralded as the next big thing in wearable technology. But, less than a year later, the product was pulled from shelves. It’s a prime example of the unfortunate reality of innovation. Having a vision for a revolutionary product is not enough.
The launch campaign for Google Glass struggled to paint a clear picture of its place in consumers’ everyday lives.
“...though I tried, very hard, to make Glass a part of my life, I simply didn't feel comfortable with the screen hovering just out of my line of sight.” April 2014 Review in The Washington Post
Success and failure in innovation hinge on your ability to help others see themselves in the future you’ve envisioned. The iPod is a perfect case study. It wasn’t the first to market, but its success over other failed MP3 players can be attributed to Apple's ability to envision a new future of music consumption. Steve Jobs didn't just sell a device; he sold an experience, a new way of interacting with music that was so compelling that people wanted to be in this new world.
