OUCH - YOU SHOT ME...Do your Planning & Market Research!
Posted by Vaughn Mordecai on Thu, Jan 07, 2010 @ 04:25 PM
I have children in my household. More specifically, I have tweens & teens, with sons in the mix. A few weeks ago, one of my sons asked for an "Airsoft Gun" for his birthday. If you've never heard of an airsoft gun, it's like the BB guns from your 
youth, only it's been "modernized" for the "safety" of the new generation who will never ride in a backward facing seat in a stationwagon without a seatbelt, play in an abondoned car in a junk laden abandoned field, or ever sleep overnight in the backyard on the trampoline without parental supervision. The ammunition for an airsoft gun is a plastic BB, shot from a mostly plastic gun vs. a metal BB from a "normal" BB gun (aka. Red Ryder BB Gun from "A Christmas Story"). The BB's from airsoft guns are strong enough to break through cardboard, but probably not strong enough to "shoot your eye out". For the most part, you should AVOID shooting someone with an airsoft gun. Shooting your friend with an airsoft gun is NOT recommended...although it won't kill them...and probably won't injure them...much. My son got an airsoft gun for his birthday.
One of the coolest features on this airsoft gun was a "laser scope"...basically a plastic laser pointer attached to the top of the airsoft gun. About a week after my son received this gift, it was lying around the house for anyone to play with. My father-in-law stopped by one afternoon for a visit. He's a country boy who grew up around "real" guns and fully understands gun safety...what he didn't understand was that airsoft guns actually shoot plastic BB's with a fair amount of velocity...and that this "toy" gun wasn't simply a "laser pointer" in the shape of a handgun. One of the funniest experiences of my youngest son's life to date (funniest for the rest of us)...was the day he was shot by his grandfather with an airsoft gun. It was like a scene from ABC's "Modern Family":
Grandfather: "What's this?"...Points gun at grandson...
Grandson: "It's an airsoft gun?"...Insert "Duh" expression here...
Grandfather: Noticing laser pointer...pulls trigger...thinking laser will point at grandson...instead shoots high velocity plastic BB...hitting grandson in the ribs...(Did I mention grandson has no shirt on?)...BB leaves a nice red welt.
Grandson: "OUCHHHH...YOU SHOT ME..."Grandson falls to the ground and rolls around in shock that his Grandfather would actually shoot him with an airsoft gun, while Grandfather apologizes profusely.
Everyone Else in the Room: HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA...take deep breath...HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAH...wipe tears...HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA.
What does this have to do with your business, your market research company, or conducting market research?
As each of us, regardless of our role or responsibility, prepares for the year...keep these suggestions in mind:
- Have a purpose - Do what you intend...and intend what you do (as opposed to the grandfather who pegged grandson...completely by accident).
- Have a plan, set realistic goals, and then execute on them. It's important that you have a plan for the future and that you aren't leaving your success to a fluke accident (grandfather pegged son with plastic BB, but didn't mean to). Sometimes we FALL into success in our businesses. It's always great when that happens, but typically VERY unpredictable. "Hope" isn't a strategy, so don't rely on a complete accident for your success?
- Include a product or service aimed at keeping your company relevant...Don't "take your shots"...on the spur of the moment...and then, after the fact...hope that you hit on something. Conduct your market research and analysis to ensure that the product(s) or service(s) you are launching have a place and are relevant to your industry. This is appropriate...even if...especially if...you are a market research company...market study...do your homework.
- Return and report on your progress...to someone. If you're the senior manager, report to your staff. If you're an employee on a team, report to your team leader. It's important that each of us are accountable for what we do every day, that we stay focused, that we are open to feedback as we proceed, and that we announce our successes from the rooftops (Probably don't need to scream your failures...OUCH - YOU SHOT ME).
- Establish timelines, checkpoints, and metrics for success. If you're not careful, it's easy to operate huge chunks of your life...your business...your year...untethered...hoping for the best, but relying on a mishap (an unplanned "shot in the dark") for the success of your business.
Here's to an awesome new year...Give it your BEST SHOT! I look forward to your comments.