Ever notice how different the world looks to a child who is three feet tall? They see things from another vantage point than an adult. A child’s eyes look up at the world, where the adult is looking out or downward. It matters where your world view begins.

When we are part of a community or industry, we often accept the belief system that binds us together. Marketing is no different. If you work in an industry (snack foods, wine, home alarm systems or sunglasses) you quickly drink the Kool-Aide. You share the common belief. You hear yourself say…

“Everyone does it this way. No one draws outside of the lines. We all know the secret hand shake and agree to our rules.”

How Will You Flip Your Perspective to Expand Your Marketing?

Here are some thought starters to give you a swift kick in the pants.

• A Pro View. Find several marketing colleagues who have never worked in your industry. Ask them to describe one orthodoxy about your industry that surprises them and they think should be challenged. Since they don’t know the rules of how the category works, they may focus on seemingly unimportant areas – but they may also observe opportunities that open your eyes.

• A Naïve View. Invite undergraduates in a business class at a local college to attend a half-day workshop at your company. They must first visit brick and mortar or online stores that sell you product or service. Then invite them to your office for a meeting. The purpose of the session is to have them challenge as many things that don’t make sense to them as an outsider to the industry. Ask them to help you see companies who do things better than you from within and outside the industry.

• A Different View. Work with someone in your company for a month outside of marketing and sales. Learn about your business from a new angle – supply chain, quality, finance, etc. You might find an insight and point of differentiation that no one ever mentions in your communications. Seeing the business from another perspective in the company, might push you to consider alternative approaches to messaging.

• An Outside View. With your boss’ consent, spend a month at another company, in a different industry, that you admire. (offer them the same opportunity at your business) Be there in an observational role to watch, look and listen to how they do business. You might find a framework or tactical approach that could be relevant to your industry that no one is doing well. It might open your eyes to see ideas worth transferring from their industry to yours. How they go to market might give you some new thinking on alternative strategies for growth.

Flip It

Often it is the industry outsider that transforms a category. They bring new thinking to the group. They solve a different problem for customers because they frame the questions with fresh insights. They ignore the belief system that has everyone driving on the right-hand side, and they shift vantage points.

Now, they don’t notice the shoe; they focus on the red sole. (Louboutin)

Now, they don’t build hotels but access available spaces. (AirBnB)

Now, they don’t have a physical college teaching classes; they open an online learning university (Udemy)

Now, they don’t sell eye glasses through stores but online distribution. (Warby Parker)

What rules will you break in your industry in 2016?

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I love to break the rules. I can help you see from a fresh angle.  Let’s talk.

Photo credit: Photo: “Laurie flipping out” by Jared Tarbell is licensed under CC BY 2.0 Photo Credit: “Laurie flipping out” by Jared Tarbell  – CC by 2.0