The 4-Letter Strategy to Perfect Market Timing

Over 90% of startups fail. 42% citing a lack of market need as the primary reason. A few years later we see the same business ideas. New founders. New execution. New results. Mass adoption.

Why? Is it really just wrong timing?

Let's go back to the 1940s

Raymond Loewy, a French-born American designer, became famous for his impactful designs in various industries. His strategy was to design for the future but introduce it gradually. He created well-known cars from the 1940s to the 1960s, refrigerators, and locomotives that met the current needs of his users while still pushing technological and design limits.

He named this method the MAYA principle - Most Advanced Yet Acceptable.

So what is MAYA in one sentence?

Offer the most innovative products that were still within what people could comfortably accept and use.

Done. You know it now. You can drop it, or you can keep reading and understand how you can use it to your own advantage.

I know what you think. You have a factor that you can’t control - timing.

What if the market is not ready yet? - Keep the vision. Introduce it gradually.

Winners and Losers

The early iPod is a perfect example.

Its design simplified over time, shedding extra buttons for a cleaner interface. This gradual evolution from the 2001 iPod likely helped users accept the iPhone in 2007. Apple’s designers delivered advanced, yet acceptable designs. Would users have rejected the iPhone design (no buttons) in 1997 if it had been an option? Very likely. Remember how everyone was in love with their Blackberries?

But hey, life isn't all sunshine and rainbows. Sh*t happens. And Google screwed up badly with their Google Glass. Remember 2014? It was one of the most hyped wearable technologies. Looking back, the project was too advanced and not nearly acceptable enough. It might have been decades ahead of its time, considering general consumer sentiment.

So what’s happening inside the human brain?

Not much for many.

Jokes aside.

It all comes down to risk - the risk of how others will perceive us, the risk of our investments and time. Do we feel threatened or empowered?

To simplify, we can categorise people into three buckets: The Early Adopters, The Laggards, and The Mass, each with their own cognitive biases.

Neophobia:

This bias involves a fear or hesitation toward new experiences or technologies, rooted in a survival instinct that views unfamiliarity as potentially dangerous. It often leads to resistance to new technologies in consumer behavior due to perceived risks. A huge probability that your mum could have signs of Neophobia. Mine does.

Neophilia:

Conversely, this bias represents an attraction to novelty and innovation, driving some consumers, particularly tech enthusiasts, to eagerly adopt new technologies motivated by the excitement of new experiences and the desire to be cutting-edge. Usually the younger we are, the more naive and braver our perception of life is.

So where’s the balance?

Most people seek familiarity to feel protected and safe.

But they also crave innovation and surprise, which make them feel like they're moving forward, catching the perfect wave. It's what gives all of us hope and a sense of progress.

These innovations are sufficiently advanced to appeal to neophilic tendencies but are still grounded in familiar contexts that mitigate the effects of neophobia.

Who do I focus on?

You know it already.

Prioritize targeting The Early Adopters before the broader market.

They are more receptive to new innovations and can provide valuable feedback. Their enthusiasm typically results in higher conversion rates and better engagement.

By engaging them early, you can leverage their influence to build momentum and attract a larger audience, which can boost the success of your product launch.

Focus on the incentives that appeal to The Early Adopters to maximise impact.

Some actionable tips to bookmark

1. Make it feel familiar/comparable- use language that connects the new technology to users’ existing experiences. Present the technology within familiar contexts.
2. Reduce perceived alienation - use testimonials from early adopters who are perceived as peers by your target market.
3. Use comparative advertising - draw comparisons with older, well-accepted technologies to show the evolution and benefits clearly.
4. Partner with influencers - Collaborate with influencers. Their endorsement can lend credibility and reach a wider audience that trusts their opinions.
5. Evolution not Revolution - Stress that your product is an enhancement, not a radical change, of existing technologies. Not everyone needs to be Elon Musk. Keep the ego aside and focus on the business.
6. Visual continuity - maintain a visual style in marketing materials that echoes familiar products while subtly introducing the new aspects
7. Target early adopters - Focus initial marketing efforts on Early Adopters to build momentum.
8. Engage industry experts - team up with well-known industry experts in relevant fields to add authority and depth to your marketing strategy. Zoe are doing this quite well.
9. Create educational content - empower them. Create a feeling of self-confidence.
10. Feature familiar use cases - Demonstrate common scenarios in which your product can be used, linking it to familiar tasks to make the innovation less intimidating
11. Use nostalgic elements - Incorporate design elements or features that evoke nostalgia, making new technology feel more comforting and less alien. Rabbit absolutely nailed this part with their product design. Look at this beauty.

That’s it from me for now.

DM me. I’d love to hear from you. PS: And if you liked this, please share it with someone who you think may benefit from it.

This article was first published on F*NORM.com , where I write about building brands that thrive in times of rapid globalisation, AI, and digital noise. Features are easier than ever to build - brand equity is bloody hard! 18+ years of experience working with tech teams backed by YC, TechStars, and others.

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Stef.