The Long Tail of Unique Ideas

Last night on the way to the board finance dinner, one of our independent board members paid me a compliment and told me he reads my little posts here. I was so surprised. I had no idea he even knew I wrote these, and that is what led me to the topic.

It’s About Idea Sharing

I don’t want to sound mean, but some people post articles and stuff simply to post. They don’t think about what you get out of it. They’re just “trying to be seen.” Well, that works about as well as approaching someone at a bar and saying, “I’m just saying words until you decide we should have a date.”

What earns you the attention of CEOs-turned-investors is when you push an idea out that gives them something to think about however it applies to their own lives or business. I think there are a few components that are true of a useful idea:

• It’s easy to explain - sure, a complicated idea might actually be a better value than something simple, but it’s hard to jot down a newsletter or media post and get deep enough. Thus, your idea has to be easy, if you want people to find it in THIS platform.
• It’s novel - I started this post by sharing the gem of the idea. There’s a “long tail” on using this platform, but rest assured: there’s value.
• It’s bite-sized - I’m eating my breakfast while I type this. It’s a little glass bowl of yogurt with berries and nuts and what looks like a honey drizzle (hey, it’s from the One Hotels in NYC - I don’t know). I’m eating it because it’s small and self-contained. Your idea should be small and self contained.

Where Do You Get Ideas?

Well, I got THIS idea from one compliment from a guy at dinner last night. I thought, “I should tell YOU about the fact that this really important guy was reading me and I didn’t know.” I get a lot of ideas from a very simple start of a question: “Why hasn’t anyone?”

You can also get ideas from other verticals beside your own. That’s a better way to get it done. Everyone has the same ideas in your vertical. Go look at construction to pick up something neat for your catering company. Peek at new kindergarten classroom concepts to be a better sales consultant. That’s where the gold is, not in your next industry book. (That’s why I don’t like marketing books USUALLY - except Nancy Harhut and Paul Roetzer this year. Two awesome authors. Look ‘em up.)

How Long Should The Post Be?

Here’s the thing: A CEO doesn’t have time to read a 5000 word post. Get in, share the idea, get out. But don’t be TOO brief. It always comes off as not-very-considered if you don’t land the idea well enough.

And I have one more detail for you.

End it Definitively

One of the biggest annoyances is that people don’t know how to end a post. They tend to just trail off into nothing. Finish strong. Make it clear that you’ve conveyed the idea. Maybe even ask a question. That’s a swell way to end, because it encourages interaction with the idea.

Does this all make sense? Let me know! And share those ideas. You never know who is reading you!

Chris…