The power of being stupid

A few years ago I came up with the stupid idea of selling construction sets for kids that boldly includes a label that says "instructions not included" in fact the idea was so stupid that many retailers thought the label was a misprint. But actually it wasn't a misprint. I was operating under the impression that kids were innately genius and the last thing they needed was a step-by-step instruction manual.

 I love it when a plan comes together (the A-Team)

Now that I'm through the aftermath of the Christmas toy sales season I'm able to enjoy a little bit of vindication. The Hanz Toys products sold so quickly that I literally couldn't keep them in stock. If that wasn't good enough I also just received the Best Creative Fun Award.

Here's their product review

Put a HanzBlok set in a child's hands and watch the ideas fly. The set's versatile functionality is such that building a huge variety of vehicles and structures, the likes of which have often never been seen before, seems both easy and natural. Those so inclined can, of course, think things through and plan their designs out up front, to great effect. But part of the beauty of HanzBlok is how easy it is for kids to just jump right in with both hands and improvise their way to something brilliant. That high level of spontaneity excites the imagination in new and different ways, tapping into creative resources many children and adults hadn't previously realized they possessed. HanzBlok kits come in two sizes - XL, with 78 pieces for $59.95, and XXL, with 122 pieces, for 79.95 - and are fully compatible with the award-winning Inventor Labs from the same manufacturer.

The moral of the story is that as an innovator you should stay true to your mission if you really believe that you've got something. Don't get me wrong you shouldn't ignore reality, data and ultimately products sales. I find more often than not my gut feeling tends to pay off.

About the Author: I’m a Innovation Consultant Author and keynote speaker with over 25 years of experience in the fields of healthcare, innovation, and customer experience. I work with some of the top brands in the world including CIGNA, Verizon, Microsoft, Gatorade, and Johnson & Johnson, McDonald's, Blue Cross and Cisco just to name a few. I help them lead their markets through building out customer and market driven strategies that drive growth, and profitability and customer loyalty. As a speaker I speak it over 40 events worldwide each year on the future of healthcare, technology and the connected economy.

Call or email me today to arrange a Free Scoping Session so I can show you how to lead your market in innovation and business strategies. For more articles visit my blog and podcast at www.nickwebb.com or send me an email to connect [email protected]. I’d love to hear from you 530-604-5687.