To help clients avoid this costly cycle of failed new-product launches, I developed a three-day consumer-immersion session accompanied by aggressive, real-time concept writing and editing. The successful process requires a dedicated effort on behalf of the client team with a full commitment to participate in all three days. The iterative nature of development means that all learning is cumulative, therefore, building at each step. If members “float in and out” of the process, continuity is lost and precious time is lost getting members back in the loop. The good news is that this process yields extremely positive results along with a team who “owns” the outcome due to their hard work.

As I briefly outline the steps below, please note that there is no “cookie cutter” process. Each project requires its own customization based on the level of understanding already garnered about the target audience and their habits and practices. In addition, leading this process requires a unique combination of skills: marketing, concept writing, moderating and facilitating–a skill set that requires a selective fit of the consultant driving this approach.

Day 1: Focus on consumer understanding and identifying lead benefit ideas. The foundation for the effort is determined at this point. Target audience learning, combined with known product/service features, are used to create a laundry list of potential benefits for review. These are then explored with the consumer to determine relative appeal and select those worthy of further development.

Day 2: Focus on defining the best articulations for the potential benefits, as well as developing strong accepted consumer beliefs (ACBs). The ACB is the target consumer articulation of a relevant insight. This language should have been picked up when exploring the benefit ideas qualitatively in Day 1. Iteratively, these statements will need to be adjusted and tweaked for the most salient language. The key with the ACB is that it must set up a relevant problem for which your product or service will solve.

Day 3: Focus on creating and testing the most believable support statement, the Reason to Believe (RTB), for each lead-concept direction. The RTB is the key statement that helps persuade the consumer to purchase the product. It should include the most important legally supportable information that convinces someone to buy or try the product or service offered. The key here is to be selective and NOT load the RTB up with every single feature your product/service can offer. The key to a great concept is that it is simple and memorable–short and to the point is key!

The process is a win-win strategy for all involved. The consultant helps facilitate both the consumer interactions as well as client interactions, thereby dramatically improving the group’s efficacy and productivity. The client leaves the session with truly different, consumer-driven concepts–each of them ready for the next step in the new-product qualification process.