The Feature -> Product -> Company Continuum / Visual | Audio | Kinesthetic – how do you process?

The Feature -> Product -> Company Continuum / Visual | Audio | Kinesthetic – how do you process?

When building a company, one of the key challenges is navigating the journey from being a mere feature to becoming a full-fledged product and, ultimately, a successful company. Many companies find themselves stuck in the middle, not fully realizing their potential. This often stems from a misunderstanding of the importance of not just the breadth of the product being built, but also the overall size of the opportunity and how universal the solution is to the market.

In order to transition from a feature to a product, it is crucial to identify the size of the opportunity. The bigger the opportunity, the more focus and effort should be placed on developing a comprehensive product. A feature set may serve a niche market, but to truly become a product, the solution needs to have the potential to address a wider audience. A product is not just a collection of features, but rather a holistic solution that can meet the needs of a diverse user base.

Understanding your audience is another key aspect of building a successful company. People have different ways of processing information, which can be categorized into three main styles: auditory, visual, and kinesthetic. By identifying how your audience processes information, you can tailor your communication to effectively reach and engage them.

Visual processors create mental images or pictures of the information they are processing. They rely on visual cues to understand and retain information. On the other hand, auditory processors hear the information they have stored played back in their mind, often reading out loud or talking to themselves. Lastly, kinesthetic processors are hands-on learners who learn best through touch and action.

To identify someone's processing style, you can observe their eye movements when they access and retrieve information. By asking open-ended questions and watching their eye movements, you can determine their preferred mode of processing. Up and to the right indicates visually remembered information, middle and to the right signifies auditory remembered information, and down and to the right suggests self-talk or calculation. Conversely, up and to the left represents visually constructed information, middle and to the left indicates auditory constructed information, and down or down and to the left signifies tactile (kinesthetic) information.

Once you have identified your audience's processing style, it is important to mirror your communication to their preferred mode. For visual processors, incorporating visual aids such as images or diagrams can enhance their understanding. Auditory processors may benefit from verbal explanations or podcasts. Kinesthetic learners, on the other hand, may require hands-on demonstrations or interactive experiences to fully grasp the information.

In conclusion, transitioning from a feature to a product and ultimately building a successful company requires a combination of factors. Understanding the size of the opportunity and the universality of the solution is crucial in developing a comprehensive product. Additionally, adapting your communication style to your audience's processing preferences can greatly enhance engagement and understanding. By identifying whether someone is a visual, auditory, or kinesthetic learner and tailoring your communication accordingly, you can effectively convey your message and build stronger connections with your audience.

Actionable Advice:

1. Conduct market research to assess the size of the opportunity and potential demand for your product. This will help you determine whether you are on the right path towards building a comprehensive solution.
2. Take the time to observe and understand your audience's processing styles. By asking open-ended questions and observing their eye movements, you can gain valuable insights into how they absorb and process information.
3. Once you have identified your audience's processing preferences, adapt your communication to cater to their needs. Utilize visual aids, verbal explanations, or hands-on demonstrations to effectively convey your message and connect with your audience on a deeper level.