Heroism is revered worldwide, a phenomenon deeply rooted in mythology through to the present day.
The need for a “Save The Day” hero, however, is a sign of something gone wrong, a sign of failure not success.
It’s high time to evolve our approach – to give greater applause to a “quieter breed of hero” – those invisible heroes who annihilate problems before they even occur. – Dan Heath
How to be an upstream marketer?
If you have packaging issues, login issues, payment issues, or any issues you think might happen, they must be anticipated and discussed with your team so you can solve them before they occur.
Although you can’t solve all problems, whenever you are launching something new or making even minor changes to your service, you must consider all the possible consequences it may bring.
That’s the right way to do business.
Thinking upstream may not make you a marketing legend, but it will ensure a smooth transition for both your customers and your company.
Example: When VanMoof faced numerous damage claims, they made a simple change that reduced such claims by 80%.
They started shipping bikes in boxes designed to look like large flat-screen TVs by printing an image of a TV with a bike inside it.
Instead of opting for expensive packaging alternatives, they thought upstream to solve the problem.
Even after a Wall Street Journal reporter revealed the trick, the reduction in damages has reportedly remained steady.
