Everyone needs a Spice Kitchen - short

I recently attended a master class in content marketing. The trainer Idris, who is a marketing communication expert, taught as lot when it comes to collecting customer data from the internet and analyzing it both forwards and backwards. I guess most attendees had anticipated this kind of hands on tool guidance. What they, including me, did not expect was to learn about Spice Kitchens.

When Idris told us about his current position, as Digital Marketing Manager at Daytona homes in Edmonton Canada, he explained how much he likes to interact with people who want to buy a house and find out they are looking for. After having met many potential house buyers, in various road shows and other events, an important knowledge arose; A significant part of the house buyers in Canada today have an Asian heritage. A natural part of Asian food culture and home cooking is to have a Spice Kitchen in the house, which is so important many people simply would not consider buying a home without one. 

"What on earth is a Spice Kitchen?" All class delegates asked unanimously. It seemed as this word was new to everyone and Idris explained to a curios class; "A Spice Kitchen is simply an extra kitchen, were you store and prepare ingredients before you do the final cocking in your ordinary kitchen. It needs a high-volume exhaust hood since it's often used for cooking of spicy food with strong odors. Smells that would otherwise linger in the house for days." "It's very practical!" Idris concluded and I must admit it sounded very useful me as well.

Idris, with his natural interaction with end customers, is a person who typically should be constantly involved in the process of developing new products or features. He will probably pick up many more needs, than the Spice Kitchen, from the potential house buyers.The problem is; Idris is not seen as a part of the product development process. Instead he is just part of the marketing function which is, within budget, supposed to connect with prospects by rolling out campaigns and create an interest for existing products.The rapid business of today requires a different approach where new ideas and customer feedback can travel back and forth through the development process without barriers.

With modern the technology of social media the Marketing function is an inexpensive channel where new ideas can be presented and feedback be collected. In the initial phases of validating customer interest ideas may be presented with a minimal investment. When customers reject ideas the knowledge can be used to guide the path forward. When customers like an idea it can be developed further with much less risk of failure.

The conclusion is Marketing and Product Development have to collaborate closely together. No business can afford having two different budgets and responsibilities. From now on it has to be just the Customer Happiness department.

This is how to do it

Start by merging the budgets for Product Development and Marketing. Convert any current functional responsibility into responsibility covering specific customer needs. Remember that customers do not care about your internal functions to create a product, the customers care about the job they need to do.

When you use the full potential for you marketing guys, I'm sure you will be able to launch many new breaking ideas.