A Matter of Opinion

Making the right decisions for your business can be tough, especially when it comes to your marketing plan and design strategies. But did you know that asking for opinions from your friends and colleagues may be doing your business more harm than good?

Forbes took a closer look at the implications of opinion-seeking on businesses by posing the question, “Everyone has an opinion about everything, but when should you ask for it, when should you listen to it, and when should you ignore it and go with your own ideas instead?”

So whether you want your mother’s viewpoint on your new business cards, or  your best friend’s thoughts on your latest billboard campaign, below are some reasons this may be a bad idea for your business:

People asked to give feedback are in a different mindset than potential buyers, even if they are your ideal clients.
Opinions aren’t the same as real-life feedback. Whether critical or supportive, this personal relationship hinders the ability to have a third-party vision of how an advertisement may affect them as a consumer.

Any feedback from people who are not your ideal client is not only worthless, it can actually be a hindrance.
If you ask for feedback from people whose opinions you respect, either you are unsure about your own feelings, you need approval, or both. Be a decision-maker for your brand and don’t be confused by differing opinions or second-guess your judgment.

Group feedback waters down bold brands.
Feedback, focus groups and testing may be useful tools when your brand is just starting up, but when you’ve established yourself in the marketplace you know what’s best for your business. Trust yourself and your expertise. If you don’t, why should your consumers?