Lesson 5: Keep Changing Stuff

As part of the Commit or Kill campaign for Book Rapper, here’s Book Rapper Lesson #5.

Who am I?

What I’m about to share with you is not textbook stuff. You’re unlikely to hear it said ‘this is the way to do it’. And, it worked for me.

The first ever issue of Book Rapper went out as ‘The Idea Service’. For the second issue, I changed the name to ‘The Corporate Book Club’. And, for the third issue, the name changed to Book Rapper! Mostly, it’s been that ever since. I did flirt with calling it Trend RAP for one issue and my audience howled me down and I ditched that idea really quickly.

Change the Right Stuff

My point here is not to keep changing your business name. That’s not good.

My point is that you do have to keep changing stuff. In more technical terms, you need to be creating, inventing, innovating, experimenting, designing, improving and applying kaizen. It’s the only way forward.

No one has and no one ever will create a masterpiece in a single attempt. Life just doesn’t work like that. And, before you point to Mozart writing his symphonies straight out of his head… it’s a myth! Didn’t happen! Read Book Rapper Anti-Self-Help for more on Mozart.

Make Mistakes

At times you’ll make mistakes. Changing from Book Rapper to Trend RAP was a mistake. When this happens, the best advice is to admit your error and change it back again – fast!

As much as I still hate making mistakes – I’m such a perfectionist – I’m now happier to do so. And, if need be do it in public. Sometimes this is the only way to move forward.

Lesson

Keep changing stuff. Keep looking for ways to rethink, redesign and re-do. And, keep in touch with your customers. They provide collective knowledge and feedback that is an essential tool to keep you growing, learning and providing better value.