Choose your critics
And maybe still ignore their input
Somewhere in the process you are going to hear from the critics. You may even ask for it. For product development, customer satisfaction, or market testing, you'll be asking, how do you like me so far?
The first step in getting constructive feedback is to choose your critics wisely. Are they relevant to your target audience? Are they knowledgeable, perceptive and willing to contribute?
You still may not like all the answers. But you should not be asking people who are too complementary, kind and generous. You want to be surprised, or disappointed. To learn something you didn’t already know. Maybe you’re worrying about the wrong things. You can try to think like a customer, but it’s better to ask what they’re thinking.
To get valuable feedback from willing critics and retain the right to choose what you use, remember to make two requests at the start:
1) Please be honest, and
2) Please don’t be offended, if I choose to ignore your input.
Be better. Do better.
Your Uncle Ralph, Del Chatterson
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