Sorcerer's Hat Dilemma: When even the pros do not want to pull the rabbit from the sleeve
Have you ever tried convincing a magician to change their classic trick? I recently tried it without knowing and learned my lessons. I've spent some time on houseowner forums, looking out for potential users of my recently (beta) launched web app and I've noticed something interesting. It's not easy to persuade homeowners in homeowner forums to embrace new ways of managing their homes. It's like convincing a magician, who's used to pulling rabbits from their hat in the old way, that there's a smarter, modern way to do it—by pulling rabbits from their sleeve. Imagine these magicians, who are really good at their old tricks, learning about this new interesting way that might not only be more efficient but also easier to handle. Well, I learned to my surprise that many of them rather say, 'I'm sticking with what I know best.' Similarly, I found out that many homeowners in homeowner forums are like these magicians, they're experts in their routines. That's why I've come to realize that homeowners, much like magicians, come in all shapes and sizes. Actively seeking out inexperienced homeowners (more suited target group) in an expert-only forum might not be the wisest approach. In these forums, where experienced homeowners are firmly rooted in their ways, convincing them to adopt new methods can be challenging, much like convincing a magician to change their signature act. Instead, I've learned that even though my target audience is generally homeowners, there are also different subgroups within homeowners based on their experience. It seems to be wiser to explore other avenues where (inexperienced) homeowners, might be more open to try innovative digital solutions for their home management. That's what I am going to do now. Hocus-Pocus!
