Square Watermelons - Thinking inside a box

Square Watermelons Yes, but we have always done it this way...
7/27/2008 8:19:00 PM | Read About: Clay Campbell
I read a story about square watermelons. I thought the lessons could very well be applied to business. Japanese grocery stores are much smaller than in the USA, and watermelons  wasted a lot of space. Most people simply told the grocery stores that watermelons grow round and there is nothing that can be done about it.  But some Japanese farmers took a different approach. If the supermarkets wanted a square watermelon, they asked themselves, “How can we provide one?” It wasn’t long before they invented the square watermelon. The solution to the problem of round watermelons wasn’t nearly as difficult to solve for those who didn’t assume the problem was impossible to begin with and simply asked how it could be done. It turns out that all you need to do is place them into a square box when they are growing and the watermelon will take on the shape of the box. This made the grocery stores very happy and had the added benefit that it was much easier and cost effective to ship the watermelons. Consumers also loved them because they took less space in their refrigerators which are much smaller than those in the US meaning that the farmers  could charge a premium price for them. So I say: what does this have do with anything besides square watermelons? Are a few lessons business owners can take away from this? Business Owners; Don’t Assume. The things that you have been doing a certain way in your business might have taken on the aura of the round watermelon and you likely don’t even take the time to consider if there is another way to do it. Break away from the thinking you have had about marketing, advertising, and growing your business. Come to Nashvile August 1st and 2nd to see and hear 14 Wizard of Ads Partners . They will show you how to think differently about growing your business during these difficult times many businesses are facing. Wizards Question habits: Am I just doing this because we have always done it this way? We have a saying,  “It is hard to read the label when you are on the inside of the bottle.” The Wizard Partners  will help you see new and better ways to attract customers. Wizards can Be Creative: When faced with a problem Wizards can be creative in looking for a solution. This often requires thinking outside the box. Most all people who viewed this question about getting the water melons to grow square  thought it would be a much more difficult process to accomplish. The Wizard Partners can help you find a better way: The square watermelon question was simply seeking a better and more convenient way to do something. The stores had flagged a problem they were having and asked if a solution was possible. Do you have a problem? Are you spending more money and getting less in return? Is Your situation Impossible?  Most Often It Isn’t: If you begin with the notion that something is impossible, then it obviously will be for you. If, on the other hand, you find someone to help you, that has the advantage of looking from the outside in they can see things you can’t. So then, all you have to do to grow square watermelons is to put ‘em in a square box when they are small?  All you may need to do to get your business out of the square box it’s in, is to find a way to grow it outside the box. All you may need to fix the problem you are having in your business is to buy a plane ticket to Nashville and attend the Wizards on the Road Seminar. Your business will never be the same. Would you like a slice of square watermelon?