Gerd Gigerenzer, a German social psychologist and pioneer in the study of intuitive thinking, has shown that when we use gut reactions to deal with complex choices, they’re usually as good—if not better—than detailed analysis.
Gigerenzer’s findings were mainly focused on rational thinking in the field of medicine. However, his experiment results are widely applicable to many areas of business, including product development and innovative marketing strategies.
Gut reactions help on the development end:
• To conserve resources. If less time is spent on each problem, think of what can be accomplished.
• To utilize brainstorming sessions. Feeding off of the input of others can produce quick decisions of a higher quality.
Gut reactions help on the marketing end:
• To benefit from the impulsive nature of consumers. If their guts tell them they need it now, you and your company benefit.
• To catch the market while it’s hot. Get your product noticed before its primary marketing niche has the chance to dwindle.