In marketing it's just as important to know who your customer isn't as who is your customer.

With thanks to a good friend, I've come up with a filter for both in building out my new practice.

A few people may feel put off, but if I didn't rub a few people the wrong way, then I wouldn't be doing my job. Of course, can't irritate everybody! That would be counterproductive.

Some background. In my heavily oversimplified view of the world, there are three types of people.

1. Butter-fine people, but just not intellectually rigorous or apathetic about ideas. You throw an idea at them and it goes right through them, like a hot knife through...They have many other strengths, but discussing concepts just isn't one of them. (And mind you, this is not a function of socio-economic class or academic pedigree.)
   
2. Pillows- also perfectly good people who greatly appreciate mental curiosity and an inquisitive mind, but just not something they feel passionate about. Don't have a need to Would prefer not to spend time discussing ideas. They "get" the idea, absorb it like something being caught by a pillow, but nothing really comes back.
   
3. Anvils-these are the folks who just won't let go of ideas when they hear them. They can't "let it go". They hear an idea and have to investigate it from every angle, leaving no stone unturned, and understand that ideas and feelings sometimes come into conflict with each other. You will often hear them say "let's be honest here...".
   Why Anvils? Well, you throw an idea at them, like a hammer against an anvil and sparks fly, there's noise and commotion, but when it's over, the idea is sharper and more refined.

Now, for the other axis.

Pretty simple.

1. Folks who fundamentally believe that the world of marketing has shifted dramatically
2. Those who know something is afoot, but not sure what.
3. In denial or disagreement that anything really is different.

Well, look at the X's in the chart. That's where I play.