Business Anthropology Fuels Top line Growth

Helping Customers Know What They Want
Don't be intimidated by the term. Anthropologists study the origin, behavior, development, and interactions of people. They gain insight through observation in various physical, social, and cultural contexts. If you apply this skill of unstructured observation in your daily life, you can detect unmet or unarticulated needs in the marketplace, which can be converted into fuel for topline growth.

Spotting an Opportunity
To spot holes in the market, develop a keen eye to observe how consumers behave and what they are experiencing wherever you go. What do they like? What do they hate? You'll see it in their facial expressions and body language, not just their actions and words. What excites them and gets them to reach for their wallets? What situations are met with indifference?

Turning Observation into Action
What could you do with such an observation if you worked for Starbucks? First, you could double-check to see that the goods were being presented in the best possible way, and that their presentation matched the brand. You could visit multiple outlets to see if the problem was specific to one location, or was more widespread.

The Advantages of Business Anthropology
You experience personal growth and acquire a skill that can be applied to any business. Today, when organic growth is hard to come by, organizations appreciate those who can spot new opportunities based on unique insights.
Your experience inspires others. You show your direct reports the benefits of observation, enriching their collective insights and multiplying the likelihood that they'll spot growth opportunities.
You potentially create breakthroughs in value propositions for your company. Your observations and ideas might lead to new products or whole new trajectories for growth. They might even inspire a breakthrough product that changes an entire industry, like the iPod.