How to convince your boss about your product ideas - The Amazon Story

“If this is a decision based on opinions then my opinion wins” - Jeff Bezos.

The above quote applies to all organizations when you are putting forward ideas based on assumptions or opinions. The one with the loudest voice in the room which tends to be the person with the highest position,always wins.

I recently came across this story that illustrates the power of bringing data to support your ideas and the impact it can have on product decisions. Jeff Bezos at one point was against the idea of asking customers questions about the products they purchased as he believed that it would cause too much friction. The product team did not try to change his opinion with arguments. Instead, they mailed 1000 customers seeking answers about their purchases. The data they put forward led to the development of the Q&A section on the product pages of amazon which has in turn led to higher conversions and revenue for Amazon.

Data speaks for itself. In conclusion -

“In God we trust; all others bring data.” - W. Edward Deming