Change is the job. I build and sell products to reshape behaviors and markets, yet I’m constantly reminded that change is hard. Going back to chemistry, catalysts don’t just create change by pushing harder or exerting more energy — they remove or lower the barriers to change. That framing has reshaped how I approach product strategy, go-to-market, and adoption.
One lens I return to is “The Catalyst: How to Change Anyone’s Mind.” It underscores a simple truth: the obstacle isn’t always the idea; it’s the friction around it. The book outlines 5 specific barriers to change, called REDUCE — which stands for reactance, endowment, distance, uncertainty, and corroborating evidence. I’ve found that when we diagnose which barrier is in the way, our product and GTM decisions get sharper, faster, and far more effective.
Do you really need a 10X better product? Sometimes yes—but not always. In practice, the biggest competitor I face isn’t another vendor; it’s inertia. Prospects cling to the status quo because switching feels risky, expensive, or cognitively heavy. My job is to make staying put feel riskier than moving forward. That means de-risking the decision, shrinking the perceived switching cost, and removing “homeostasis hooks” like entrenched workflows and sunk costs. When I design onboarding, migration tooling, and progressive rollouts, adoption climbs—even when the product advantage is 2–3X, not 10X.
Urgency matters, but pressure backfires. I aim for urgency that respects autonomy. Instead of “buy now or else,” I show windows of compounding value—why acting this quarter creates momentum, unlocks ROI, or secures outcomes that are harder to capture later. Time-bound pilots, seasonal use cases, or milestone-based pricing can motivate action without triggering reactance. The goal is momentum, not manipulation.
Freemium isn’t just for software. I apply the same principle—reduce uncertainty and upfront commitment—to physical products and services through pilots, limited-scope deployments, try-before-you-buy programs, refundable deposits, warranties, and modular packaging. The point is to let customers experience value with minimal friction. If it lowers uncertainty and builds confidence, it belongs in your arsenal.
On pricing and negotiation, I default to clarity, not concessions. I anchor on measurable outcomes, map tiers to value ladders, and use give-get rules so price changes are tied to scope or risk, not arbitrary discounts. This avoids signaling lower quality and keeps identity intact—buyers want to feel like smart stewards, not bargain hunters. Framing around business impact (“Here’s the cost of staying put versus the ROI of switching”) consistently outperforms feature recitations.
Identity and category creation are powerful accelerants. When a prospect feels an offer threatens who they are—or what team norms demand—adoption stalls. I reframe the story so the decision aligns with their identity (“modern operator,” “data-driven leader”) and, when needed, I redefine the category to reduce comparison shopping. If you’re a new category, you’re not asking buyers to replace an incumbent—you’re inviting them to adopt a better lens. That shift diffuses reactance and opens the door to new budgets and metrics.
Corroborating evidence matters most when stakes are high. I equip champions with proof that speaks to their peers: credible case studies, ROI models, third-party benchmarks, and pragmatic references. Multiple independent signals—especially from customers “like them”—shorten the distance between interest and commitment. I’ve seen adoption jump when we pair a hands-on pilot with peer validation at each gate.
Here’s the throughline I use with teams: don’t push harder—remove friction. Diagnose which barrier in REDUCE is at play, then pick a targeted tactic: restore agency to counter reactance, offset endowment with easy reversibility and migration, bridge distance with progressive steps, shrink uncertainty with trials and proof, and stack corroborating evidence at the right moments. When we build products and GTM motions around lowering these barriers, we don’t just sell better—we make change feel inevitable.
Inspired by this post on First Round.
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