Every company wants to innovate. The problem? Most ideas never make it past the brainstorming stage - or worse, they launch and flop because the strategy was built on assumptions rather than actual market demand.
Heather Myers, founder of Spark No. 9, has spent years helping businesses break free from this cycle. She developed heat testing, an experimentation method that helps companies validate ideas faster and with real audience data.
In a recent episode of Faces of Innovation, Heather shared how heat testing is flipping traditional market validation on its head and why companies that embrace it are winning.
WHAT IS HEAT TESTING?
Most businesses rely on surveys, focus groups, or gut instinct to determine if an idea will work. The problem? What people say and what they actually do are two very different things.
Heat testing removes the guesswork. It uses real behavioral data—clicks, sign-ups, and engagement—to see what resonates with an audience.
Here is how it works:
- Multiple versions of a brand concept, product, or message are tested with different audiences.
- Ads are launched across platforms like Instagram or LinkedIn to track real-time responses.
- Instead of waiting months for research, businesses get clear answers in days.
Heather shared an example of an ebook company that had no direct relationship with its customers. By heat testing different engagement strategies, they uncovered the most effective way to build a loyal audience. This insight completely reshaped their business model.
WHY TRADITIONAL MARKET VALIDATION FAILS
Most companies follow a slow, linear validation process. They invest time and money in developing a product, conduct small-scale research, and then launch—only to realize too late that it is not what customers actually want.
Heather explains that traditional methods rely too much on stated preferences rather than revealed behavior.
- People say they would buy something, but when given the chance, they don’t.
- Businesses make decisions based on surveys rather than real-world actions.
- The result? Wasted resources and missed opportunities.
Heat testing flips this approach by showing what customers actually do, not just what they say. This is why forward-thinking companies are making it a core part of their innovation strategy.
HOW COMPANIES CAN STAY AHEAD
In today’s fast-moving market, hesitation kills momentum. Businesses that experiment, adapt, and move fast are the ones staying ahead.
Heat testing allows companies to:
- Test brand positioning before committing to a direction.
- Refine messaging to ensure it resonates with the right audience.
- Identify the strongest product-market fit before full-scale development.
Major brands are already using this approach to de-risk innovation and make data-backed decisions. Those that don’t will continue wasting time on ideas that were never meant to succeed.
TURNING DATA INTO ACTION REQUIRES THE RIGHT PEOPLE
Heat testing gives companies clarity. It reveals what customers want, which ideas have traction, and where to focus efforts. But having the data isn’t enough. The real challenge is knowing what to do with it.
Too often, companies run tests but don’t have the right people to interpret the results or turn insights into a winning strategy. Without the right talent, even the best data gets stuck in endless debates, wasted resources, or missed opportunities.
This is where Bamboo X helps. We connect businesses with strategists, product leaders, and growth experts who know how to move from testing to execution. These are the people who cut through uncertainty, make decisions with confidence, and turn insights into real market success.
If you want to build a team that knows how to test, iterate, and scale, Bamboo X can help you find the talent to make it happen.
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