“Thinking outside the box” has to be one of the most overused — and least useful — phrases in business.
Every time I hear it, my internal alarm goes off. Because nine times out of ten, it’s said right before… absolutely nothing changes.
That’s what this Thought Bubble Thursday is about. Not the phrase, but the problem with it.
In this video, I walk through a simple exercise I use with clients to genuinely challenge how their business works, not just talk about being “different”.
Step 1: Draw the box (yes, literally)
Grab a piece of paper and draw a box. Inside it, write down all the standard assumptions in your industry.
Start with the customer journey:
- How people usually find you
- What they expect to see
- What happens when they call or enquire
- How quoting, onboarding, delivery, and follow-up normally works
Then add:
- Common customer expectations
- Your industry’s reputation
- The “this is how it’s always been done” rules
If it feels obvious or boring, you’re on the right track.
Step 2: Treat everything inside the box as “true”
At this stage, you’re not fixing anything. You’re just acknowledging reality.
Free quotes. Custom proposals. Long lead times. Red widgets. Whatever your industry takes for granted — write it down.
Step 3: Outside the box isn’t about being the opposite
Here’s where many people get it wrong.
Outside the box is not about doing the opposite. It’s about asking:
What if this assumption simply wasn’t true?
For example:
- Inside the box: We do free quotes
- Outside the box: We don’t do free quotes
That doesn’t automatically mean charging for quotes. It might lead to:
- Fixed-price packages
- Standard services
- Fewer tyre-kickers and better enquiries
Another one:
- Inside the box: Our widgets are red
- Outside the box: Our widgets are not red
Not blue. Not green. Just… not red.
See how that opens up more possibilities?
Why this actually works
Some assumptions exist for good reasons — you’ll keep plenty of them.
But others exist purely because no one’s bothered to question them. Those are the dangerous ones. And they’re usually where the best ideas live.
That’s real “thinking outside the box”.
Not saying the phrase. Actually doing the work.
PS we’ll have fun doing this with your business during our Brand Strategy Workshop.
