Lesson Eleven: Be a Mad Zagger

When Michael Dell decided to sell his computers directly to consumers, circumventing the traditional retail distribution model, he did it.

When the Charlie Case Tire Co. broke tradition by setting up their auto repair shop at the Phoenix airport, instead of close to customer’s homes and offices like everyone else, they did it.

And when Accent Inns put their hotel on the wrong side of the road surmising that tourists inevitably drive all the way into a new city before turning around to find a hotel, they did it too.

What they did was zag when everyone else was zigging. History is full of mad zaggers. They are the ones who saw opportunity when others saw adversity. They turned convention on its head, succeeding where others had failed. They were challenged, doubted, laughed at, and discounted by the established. But they broke the rules, and, in doing so, changed the rules of the game.

Dell asked, “Why do I have to sell through retailers and compete head-to-head with IBM?” The answer to that question led him to create a direct-to-consumer distribution model, allowing him to lower his costs while simultaneously increasing his margin. Dell has been consistently profitable, while other computer manufacturers struggle and lose money.

The Charlie Case Tire Company asked, “Repairs take a few days. When is there a several day period where someone doesn’t need their car?” While most car repair shops fight among each other in the city,Case offers a true unique advantage by being located at the Phoenix airport, doing repair work while the client is away.

Accent Hotels asked, “How can we avoid being one of many hotels along the same strip of sidewalk?” The typical motel strip features dozens of lodging competing next to each other on the side of the road approaching the city. Accent had the novel idea of putting its hotels on the opposite side, capturing more than its fair share of customers on the way out.

The thing about zagging is that after others succeed at it, the zag becomes self-evident.There is the inevitable slap on the forehead and ‘now I get it.’ But by then it’s too late. The zagger had won.

But until someone does it, the so-called experts are there to expound on why it will fail, and the foolishness of the endeavor.

Zaggers share the same characteristics: They are curious, asking why and questioning basic assumptions.They have the naivete and gall to challenge convention. The little boy who said, “the Emperor has no clothes!” was a zagger.

They break down the situation to the core problem. A zagger wouldn’t ask, “How can I build a better mouse trap?”He would ask, “Why do I need a mouse trap?”

And zaggers are practical. They realize that each new level of understanding is usually in opposition to the previous level. So they ignore those that don’t get it, and seek out those who do.

Being a zagger is not easy. People will think you’re a fool.They will get frustrated that you can’t just fit in. They will doubt you, berate you, and challenge you.

Until you prove them wrong.

The first principle of zaggers: Always ask ‘why?



Principles of Persuassion by Shane Spark