Thinking about new companies finding, nurturing and winning over their first lot of customers and I realise there are a lot of similarities with forming habits.

1. Patience – it takes time. It doesn’t happen instantly. Somethings do, like a click, or a visit or reading a tagline, but real engagement and commitment takes time. Same with habits. For them to become a part of your life, and not just something you occasionally, intentionally do, allow plenty of time. You can’t ‘cram’ customer development.
2. Repetition – linked to above, but importantly different. It’s not a smooth, linear experience. Ever. The customer will always have to do a few things over and over again before they form the habit. Before it becomes normal.
3. Unprogram – it is rare that something valuable isn’t already being fulfilled some other way. Even if it’s just a use of time, it’s still a substitute. But that’s good. It’s much much easier (though still hard) to get a customer to switch to you, than it is to get them to adopt a new thing for new value. Reality is though, that you have to get them to unlearn the old solution/habit and learn yours. That’s not easy. People call it switching cost, but it’s not a once off transaction. Inertia is against you.
4. Distractions – habit forming doesn’t happen in a vacuum. 1,000 other things are happening at the same time. You have to be aware of the realities and work with them. Customer development is the same, it’s not a lab where you control the elements. Everyone is busy. And unless you are food, water or sex, it’s unlikely you’re going to command immediate and significant investment.
5. Variance – “You’re unique, just like everyone else”. It’s true though, every single situation is different and here lies the focus challenge. You need to focus on a small segment and a simple value creation point but you need to allow room in there for the persons own life, needs and timing to ferment into a commitment. Habits are the same. That’s why time management tools have to be rigidly rubbery.

I’m sure there are a few more. What do you think?