If your idea is truly new, most people won’t get it.
Not at first. Not without a story. And definitely not without a little status.
But that’s not a flaw in your idea.
That’s how diffusion works.
We’re taught to believe that if something is good enough, useful enough, or “important” enough, it’ll sell itself.
It won’t.
The best ideas don’t win. The clearest ideas—backed by the right signals, told to the right people—do.
New Ideas Don’t Come with a Track Record
As a creative, entrepreneur, or founder, you’ve probably been here:
You finally land a meeting. You’re sitting across from someone with influence, power, or money. You show up with a bold new idea—something that doesn’t have a “category” yet. No case study. No proven ROI. No neat slide that wraps it all up in a bow.
And then the question comes:
“Who else is doing this?”
Or worse:
“What’s the ROI?”
They want the safety of precedent.
They want deniability.
They want the Greatest Hits record.
And your new record?
Well, we haven’t heard anything like it yet.
People Buy Stories, Status, and Signals
The diffusion of innovation curve tells us most people don’t want “new.”
They want proven.
But a few people?
They need new. That’s their fuel. That’s their why.
So if your idea is bold, untested, and full of potential—you’re not pitching the mainstream. You’re pitching the edges.
The new-seekers. The first movers. The ones who want to be early, not just right.
Which means your real job isn’t to “prove” your idea.
It’s to signal that it matters—and that supporting it says something about them.
How to Pitch an Idea Without Proof
1. Lead with Status
Make the boldness part of the appeal.
“This isn’t for everyone. But it might be for someone as brave as you.”
People want to back something that signals vision, not just validation.
So frame the project as a chance to lead, not follow.
Make it clear: They get to be early, not just right.
2. Tell a Better Story Than the Spreadsheet Can
ROI isn’t the only kind of return.
People don’t invest in startups, art, or movements just for the math.
They invest because it makes them feel something—smarter, braver, more aligned with who they want to be.
“There are hundreds of ways to back traditional philanthropy. But this—this is for the few who want to lead a new wave.”
That’s not data. That’s identity.
And identity is the strongest close there is.
3. Know Who You’re Not For
Most people won’t say yes.
And that’s not a problem. It’s a filter.
“If you’re looking for proven, traditional, middle-of-the-road—there’s a list of people I can introduce you to. But if you’re looking for what’s next, what’s bold, and what just might work—that’s us.”
You don’t need everyone.
You need the right few.
Stop Pitching Safety. Start Offering Courage.
If your idea is new, bold, and unproven, don’t apologize for that.
Build your pitch around it.
Make “no track record” the badge of innovation—not the flaw you’re trying to hide.
The question isn’t, “How do I make this less risky?”
It’s:
“Who’s brave enough to go first?”
So the next time someone asks, “What’s the ROI?”
Don’t flinch.
Smile.
And ask them what the ROI was on the first prefabricated tiny-house, the first therapy dog in a hospital, the first podcast, the first time someone bet on themselves before the world caught up.
If you enjoyed this post, please consider sharing it with someone–the buttons below can help.
Thank you!
