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We’ve been thinking a lot about the role of concept testing in innovation lately. Concept testing is sometimes the last, forgotten or skipped step in the innovation process. And we get it: Concept testing isn’t as sexy as ethnographies that serve up the next incredible idea.

But there aren’t many things more costly for a brand than debuting a new product or service in the market. That’s why when there’s a big opportunity on the table, it’s essential to test with consumers before launching. Concept testing and refinement is critical to product innovation because it not only highlights strengths but also identifies weaknesses. A concept may be 90% there, but it can be that last 10% that makes the difference between more of the same and something truly groundbreaking.

Successful innovation begins and ends with research. Whether that beginning is ethnographies, focus groups or interviews, it is all about generating deep insights that we can synthesize into meaningful opportunity areas and resulting product or marketing concepts. But even the best concepts are just concepts. They are the result of hours of synthesis, strategizing and internal negotiating. And we all know that the ideas that come out of the consumer research are not always the same as the ideas that are presented in the approved final concept — and that evolution from consumer spark to actual concept is not always a good thing.

That’s why taking those ideas back out to consumers and doing concept testing is so important. We’ve found that a single word or phrase can invoke a wide range of emotions in a variety of people — and can genuinely make or break a concept. When concept testing for a medical device company, we included a phrase that some people found humorous but others found offensive. Concept testing revealed small nuances and helped us find a vernacular that better suited our audience.

We worked with a well-known handbag company that had conducted research to understand its consumers’ general likes and dislikes to drive product development but that had never gone back out and tested the actual concepts. So we took multiple concepts based on the same general consumer-ideated design guidelines back out for concept testing. Not only did this research help determine which product lines to move forward with, but also we understood the optimal way to describe each new product, even using the consumers’ own words. Because of the concept testing, the brand added accessories to the line and ordered a larger stock for launch because it was able to predict the level of consumer interest. That product line went on to become their best-selling pattern to date and is still viewed as a consumer favorite.

And in this instance, getting the right words to describe the concept was as important as getting feedback on the concept itself. We often tell clients that it is not enough to optimize a product to be consumer-centric — it is just as critical to ensure that the right consumer vernacular is being used to describe it, whether for success in future quantitative research or for success in launch. A product cannot just be exactly what consumers need — it also needs to convey to consumers that it directly fulfills a need for them.

We know another round of research can seem daunting, but it doesn’t have to be. A variety of methodologies are available — whether in-depth interviews, focus groups or online platforms — to match any project’s timeline and budget. It’s a tool to test positioning, messages, creative and product concepts, and challenge implications found in research to uncover potential pitfalls. And concept testing helps separate the decent ideas from the great ideas — and then refine and optimize those great ideas into success. Through it, brands are able to understand which products resonate with consumers and why, and can ultimately develop consumer-centric products that perfectly match their market.

So go ahead and consider that last step. You can make it as simple or complex as needed in order to fit every product, service, project schedule or team’s desires. And remember, compared to the cost of an unsuccessful launch or a missed opportunity, concept testing is cheap.