Discussions with one of my clients about a presentation he’s to give at a conference on innovation set me thinking this month. How can we all be more innovative in our approach to clients, products or business as a whole?
I read recently about some advice given to the Ford Motor company in America on how they could compete in Europe. The advice, apparently given to them by leading world authority on creative thinking, Edward de Bono, was not to focus on changing or improving the products, to forget pricing offers or discounts but instead to focus on improving the whole driving experience. Ford was told to buy car parks and only allow Ford drivers to park in them.
I’m not sure Ford took this advice but it’s certainly an example of radical thinking that could have put a whole new focus on Ford. The idea of creating a ‘club’ for users is something other car manufacturers have played with. In the first few years of the new Mini there was a real sense of community amongst Mini drivers, created in part by the drivers’ handbook which included advice such as flashing your headlights at other mini drivers. Innovation in Action There are lots of other examples of businesses that have turned a traditional industry or product sector on its head. Ikea for example took furniture retailing into a completely new realm and created a new furniture replacement culture which means they have customers who will return each time they redecorate. For my parent’s generation buying a dining table and chairs or a sofa was a major purchase and you expected the furniture to last 10, 15 years or longer. The Ikea buyer is likely to replace their sofa or kitchen table every 3 or 4 years and will alter their soft furnishings far more frequently. Amazon has changed the face of book retailing, probably forever. Operating a low or no stock model they can offer an unbelievable range of books on any topic you care to mention, yet with minimal overheads. Stelios Haji-Ioannou at Easy Jet revolutionised the airline industry with the first, no frills, low cost airline. In the early 1980s Swatch brought innovation to the most traditional trade, watch making. Like Ikea, they introduced fun and fashion into what traditionally had been an industry of precision and craftsmanship, with functional products commanding a relatively high price. Swatch made watches that were so cheap you could have a different one to go with each outfit or to suit your mood yet still delivered Swiss made quality. The Conditions for Innovation Most readers of this ebulletin are small businesses or independent professionals. So how can we learn from the innovation and creative thinking of these household names? The first thing I note is that they all have a desire to innovate, to stand out, to offer more. The client I mentioned in the opening paragraph certainly falls into this category. They have a very successful, profitable business delivering a good service. They are growing as planned and could easily sit back and rest on their laurels. Instead they want to do more for their clients. They recognise that by partnering with organisations that provide complementary services they will create a service which is difficult to copy, generates a real buzz and makes their competitors look inferior. It will cost, certainly, but they are in it for the long term, not just for short term cash gains. I think the other reason my client is willing to innovate is that they are very aware of changes ahead in their marketplace. Although not seen as a direct threat to their business, the client sensibly wants to be one step ahead. Innovators are also open-minded. Easy Jet, Swatch and Ikea couldn’t have emerged from closed, traditional thinking. For you and I, one of the best ways to generate innovation in our business is to generate lots of new ideas and in the best spirit of brainstorming, not prejudge them. To generate ideas you might for example explore new ways to deliver or package your service; contemplate alternative ways of charging for your service (even giving it away!), as well as exploring how your product or service is distributed or sold. Try to explore as many aspects of your business as possible. Involve others in generating new ideas for your business or if that’s not possible try and look at your products, services or company from new perspectives. How would a child, dictator, comedian, Salvador Dali or an anarchist view things – what ideas might they have? It’s amazing how this technique can really free your mind. Innovative ideas? Your innovations don’t need to be as dramatic as Ikea’s or Amazon’s. Little mini changes can make a big difference, whether that’s in how you communicate, how you deliver your service or how people pay for your products. If you’re an accountant how about offering to do tax returns for free provided all the data is with you by a given date? This could really ease the burden of year end workloads and provide useful work for staff who you might otherwise struggle to keep busy. And of course would potentially leave you free to charge a higher rate than normal for those who can’t meet the deadline. For sales training companies - how about teaming up with coaches who can offer 1:1 support for 2 or 3 months after the training to all delegates? We all know that unless the skills and knowledge are put into practice immediately it will probably never be used. For web developers, instead of just focusing on the graphic design and functionality of the website, how about running training sessions for clients on how to write web copy that sells, focusing on both what will appeal to the visitor and what the search engines look for. The list of ideas is endless and after all you’re the one in the best position to come up with those ideas, provided you have the desire to innovate and you can be open-minded. Until next time – here’s to some creative thinking and successful innovation and change. And remember: “If you don’t design the future someone or something else will design it for you” Edward de Bono. Further reading:
Written by Teresa Harris, Second Opinion Marketing. Teresa is an independent marketing consultant working with professional practices, small businesses and public sector bodies to develop effective marketing plans which achieve their business objectives. As a marketing coach Teresa works with new marketing managers and small business owners to enhance their marketing performance.
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