Innovation isn’t just about the big and bold, the industry changing product or radical new technology. Often it’s just small stuff and you don’t need to ‘look outside the box’. Quite often the answers are already hiding in the dusty corners of the box you are sitting in.
When trying to find the story you need to tell here are five simple areas to focus on where any business, both large and small can be truly innovative without spending a lot of money on R&D.
1. Map and add value to your selling process, polish and then repeat.
Most of us don't have an organised step-by-step selling process that predictably converts prospects into paying clients. You just can’t leave this to hit and miss or luck. When someone is interested in meeting with you to talk about your services, the hard work of marketing is over. But the work of selling has just begun. What works, what doesn’t? Don’t know? Then find out. The first order is just the first step and a sale is not a sale until you get the second order. What story are you sharing at each ste.
Ask yourself How can I add value to my customer at every step of the sales process?
...a free white paper, a lifetime warranty, free training, send an SMS before delivery, an on-line copy of an agreement.... the list is endless...
2. Think Bigger
Ask yourself..... How can you behave bigger? Tell your story on a larger stage
It really doesn’t take much. ...spend £25 more on your business card....., wear a better quality logoed shirt.... have a web site that doesn’t look like you nephew did it. email your list with quality non salesey content...
2.Visibility.
A very simple marketing maxim is that people like to do business with people they know, like, and trust. And that will never happen unless you're more visible. Marketing activities like networking, social media, publishing articles and speaking make you more
visible to your target clients.
Ask yourself... How can you add impressions.
Don’t park your logoed van in between other cars at the supermarket or mall. Park at the end of the row at the exit.
3. Consistency and clarity
If you ask your best friends and business associates what you do, you may be surprised by the answer! In almost all cases, they'll give you a vague answer, such as "something about finances." And it's not their fault - it's yours! they just don't know what your story is!
Find a consistent and attention-getting message and use it in all verbal and written marketing messages. It isn’t boring for your clients so don't think you have to change it every five minute. You'll get tired of it long before your potential clients do.
Ask yourself... how can I simplify what story tell people I do of what I do into one sentence
Mine is “I help my customers keep their next fifty customers’
4.Rifle not shotgun
It's not enough to be visible and use good marketing messages. That will only get you so far. A marketing campaign is an plan to communicate to specific potential clients about a specific service that you offer with the intention of setting up one-on-one selling conversations. The more qualified selling conversations you set up and the better your conversion rate, the higher your income.
Ask yourself.... how can I sanity check my customers and leads so I know that they really are my potential customers.
How well do you understand what you are selling really? If I am selling book keeping I am selling peace of mind and giving you time to play, not just pretty figures to look at.
If you apply the above ideas in your business, you really can double your income this year and be way more innovative than the competition. That really is all you are really trying to do and it only needs a small difference at key points to make a massive difference.
Now that is Innovation.
