You’ve probably heard the age old marketing adage that goes something like this, “Marketing isn’t just about saying things differently, it’s also about doing things differently.”
In order to be successful in business, you must bring wanted innovation to the marketplace. In doing so, you will carve out a unique selling proposition and build a marketing campaign that will propel you ahead of your competitors.
What is “Wanted Innovation”?
Innovation is the ability to bring something new to the marketplace. Perhaps it is a new product, a new service, or a new way to deliver something.
Wanted means the innovative idea you’ve come up with is something people actually care about. Simply coming up with a new idea will get you no where if your marketplace isn’t interested in what you have to offer.
How to Determine Current Innovation in Your Business
Often businesses open completely unaware that they need to be different. They spend a lot of time emulating what others are doing, hoping to replicate the
success their competitors have found. Along the way, they make slight modifications to how they deliver their products or services, but overall, they lack innovation.
Still, there’s a good chance you’re doing innovative things already. You just haven’t figured out how to educate your industry and set yourself apart because of those unique things.
The first thing you should do is examine your business and see what things you’re doing that your competitors aren’t doing. Start making a list.
Next, ask your customers why they use you instead of your competitors. Continue making your list.
Finally, ask your prospects why they are using your competitors. Finalize your list.
Once your list is complete, examine it closely and determine what you’re doing that is different and needed in the marketplace.
A Few Examples of Common, Yet Innovative Ideas
1. An urgent care center calls every patient who had lab drawn to give them their results, regardless of the lab results. Other facilities in town may only call patients whose results indicate additional treatment or lab work is needed.
2. An RV repair center may hand wash every RV they repair before the customer picks it up. Other repair centers charge
an additional fee for the same service.
3. An office supply company sends a box of cookies or candies to the receptionist after every order as a thank you. Other companies in town never show appreciation for each order.
Becoming A Company of Innovation
The key to success in business is to get really good at what you do and then develop even more innovative ways to solve the problems your customers have.
If you’re struggling as you try to figure out how to determine the innovative things your business currently does, or if you’re looking for a way to become more innovative, don’t stress.
TipsOfWisdom.com can help. Call us at 903-490-7520 or email tsbaiter@gmail.com for a free 30-minute consultation.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Tina Bell is the founder of TipsOfWisdom.com. She developed her marketing experience serving a variety of industries, mostly in smaller sized companies, where she was hired to build their marketing programs. These experiences provided her the opportunity to wear many hats and learn multiple facets of marketing. She spent over six years in medical marketing, helping build an urgent care business from two urgent care clinics to over 13 clinics in four states. In addition to being well versed in copywriting, grassroots and community marketing initiatives, Tina is a sought after speaker and regularly presents educational webinars. She was ranked the top speaker at the Urgent Care Association of America Conference and spearheaded the development of an online medical training newsletter before she left that industry to start her own marketing firm.
