Showing up for work every day is relatively easy. You just set your alarm for a certain time, make sure you get up and get ready, and do what you need to do to put yourself at your desk at your designated start time.
Being creative on cue isn’t quite that simple, though. Quite a few things can get in the way of your ability to come up with great ideas. Factors such as lack of sleep, personal issues, and burnout can all lead you to feel blocked when it’s time to innovate. Sometimes all you really need is to try a different approach. For many entrepreneurs these days, that approach is closely related to the way innovative brands come up with new ideas. Here are a few things today’s brands are doing to remain innovative.
Customer-Focused Design
When Procter & Gamble (P&G) found its brand was getting stale, the company did a major housecleaning, dismissing numerous employees in middle and upper management. At the same time, P&G quickly brought over a large team of designers from businesses across multiple industries. In its new environment, the company directed designers to focus on customer-focused design, involving customers in every step of the design process. If you’re feeling stuck, it could be that you’ve lost touch with your customer base. Instead of creating blindly and then deploying your new ideas to employees and, later, customers, consider asking for input along the way. Your customers will feel more invested in the process and you’ll likely find the experience helps push you past any creativity blocks.
Focus on the Process
Boston Consulting Group (BCG) noticed that when startups join programs designed to help grow companies, they spend more time focusing on the process rather than outcomes. Entrepreneurs with established businesses tend to be more results driven, which can disrupt the creative process. For that reason, BCG partnered with Torque Studios to help change the way startups are produced by introducing its Entrepreneur in Residence startup studio. Entrepreneurs take part in an immersive program that brings them face to face with some of the most disruptive companies in their space. This often results in partnerships and other arrangements that are mutually beneficial for all involved. When entrepreneurs feel stuck, this type of interaction can be the perfect way to inspire creativity.
Stop Thinking
Sometimes the more you try to force creativity, the less likely you are to find it. Ben Baldwin, CEO of ClearFit, said he came up with the idea for his business when he was driving 80 miles an hour, not thinking about business at all. If you’re feeling stuck, try taking a long walk or going for a drive in a scenic area. You may not get your big a-ha moment during your time away, but you may find that you return to the office ready to create.
Invest
One way long-established brands join the startup culture is by investing in innovative new businesses. Coca-Cola put together founders’ platforms to locate and invest in great solutions that Coca-Cola and its partner organizations can benefit from. One of those investments is in Wonolo, an on-demand staffing platform that sees itself as the Uber of hiring. Wonolo gives businesses access to a pool of pre-qualified applicants for the jobs they post, allowing them to quickly find workers in fields like data entry, customer service, and similar tasks. Coca-Cola can benefit from being part of a platform that shows promise and Wonolo gets a boost from one of the biggest brands on the planet.
Have Fun
Self-promotional videos are a natural part of today’s online marketing efforts for businesses. But creating a video people actually want to see is increasingly challenging in a crowded social media environment. Social media dashboard service HootSuite got creative in fun ways with its promotional video, A Game of Social Thrones. The video shows that brands can find success by following personal interests of its employees, which often match the personal interests of the general public.
No matter how long a company has been in business, it’s important to keep things new and fresh. By rethinking the way you come up with ideas and bring those ideas to fruition, you can not only make sure your business remains relevant, but you can avoid burnout for yourself and your staff.
from Darlene Milligan http://ift.tt/1paynFd via transformational marketing
from Tumblr http://ift.tt/1pBS88X
No comments:
Post a Comment