It doesn't matter how passionate you are about what you do; sooner or later your passion will flag. Talking and listening to other business people and encountering new ideas is one great way to get that passion back.

Innovation is the Key!

What does innovation do for our small businesses?

It makes them "more competitive and better placed to capitalize on business opportunities that arise”

Would it help you achieve greater success if you knew:

1) Realize that innovation can be simple.

• We tend to think of innovation as a formal and complicated process, but it doesn't have to be. Innovation is just a fancy word for improvement and invention. When you come up with better packaging, find a supplier who will give you a better rate, or try out a new marketing idea, you are involved in innovation.

2) Build innovation into your business routines.

• Set aside an hour each week to think and exercise your creativity. Build innovation into your business planning by setting goals that focus on improving products and processes. For example, one of your business goals might be to find and try out a new way to communicate with your customers.

• Create an innovation action plan to implement your innovation goals.

3) Actively solicit suggestions for improvement of your small business's processes and products.

• Use both formal and informal methods to get customers to make suggestions for innovation, such as questionnaires, surveys, and casual one-on-one conversations.

• Talk to your suppliers and see what suggestions for improvement they might have.

4) Involve staff in the innovation process.

• Make problem solving a part of every staff meeting. For each meeting, for instance, you might set a question for discussion on a specific product or process that asks, "How can we improve...?" Publicize the topic of discussion a week ahead of time so people have time to think about it.

• Have a suggestion box.
• Reward staff for suggestions that are followed through on.
• Talk to staff impromptu. Get out of your office if you have one and make personal visits to chat about how things are going.
• Provide creativity/innovation workshops for staff.

5) Invest in innovation.

• Invest in technology that improves your business operations and make your company more competitive. Information and communications technology are particularly worthwhile.
• Invest in machinery and equipment that will allow you to make productivity improvements.
• Invest in developing new products and services.

6) Cultivate an innovation mindset.

• Continue to educate yourself about innovation by attending workshops, webinars, conferences, reading blogs and articles, etc.
• Stay on top of developments, technological and otherwise, in your industry. If you're not a member, join at least one professional or industry organization and participate in its meetings and events. (Like us for instance :--)

7) Investigate possibilities for your business.

• If you are part of my “tribe” :-- you know by now that I firmly believe that the two most important words in the Bible are, “Behold and Beware: Behold the opportunities they are everywhere; Beware the temptations that stops you from taking those opportunities and possibilities :--

8) The Key to Innovation Success

It's not enough to say that innovation is a priority; you have to actually work at it

Talk to you again soon .