Change your way of thinking to truly master innovation

Innovation is one of those business buzzwords that is so used and abused it has lost its value. What does innovation really mean? Innovation is a splashy word for change, and oftentimes the assumption is that change involves technology. We always hear how innovative a company is when they’ve introduced a new gadget, and while technology is an important aspect of innovation, innovation doesn’t begin or end with changes in technology; it’s a change in thinking that results in a different approach to how you do business.

Changing the way you think about your business, in all areas, from product and service offerings, to marketing, to sales and support, can create an internal cultural shift that aligns your whole team to better meet the needs of customers and forms a community that produces the information customers want to engage with.

In today’s business environment you cannot afford to do what you’ve always done, or do nothing at all. There are always better ways to do things and it’s a business owner’s job to ignite a culture that not only supports, but empowers and rewards consistent innovation. How can you promote change at your business? Here are several simple tips that any business owner can use to foster innovation and amp up marketing tactics in 2014:

1. Learn: Continuous learning should be part of everyone’s professional development goals, but taking courses and going to in-person events can open your mind up to new possibilities, and ultimately make you a more creative, insightful person.
2. Achieve work/life balance. “What’s that?” many entrepreneurs might ask. Regardless of how new vs. established a business is, owners across the board struggle with finding the right balance between work and having a life. This goes back to point #1; accountants take on the tasks you are less than thrilled about handling, allowing you to sell, market, and grow during the day, and take your son to soccer practice at night.
3. Break down the silos: This might be my favorite tip; you’ve got to break down the walls, not only between different marketing functionalities, but across your entire organization. Start talking to one another and see what everyone’s up to; the result will be more integrated, robust campaigns and overall better business ideas.
4. No boundaries: The culture of your business should allow employees to question things. From business strategy to the brand of coffee in the break room, nothing’s off limits. Let employees know that thinking out of the box is welcomed, and don’t let the current conventions or processes bog down creativity; think ‘what if?’ and ‘pie in the sky.’
5. Don’t be afraid: As a business leader you must encourage free thinking and pushing the envelope. If you’re a confident proponent of innovation, your employees will pick up on it and know they can say anything, challenge anything, for the sake of new ideas. Keep in mind a successful brainstorming environment must make employees feel like their thoughts matter, and all participants must be treated with respect. Adopt the ‘there are no stupid ideas’ motto.
6. Form small teams: If you have a group of thirty employees coming up with big ideas, people tend to get sidetracked and execution can be slowed because there are so many hands in the pot. Smaller teams tasked with a focus area are able to move faster and execute on more ideas. Designate team leads to facilitate conversations and assign action items.
7. Focus on learnings and not the numbers: When you’re headed into unchartered territory, you can’t always foresee what the results will be. Instead of tacking on a specific financial goal to an idea, focus on what the team learned and the potential long term business impact.
8. Get to know your customers: Who better to tell you where you could improve? Listen to their ideas and their struggles to better outline brainstorm sessions. You should go out in the field and observe how customers interact with your product. Are they using it in a way you wouldn’t expect? Observing and speaking to your customers will unveil areas for improvement you may have never considered.
9. Work environment: Don’t forget how your work environment encourages or discourages innovation. This goes back to developing a culture that supports and empowers employees to think differently. Work environment is an often overlooked aspect of culture. If employees are in offices with their doors closed, how many ideas do you think are being shared? Think about implementing small changes to get people talking, such as open seating areas where small groups can get together and it doesn’t feel so stuffy.

In a highly competitive world, how can your business stand out? Ingraining innovation in your company’s culture will result in an excited and engaged staff, will provide your customers with the best products, services, and experiences possible, and gives your prospects a reason to engage with you. Ding, ding, ding; this means new customers! I love innovating because when done the right way, it’s no holds barred, people connecting and idea sharing with the same goals in mind.

Innovation creates magic; try it and see.

About the author

Gabie Boko, EVP of Marketing at Sage North America

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