needs and wants!
It has become trendy to talk about innovation or insert the word into all forms of communications about product management and marketing communications! Popularizing the idea is good, achieving meaningful innovation is even better.
With more and more tools and technologies available to us, it is easy to get drawn into the details of making things work - as opposed to making the right things. Things that your target audience / customers need, care about, appreciate, are wiling to pay for, and happy to root for!
Moving from the sphere of product strategy / product innovation to that of marketing communications, this translates to giving priority to communicating those things that your customers care about more (e.g. benefits and impact) - rather then regurgitating facts (e.g. feature details and specs) that may be of secondary importance.
An analogy would be mastering the technicalities and options of your Digital SLR but not spending enough time on developing an appreciation for interesting subject matter, composition, and lighting - the aspects that satisfy and delight your target audience. I am sure we all know a few "avid photographers" with expensive equipment who might fall into that category!
We believe that small businesses that succeed and grow into the SMB or even the large business category, possess and apply this strategy-driven, user-focused mindset outlined below. A way of thinking that helps them uncover market opportunities and create exceptional products, services, communications -- serving and delighting their users, customers, and stakeholders.
If you are interested in that path, here are some tips to get you going. If you are already practicing these and more, that's great - when you need a sharp, innovative consultant to augment and enrich your efforts, please contact us.
3 Tips for Successful Marketing Innovation
Meaningful innovation, ultimately, is about finding ways to satisfy (and even delight / inspire) your target users and customer segments, fulfilling your brand promise, delivering great value, while staying ahead of your competitors and market trends.
Here are 3 key tips on achieving meaningful innovation to create superior products, services, messages, strategies.
Marketing Innovation Tip #1
For highly satisfied and engaged customers :
Customer focus & Marketing Strategy driven Innovation / ReDesign
Marketing Analysis & Strategy | Business & Product Innovation | Online Marketing & Web Communications
Meaningful innovation starts with a focus on customers, end-users, and that pesky little detail called the competition. It is about satisfying unmet needs or finding a new way to serve your users that is superior to competing alternatives. Getting carried away with technology and tools to build something (simply because it is possible or even easy to do) is a great way to spend your time and money - but may not result in attracting your target customer's time (attention) and money (purchases).
This can serve as a good visual summary that reminds us of the value of keeping your focus on the key drivers - aka the basics.
Analyzing your customers and segmentation, your direct and indirect competition, your current marketing plan elements - starting with your main products, services, and brand; and the key messages to promote them.
It is also a good map / list of the key marketing analysis and planning activities that we can help you with. Applying our skills and experience with innovation to come up with refinements and new ideas - from tactical to strategic.
Marketing Innovation Tip #2
For consistent / repeatable market wins:
Market, User, Customer focused innovation works across company size
Achieving success once (with one product) is one thing - achieving it with multiple products / services / markets is usually the result of following the principles of market, customer & user focused innovation. Of course, when supported with the right level of investments.
Even billion dollar companies (ahem ... Google, Microsoft ...) have made basic product strategy missteps by losing their focus on the basics above. To avoid expensive write-offs on failed ventures, regardless of your business size and market position, you can follow the approach above to uncover winning ideas and marketable solutions.
with an Idea
New Venture
Corporation
Wherever you may be on your journey, we can help you focus on the strategic fundamentals, identify issues and opportunities, and move forward towards achieve your business & marketing goals.
Marketing Innovation Tip #3
To overcome the usual impediments to innovation:
Get Fresh Perspective + New Ideas from a Strategic Marketing Consultant
Priorities
We can help you identify & overcome some of these common and powerful obstacles to innovation and growth.
And also recognize and move away from the dreaded sunk-cost fallacy - which prevents the scrapping of non-working ideas and moving towards new, profitable opportunities.
In case you were wondering, N.I.H. is the Not Invented Here syndrome.
Solid Credentials - Solid Results
Feel free to contact us to augment your efforts or delegate any of the above strategic tasks to us.
Our high-quality Strategic Product Management / Product Strategy Consulting Services are enriched by a complementary and effective combination of experience & skills -- from the Marketing Analysis & Business Planning side as well as the Online Communications & Web Design area.
We enjoy helping clients take their products, plans, and communications to the next level -- with analysis, insights, reviews, recommendations, and quality deliverables including business plans, marketing plans, product management plans.
Contact us for a free consultation to discuss your needs & goals - and how we can help you achieve your marketing goals.
Solid Credentials - Solid Results
SF Bay Area based Strategic Marketing Consultant for Small Business, SMB, and Large Companies.
We help you grow your business with fresh ideas, sharp analysis, powerful insights, comprehensive business plans. Top quality professional consulting services guided by your business vision and priorities.
Marketing
Strategy driven Product Innovation, Online Marketing Communications,
Business Plans & Marketing Plans.
Management Consulting
San Francisco Bay Area, CA
Auri Biswas
B.S., M.B.A. (Duke Univ.)