How To Work Toward Game-Changing Velocity
Hey everyone. Jim DuBois here again with another article to get you thinking. Are you an innovator? Your answer could indicate whether your business will be a smashing success or a smashing failure.
Innovators know how to respond to a changing business market. At every turn, they’re prepared for new technology, new marketing techniques, new networking opportunities, and anything else that may arise. They put themselves in line to get more leads, more customers, and make more money. They know how to hire good employees who can bring even more innovation to the table.
Non-innovators, on the other hand, may lag behind when their competitors start pulling ahead. It might be as simple as an ineffective operation that could lead to losing customers or staff to competitors.
What exactly is innovation in business, though? It might mean coming up with a new product or service your competitors don’t offer. It might involve developing a new technique or tool to get the job done. It might simply be about learning how to work and market more efficiently. At its heart, innovation requires being open-minded, willing to see new ways of doing things, and putting yourself out there so that customers see what sets you apart from other window cleaning companies.
If you’re running a window cleaning service, you might find innovation particularly difficult.
Why is it hard for some companies to innovate? Well, it’s a risk. In a shaky economy, it might seem to make more sense to you and your customers to stick with tried-and-true business tactics. If you are/were hard hit by this recession, you may be worried about further losses. But the truth is, if you’re not willing to take the risk of innovation, your window cleaning company is not going to grow. You will eventually lag behind those competitors who are willing to take chances. Taking the risk, on the other hand, can be a game changer.
So how do you improve innovation within your company and increase your velocity? First of all, you have to be willing to ask questions. Take a hard look at your business practices and values, and don’t be afraid to re-evaluate them.
EXERCISE: Get your employees involved on an individual level and as a team. Challenge everyone to come up with new ideas. Try to figure out why something is standard practice and if it’s time to change that practice.
Externally, you can work to get to know your customers. Figure out what they need from you. Involve your employees here as well; make sure they’re getting to know your customers and let them come up with ideas for how to improve customer service.
Once you have some ideas for innovation, be sure you implement them. Innovation won’t do you a bit of good if you’re not putting it into practice. Implement a plan to streamline services, make work more efficient, and ensure everyone understands it.
Figure out your unique selling proposition and ensure it’s prominent on your website, inbound calls, and other marketing materials. What sets your company apart from competitors? Evaluate your pricing on services and see if they need any adjustment based on that unique selling proposition. You’ll find that many customers are probably willing to pay a bit more for something no one else offers.
Remember, for innovation to be effective, you have to keep it up. Make it a part of your company’s strategic plan. Set aside time to evaluate company practices and look for new innovative ways. Keep it up, and your customers will notice.
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