The only purpose of a business is to bring in a customer;
and there
is really only two ways to do it - through marketing or innovation.
New ideas are the lifeblood of any small business, so it is
important to encourage creativity and to be truly innovative.
But creativity and innovation are not the same. Creativity is
all about coming up with a list of small business ideas, whereas
innovation involves putting small business ideas into action.
However, small business ideas can be very difficult to find.
When you do find them and put them into action, they can provide
a powerful marketing edge and become a license to print money.
Here are 8 ways to help generate a list of small business ideas:
Small Business Ideas Generator # 1. Ask For Opinions
You could hire small business resources like consultants, or you
could simply seek opinions from someone who knows absolutely
nothing about your business. We get so close to what we are doing,
that often we can't see another way of doing things. There are times
when we need to step outside our own environment, because
sometimes small bussiness ideas used in one trade can be adapted
to another.
For example, which came first the ball-point pen or the roll-on
deodorant? They both use the same ingenious principle.
Small Business Ideas Generator # 2. Encourage Staff Creativity
If you employ staff, encourage them to think up new small business
ideas and get them to suggest changes. You will need to be
open-minded and encourage their input. You'll need to be tolerant
when their small business ideas don't work. And you'll probably
need to reward them in some way, although you'll probably find that
the satisfaction of "seeing their ideas in action" may be reward enough.
Small Business Ideas Generator # 3. Brain Storm
One of the best ways to tap into new small business ideas is through
brainstorming. This could involve family, friends, staff, customers
and even other business owners. The key with any brainstorming
session is to disallow any negative comments and to only analyze
the list of small business ideas once the session is over.
The purpose of a brainstorming session is to produce a quantity of
ideas. It's quantity not quality. Refining a list of small business ideas
and searching for small business resources comes later.
Small Business Ideas Generator # 4. Re-educate The Mind
There is an old saying, "you never stop learning" and it's true. If you
are willing to make a personal commitment to perpetual re-education
you'll reap the rewards. Allocate an annual budget (maybe 1% of your
turnover) for personal and staff re-education. Consider purchasing
small business resources, training courses, seminars, workshops,
audiotape programs etc to help encourage small business ideas.
Small Business Ideas Generator # 5. Become A Case Study
Consider approaching a local college or polytechnic that runs business
courses. Offer your business as a case study (a small business resource),
in return for feedback from the students. They might come up with a
list of small business ideas and solutions you'd never thought of.
Small Business Ideas Generator # 6. Become A Surfer
There is a wealth of information and small business resources on the
Internet… and most of it is free. Search other areas of business rather
than just your own as you might be able to adapt a totally unrelated
idea.
Small Business Ideas Generator # 7. Read And Subscribe
You can often find small business resources and small business ideas
in the most unlikely places. Business, fashion and trade magazines are
all worth a browse. These days it's easy to subscribe to any number of
overseas publications.
Small Business Ideas Generator # 8. Travel
Opens Your Eyes Visit similar (or even unrelated) businesses overseas.
You'll be surprised at how freely many of them share their knowledge;
after all you are not a threat to them. In my travels I have made it a
point to visit factories that make the strangest things, huge shopping
malls, numerous small businesses and international marketing
companies. It must work, because each time I seem to come home
with a long list of small business ideas.
© Market Leaders Limited. All Rights Reserved.
Please Note: The following information must be included
if you reprint this article or post it on a website:
********************************************
Get Your 100% FREE mini-course "17 Powerful Secrets
That Have Made Business Owners Into Millionaires."
100% FREE! Simply send a blank email to:
instantsellbusiness@SubscribeMeNow.com
********************************************
|
