In today’s world, it isn’t enough to simply be different. If you’re not innovative in a manner that has importance for your customers, you won’t stand out from the crowd.
Innovative strategies will help you gain advantages over your competition by leveraging uniqueness and creativity.
The first step is to identify your goals and objectives. It’s important that you know what you want to achieve, as innovation will amplify those results.
The second action is identifying opportunities for differentiation from competitors. In today’s market, where everyone has their own take on how to deliver for customers, developing an approach that is unique from your competition provides you with an advantage in the marketplace.
Once you’ve identified your goals and the opportunities for differentiation, it’s time to develop your plan.
One way is to tap into creative approaches from other industries. As yourself, “Why and how do they do it that way?” There are examples from all around the world – easily discovered with some basic research on the Internet — that share a common interest in being a distinctive force in the marketplace. By tapping into these different perspectives, leaders can broaden their thinking about how they can provide solutions, while also leveraging diverse viewpoints. This means more creativity and innovation on how best to serve customers — without compromising what you already stand for in your industry.
Lastly, once you’ve created something distinctive that makes sense for your company and meets your objectives, make sure everyone knows about it!
Creative marketing strategies will help build awareness, as well as raise credibility among this increasingly discerning customer base. Tell customers and prospects a story about why they should choose you over the myriad of alternatives available in today’s marketplace.
(And don’t forget – every employee needs to know the story as well!)
Remember:
To create distinction, use innovative strategies for a competitive edge.
Leaders need to broaden their thinking about how they can provide solutions, while also leveraging diverse viewpoints to be distinctive and creative.
Distinctive marketing strategies through stories help build awareness as well as raise credibility among this increasingly discerning customer base.
You must enhance your perspective to distinguish yourself from others who think similarly. Break away from conventional wisdom — it isn’t enough to merely be “different” in today’s world.
It’s not enough to be great at what you do — virtuosos are plentiful in every field. It takes something beyond that. What’s critical for your success is creating distinction. If these insights resonated with you, please share it on your social media! And learn more about our Iconic Inner Circle membership program. (https://IconicInnerCircle.com) We’re ready to help you create a plan for success that will help drive you to meet your goals and create a competitive edge for you and your business!
IBM just released an interesting study that surveyed 14,000 people in nine countries. It revealed that more than 70% of people are now more likely to work for – or continue their employment with – a company with a good record or reputation on the environment. It also said 55% of people are now more willing to pay more to purchase from a company that represents itself as “sustainable and environmentally responsible.”
CEO Daily reports that IBM also found that now 84% of CEOs stated in a separate study that sustainability will be important to their business strategy for 2022 – as opposed to just 32% who said it in 2018.
Yet may I be so bold to suggest that these numbers aren’t simply about the environment and health of the planet.
Instead, it’s about putting people first.
It is obviously incongruent to suggest that 70+% of people want to work for a business that has a good record on climate change – but doesn’t care about their employees or customers.
What I believe these figures state is the vast majority of today’s customers – many of them from the Millennial generation – are tired of working for and purchasing from organizations that are putting their products and programs before the people who make and use them.
(Consider there are over 72 million Millennials – and the oldest of that generation is now hitting the age of 40. Too many Boomers and Gen Xers have talked about them like they are the “coming generation.” Bull! They’re here and they are changing the way you must do business.)
In other words, what’s happening right now is a major reinforcement of the Four Cornerstones of Distinction. You’ve got to have Clarity regarding your commitment to people and the planet. You need to be Creative in your approach, so you become more attractive and distinct to the customers you desire and the quality of employees you engage. You must Communicate the story of your commitment to people and the benefits they receive from your values. And these times require a Customer Experience Focus so the promise you make is backed by the performance you deliver.
These steps will create distinction for you in a time that demands we put people first.
By the way, if you’d like to drill deeper into how you can create the ultimate level of distinction, I’d love to have you try our Iconic Inner Circle.
When you join, you’ll have immediate access to specific virtual programs on how to craft and deliver a Distinctive Story…what you need to know to use the tools of today to communicate virtually, whether on a sales call or a group meeting, with Post-Pandemic Events…and discover the specific program to make your over-reaching values and your daily actions congruent with our course on Personal Distinction.
In addition, I present a weekly lesson on a single, specific step you need to take to reach this ultimate level of distinction. AND we’ll soon launch a monthly live virtual program for all members of the group to answer your questions and discuss your challenges.
Here’s the best part – your first month is absolutely FREE.
I believe in this program so much, I know that once you experience it, you will want to continue. (Especially since it’s such a small investment for such an extraordinary return!)
Somewhere along the way, we seem to have lost the perspective that what we do impacts the lives of others.
It seems we live in a time of character assassination for mere sport. Anonymous online haters who don’t know the facts – or don’t care – irresponsibly attack others to draw attention to themselves. They connect imaginary “dots” that exist only in their own minds, without concern about the consequences to the victims of their venom.
And, it becomes so common that many of us just shrug our shoulders and say, “Haters gonna hate!” and move on – never imagining that we could someday be an unfortunate target.
Maybe we would all be better off if we remember the wisdom that my grandmother used to share with me:
“It doesn’t make you a bigger person to make someone else smaller. It just makes certain you stay less than they are.”
It was 1978… Kansas City, Missouri’s Municipal Auditorium… the National FFA Convention… and, the speaker was Paul Harvey. The presentation title was, “So God Made a Farmer.”
Audio from this speech was used for the powerful Super Bowl spot for Dodge’s RAM trucks and an estimated 108 million viewers listened to Harvey talk about hard-working American farmers across the generations.
In today’s world of unbelievably efficient agriculture, not all of us are called to life on the farm. However, we can bring to our organizations that spirit and attitude of which Paul Harvey spoke.
When you look for someone to add to your team, do you seek mere skills? Would you be better off to find someone with the spirit of a farmer?
When you look for someone to create distinction and grow your business, do you look into the mirror… and do you see someone with the dedication and commitment of a farmer?
One of the points I made in the book, “Create Distinction,” is that “best practices aren’t always ‘best’ for your organization.”
In other words, what made Starbucks distinctive can provide you with some great ideas and concepts — however, it is NOT a blueprint that you can duplicate for your organization.
Instead, focus on learning from those great examples — and then determining how they can be adapted before they become adopted.
I was playing drums in a family band that opened for the country star at a concert at the little high school I attended.
After the first of two shows, Jim Ed approached me and said, “I’m looking for a new drummer — and I’d like it to be you!”
I couldn’t believe it — a country star and Grand Ole Opry member wanted me in his band? Jim Ed — even though he probably didn’t realize it — forced me to make a decision: I had to choose if I wanted to be a drummer…or if I wanted something else in my life.
I was hit with the thought that it’s one thing to PLAY drums…it’s another to BE a drummer. One is participation…the other iscommitment.
After I had thought about it for a while, I was literally shaking from anxiety as I told him that I was sorry, but I couldn’t accept his generous offer.
He smiled and said, “Whatever you do in life…do it as well as you play those drums.”
I only talked to him a couple of times after that…but, I’ll never forget the wonderful opportunity he provided, or his sincere kindness. I often think of how different my life would have turned out if I had taken him up on the job. And, I always thank him that he moved me to prioritize what was REALLY important in my life…even in my teens.
Jim Ed passed away from lung cancer at the age of 81. My friends, the Oak Ridge Boys, sang at his service. All reflected on this gentle man’s elegance and legacy.
You may never know the impact that you have on someone else’s life.
What can you do today to make someone’s life better?
