EASY WAYS TO UNLEASH THE POWER OF NEW INTO YOUR BUSINESS
Intuitively we are programmed to notice and respond emotionally to certain things in life. And one of these ‘things’ is anything new. We are inherently curious creatures and anything new tends to send our curiosity into hyper drive.
A new initiative can be quite insignificant in its nature, however the refresh or re-framing of the initiative allows our minds to see it in new light. This is powerful in a business or organisational context because often it seems, there is a perceived need to bring about major change, when much of the same effect can be attained via incremental changes.
We know that not everyone has access to large corporate resources, so we thought, why not create a list of initiatives that are achievable with on a budget. There’s no end to the ideas that can help customers and stakeholders refresh and re-frame how they respond emotionally to your brand, business or organisation.
7 easy ways to add NEW into your business on a budget
Don’t roll on year on year with the same routines, the same marketing and the same everything! Get curious, don’t be satisfied with the norm, change routines up, even the initiatives that are working well for you!
- Just noticeable design updates for your key marketing assets
The best companies in the world understand not to make wholesale changes to their marketing assets – think logos, taglines, colours, fonts and the like. They do however, periodically create ‘just noticeable difference’ change to create a new, refreshed look. In the example below, Cadbury have never moved away from their purple colour – in fact they have strengthened it over time. However, they have played with the typography and graphical devices to generate a new, refreshed view of their products. Updating the graphics on packaging, point of sale, websites and social media platforms are easy executable initiatives that will re-frame how your brand is perceived.
- Leadership role reversal days
A great way for everyone to see the business in new light is to actively reverse the roles in the business with C-suite executives donning on the overalls and the workers rolling out their swanky office attire. Whatever your scenario, it is a great way for everyone to appreciate a different viewpoint. More importantly, it demonstrates that you care. - Conduct A/B testing on initiatives that are working well
It is common for success to be the long term ‘stopper’ of future success. The ‘if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it’ mentality kicks in. However, it’s important that the business keeps on learning and A/B testing is great way to ensure this happens. In particular A/B testing is great for determining the impact of incremental changes - learning what drives what from a behavioural point of view.
You can take this idea a step further and create test markets for different copy strategies and creative executions. Find out empirically, what is more persuasive. And while you are at it, why not test a new or alternative media platform?
Remember, if you are not testing and measuring, then you are not learning and as a result will be going backwards. - Make everyone responsible for creating content
No matter whether you are a content driven business or not, the process of creating content is an amazing way for employees or even suppliers to view the business and its customers. In the creative process, employees will discover new ways the business can address employee and customer needs.
They will see their role in a new light. And they will be driven by a new sense of purpose. The quality of content is not the issue here – your marketing team can curate and edit easily enough. - Implement a surprise and delight rewards campaign
Embrace the random nature of a surprise and delight reward program for employees and customers. Don’t make the hurdles hard. The objective should be to let employees and customers know that they are cared for, valued and proud to be in a common community. The rewards should not be the same each week or month either – embrace a decentralised distribution method by empowering employees to select and distribute rewards.
These types of programs aim to create an emotional reaction, a smile. And a new way of appreciating where they work or who they buy their goods and services from. -
Pay it forward with a stranger within your business
Depending on the size of your business, there can often be people who you may never have had a conversation with. Or if you have it may be a supplier, customer or another type of stakeholder who you’ve never had a quality chat with. Do you think having a coffee and a chat would be valuable? We think so. For some this will be challenging and there will be a million excuses as to why not to undertake this, however if you believe in the power of shedding new light on a situation, then this is going to be a highly engaging way to achieve this.
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Collaborate with related suppliers to create a new product or product bundle
Why not explore collaborating with a related supplier or perhaps even a distant competitor to create a new product offering? Before you decide to horizontally invest in new capability trial via partnerships to see if the market opportunity exists. You could offer a discounted bundle offer as a result – enabling greater penetration into your market geographically and the extension of your brand into a bigger solution.
By collaborating or creating a bundled solution your business will explore and create new opportunities for growth and future innovation.
New facilitates to experience of discovery, which is huge motivator for humans. No matter whether you see yourself as a laggard or an early adopter, we are all impacted by new initiatives every day. These initiatives help enliven our sense and engagement with people, brand and businesses. So, we encourage you to embrace the power of new in your business.
