A Cat Tale - Innovation

I was astounded to see my cat Charlie putting his paws in the chain link fence between my neighbour’s and my yard and climbing the fence to respond to my call.

I wondered how he could get to the door so quickly without going the long way around. He is not a vigorous jumper and likes his food too well to get far enough off the ground to clear the top of the fence.

Now I just have to figure out how to get him to do it again so I can take a picture.

So what, you say!

What has that got to do with your business?

Actually, it has everything to do with business.

Charlie was faced with a challenge. He wanted to get to the door before Oscar just in case there were a limited number of treats on offer. His determination and ability to adapt allowed him to apply an unconventional solution to his problem.

Innovation often happens in business when a challenge that seems overwhelming presents itself.

Your determination to succeed gives you the momentum to keep trying, step back, stop hitting your head against a wall, consider other approaches to your problem and apply tactics that have never have been used in your business niche in the past.

The application of an unconventional remedy enables one business in a niche to triumph over another. Innovation in any area of your business has the ability to impact your profit margin, your ability to hire and retain staff, your customer service, product/service mix and/or buying ability.

Often I suggest a solution to a client’s website traffic or conversion problem and though they admit they have a problem and say they will participate in fixing the problem. when it comes right down to it they don’t believe the solution is what was suggested and they want a simpler, less effort for them, solution…some of them are even willing to throw more money at it or try buying traffic or ads in a new medium to fix it.

I used to go along with it and say that regardless of the fact that they weren’t on board with the right message, or providing me with the right information I would work with what they gave me anyway….. but guess who wears the egg when it doesn’t work.

Having the wrong material, message or no information and being unwilling to make a change is like trying to run a hotdog stand with only $100. bills in the till, it just doesn’t work.

I don’t do it anymore.

Are you determined to succeed in business?

If my cat Charlie can come up with a unique solution to his challenge then you can too!….all he cares about is eating sleeping and chasing anything that moves (if it happens to fly by his nose).

To be successful in business you have to be willing to make a commitment, go and get business and above all, you have to be open to change.

No one said it would be easy but finding an innovative solution and winning sure make it fun!