ask better questions
An inherent obstacle to innovation is the context, culture, history and assumptions of a current process or business. Sometimes the harder someone works on a problem, the more elusive the solution becomes. Every once in a while, the person who has the most experience can solve a problem, but only if they don’t respect their own [...]
go beyond benefit
I love the truth.
The more I understand the truth of a subject, the better I can understand it. The more transparent a process, the more likely it can be made to work. The more honest a person is, the better I can trust them. Honesty and truthfulness are foundations for how society works and for [...]
innovation as a subversive act
Innovation often happens in companies despite their best efforts, not because of it.
The inherent problem of innovation is that it requires a low level of respect for orthodoxy, institutions, organizations and customs. In order to imagine, develop and sell something new, one has to assume that the old way is not necessarily the only or [...]
the truth as a marketing tool
“…the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth…”
One should be honest, not because it’s the right thing to do, but because it is the most effective way to persuade. This first New Marketing Rule is the foundation of a marketing approach that builds brands, relationships and sales far more effectively than exaggeration, superlative [...]
hacking your customer
From the moment you start selling a product or service, it is becoming obsolescent. Initially, you may solve a problem for a customer – you help them do something they couldn’t do before – you do a better job at something than anyone else, but then things begin to change…That’s why everyone must innovate – not just if they want to succeed, but ultimately if they want to survive.
want a strong brand? stop branding
Over the last 100 years or so, a kind of religious faith has emerged in business: the cult of Branding. Adherents to this faith believe that a brilliant logo, a compelling slogan and just the right name will build growth, margin and customer loyalty.
But does the “Branding” create a brand? Or is it the company [...]