Are There Any New Ideas?
In your last Successful Marketing Strategy I wrote about creating a fundamental checklist of success by using Napoleon Hill’s book Think and Grow Rich as a template.
A second type of checklist to construct and use is what I call a ‘Practical Creativity Checklist.’ There are a number of methods for rearranging the existing and old into the different and new that actually account for most innovations in the world. There may not be anything new under the sun.
In a later I’ll talk about Disney. Disney is often called the ‘Inventor of the Theme Park’ but actually he changed the amusement park. Now here are some of the things that belong on this practical creativity list.
Image via Wikipedia
Number one: can we plus the product, service or business? Plusing is addition, adding to. A while ago a company rolled out a new product, peanut butter and jelly swirled together in the same jar. Depending on how you want to look at it they plused the peanut butter with jelly or vice versa. The product didn’t do well but it’s a good example of the idea.
Number two: we can minus the product, service or business? A convertible is a car without a hardtop.
Number three: can we do it with size? The entire instant printing industry is a result of a size change. Once upon a time printing companies we’re large and relatively inaccessible and intimidating to the general public and the small entrepreneur. Printers were located in cheap rent and industrial sections of town. They had no customer service people. The instant print shop, the small print shop changed the industry dramatically by mixing modern, retailing methods with an old industrial service.
Number four: can we…
— Are There Any New Ideas? by Dan Kennedy
