Your mom probably told you nothing worth having comes easy. She likely tossed that one at you when you were begging for a new, expensive bike or maybe a pricey shirt from the mall. Then she either told you “no,” or told you to earn the money and purchase it yourself. And you probably didn’t like that answer at all.
She was right, though. Nothing really does come easy – in life, or in business. You’ve got to earn it. But in business, there’s an added complication called competition. Not only do you have to earn what you need, you have to fight someone else for it. (In truth, most people don’t really like that, either.)
But wait. There’s a secret.
A little … something extra.
Something that can give you a little “leg up” on your business competition.
Creativity!
Yes, we’re serious. Here are three reasons why creativity is king, and how it can help you in your business:
- It teaches you to try new things. Being creative in your business is about experimenting and pushing your boundaries. Will all those new ideas yield immediate success? Probably not. But that’s OK. Some will, and the others – you’ll learn from those to find even more success in the future.
- It’s fun. Allowing yourself and your team time to feel relaxed and happy on the job leads to creative success and gets the ideas flowing. Teach yourself and your team that it’s OK to have some fun at work. Your business will reap the rewards.
- It gives you fresh insights. You can’t run a successful business without data. But sometimes, you need to step beyond it to really grasp what your customers want and need. How can you get closer to your customers to better understand them? Creatively solve this problem, and you’ll be miles ahead of your competition.
So how can you practically apply creativity in your business to stand out from your competition?
- You know that relaxed, creative environment you fostered? Use it to generate amazing customer service. Remember, happy employees = happy customers.
- Develop something new. A new product or product package. A new service. Something that no one else offers. Get close to your customers and find out what they need – then fill that need in a unique new way.
- If you don’t already, blog. First of all, it’s a great creative outlet. But it’s also a wonderful way to float your new ideas and share them with the world.
The ideas are never ending, really. The only limit is, well, your creativity. 😉
