Innovation – why it’s (initially) more about thinking than doing
It can be tempting to jump straight in, but innovation asks for a different approach, particularly when it comes to digital projects.
Take a scenario where you’re considering using a new social channel for audience engagement. Many retailers are confidently using Twitter, Facebook and Instagram, but the platform on everyone’s mind right now is TikTok.
Recently valued at $50 billion dollars and with a reported user base of 1 billion, it can seem clear that getting on TikTok is the obvious choice for businesses. Just jump in and enjoy the success, right? Not quite.
Although there’s no doubt TikTok can be a great platform to engage with audiences on, it also depends entirely on who your audience is. For example, recent statistics show that the majority of content creators on TikTok are between 18 and 24.
Sound like your target audience? Perfect. Take a look at it more. But if it doesn’t, although it doesn’t mean you shouldn’t ignore the network completely, you do need to consider any investment in it in greater depth.
The same approach should be taken to digital projects. You need to look at whether the investment you make will bring the return you need, want or expect. Whether you’re just looking to test the waters, or you want a clear path to conversion you need to think about your audience and why you think the step you’re taking is the right one.
It’s essential with every project to take the time to understand what you’re trying to achieve and what the best way to do that is. This is done by exploring your brief, carefully analysing your customer and crafting a solution that is designed to solve the specific challenges that come out of that.
AtLeighton, we have recently been working on a client project where their initial idea was to invest in an existing piece of software to solve their problem. They knew, that although cost-heavy, it would produce the results they needed.
However, through discussions - and much collaborative thinking both internally and with the client - Leighton were able to provide a bespoke solution that not only achieved their initial requirements, but also offered additional information that can be further utilised in the future. All this was done at a considerably lower cost than the ‘pre-packaged’ solutions ultimately ensuring an even greater return on the client’s investment and all it took was taking a step back to think.
The key to the success of this project was understanding exactly what was needed and not simply opting for the most obvious choice. Innovation can be a game changer.
It can be tempting to jump straight in, but innovation asks for a different approach, particularly when it comes to digital projects.
Take a scenario where you’re considering using a new social channel for audience engagement. Many retailers are confidently using Twitter, Facebook and Instagram, but the platform on everyone’s mind right now is TikTok.
Recently valued at $50 billion dollars and with a reported user base of 1 billion, it can seem clear that getting on TikTok is the obvious choice for businesses. Just jump in and enjoy the success, right? Not quite.
Although there’s no doubt TikTok can be a great platform to engage with audiences on, it also depends entirely on who your audience is. For example, recent statistics show that the majority of content creators on TikTok are between 18 and 24.
Sound like your target audience? Perfect. Take a look at it more. But if it doesn’t, although it doesn’t mean you shouldn’t ignore the network completely, you do need to consider any investment in it in greater depth.
The same approach should be taken to digital projects. You need to look at whether the investment you make will bring the return you need, want or expect. Whether you’re just looking to test the waters, or you want a clear path to conversion you need to think about your audience and why you think the step you’re taking is the right one.
It’s essential with every project to take the time to understand what you’re trying to achieve and what the best way to do that is. This is done by exploring your brief, carefully analysing your customer and crafting a solution that is designed to solve the specific challenges that come out of that.
AtLeighton, we have recently been working on a client project where their initial idea was to invest in an existing piece of software to solve their problem. They knew, that although cost-heavy, it would produce the results they needed.
However, through discussions - and much collaborative thinking both internally and with the client - Leighton were able to provide a bespoke solution that not only achieved their initial requirements, but also offered additional information that can be further utilised in the future. All this was done at a considerably lower cost than the ‘pre-packaged’ solutions ultimately ensuring an even greater return on the client’s investment and all it took was taking a step back to think.
The key to the success of this project was understanding exactly what was needed and not simply opting for the most obvious choice. Innovation can be a game changer.
