Marketing Challenge: Pipeline Fill
Last week I attended a local workshop related to “fixing innovation.” A lot of energy was spent on how to tune up the engine through better people management and processes. While important, the root need of most attendees was oil in the engine they already had. In this case, the oil was a robust idea bank or a systematic way to manage and vet the ideas coming at them.
Of the 30 attendees, only one had an innovation roadmap. That is, they invested in rigorous voice-of-customer research that clearly pinpointed the areas of opportunity. Once done, they focused their ideation. They prioritized incoming ideas based on how well they fit the opportunity.
Our recommendation: innovation processes always need tweaking. Engines will run smoother after a tune-up. But any mechanic will tell you that long-term performance of the engine really depends on how much attention you pay to the oil.
How much oil is in your engine? Check out our Get Smart Brief on Questions to Ask Yourself Before You “Innovate”.
