This document summarizes a presentation on continuous innovation. It provides tips on how to innovate such as asking customers how products could be improved, observing how customers use products, seeking ideas from employees, and conducting brainstorming meetings. Other suggestions include adapting existing products to new uses, looking at past methods, and targeting a certain percentage of annual sales from new products. The presentation encourages businesses to continually innovate or risk losing their market to competitors. It also provides information on government assistance programs for small businesses to realize innovation.

1. WELCOME
Innovation
H G Wells
15th April, 2015

2. © C2I Ltd April 2015
HOUSE KEEPING
Designed: by Michael Condron

3. • How can you help each other?
• who you are?
• what do you sell?
• what markets?
• Your strengths?
• what do you need?
• ALSO, hand out your business cards
It’s your turn now!
© C2I Ltd April 2015

4. Has your Idea machine broken down?
© C2I Ltd April 2015

5. Our speaker today
Nigel Biggs
© C2I Ltd April 2015
Entrepreneur-in-Residence,
University of Surrey

6. How can you
innovate to
grow your
organisation?
Nigel Biggs
Passionate Innovation Ltd
Entrepreneur-in-Residence, University of Surrey

7. Share your Dreams

8. Think
Together

9. Create
Amazing
Stuff
Spark new ideas
Get new perspectives
Think with Strangers!

10. Ask WHY – and why not?
Then HOW?

11. PILOT Better Brainstorming
Think Creatively

12. Be Passionate
Live your Vision

13. Stay Open Minded

14. Use a Process

15. REAL Innovators DO Stuff!
Think
Decide
DO!

16. Review
Your Old
Ideas
The world moves on.
Have you?

17. Think about the
little things too

18. 3 Actions Now to Start
Book time to THINK
Plan how & when to SHARE
Create Ideas and DO STUFF

19. Share , Think, Create. INNOVATE
www.passionateinnovation.com
nigel@passionateinnovation.com
Tel: 01483 827301 Mob: 07860 873717

20. Summary & Close
Product Innovation ?
© C2I Ltd April 2015
The Animal?

21. Continuous innovation is not easy and if you keep using the same method you will experience diminishing results.
 Copy someone else’s idea. One of the best ways to innovate is to find an idea that works elsewhere and apply it in
your business.
 Ask customers. If you simply ask your customers how you could improve your product or service they will give you
plenty of ideas for incremental innovations.
 Observe customers. Do not just ask them, watch them. Try to see how customers use your products. Do they use
them in new ways?
 Use difficulties and complaints. If customers have difficulties with any aspect of using your product or if they
register complaints then you have a strong starting point for innovations.
 Combine. Combine your product with something else to make something new. It works at all levels.
 Eliminate. What could you take out of your product or service to make it better?
 Ask your staff. Challenge the people who work in the business to find new and better ways to do things and new and
better ways to please customers.
 Plan. Include targets for new products and services in your business plan.
 Run brainstorms. Have regular brainstorm meetings where you generate a large quantity of new product ideas.
Have you considered?
© C2I Ltd April 2015

22. Have you considered?
 Examine IP. Check through your IP – you have more than you think!
 Collaborate. Work with another company / partner who can take you to places you can’t go.
 Minimize or maximize. Take something that is standard in the industry and minimise or maximise it.
 Run a contest. Ask members of the public to suggest great new product ideas. Offer a prize.
 Ask – what if? Do some lateral thinking by asking staff and customers WHAT IF?
 Watch the competition. Do not slavishly follow the competition but watch them intelligently. The small guys
are often the most innovative.
 Outsource. Subcontract your new product development challenge to a design company.
 Use open innovation. Big consumer products companies like Proctor and Gamble or Reckitt Benckiser
encourage developers to bring novel products to them.
 Adapt a product to a new use. Find an entirely different application for an existing product.
 Try P.I.L.O.T - it’s a systematic method for solving problems.
 Go back in time. Look back at methods and services that were used in your sector years ago but have now
fallen out of use. Can you bring one back in a new updated form?
 Use social networks. Follow trends and ask questions on groups like Twitter or Facebook.
Don’t be afraid – just try some approaches that are new to you in order to boost your innovation
capability.© C2I Ltd April 2015

23. Always
be innovating
Unfair, but firm
•We need to innovate and improve our offering(s) continually, or
someone else will either steal our market or leave us working
hard for pennies, as a commodity supplier.
We are in business to make money?
•Studies show that it pays to be innovative.
•So, why not target 30%, or more, of sales from new
products or services annually
© C2I Ltd April 2015

24. Do you need
assistance?
“Growth through Innovation” & “Growth Accelerator”
are both subsidised government schemes to
assist SME business which can help realise IP
and business potential
 Enterprise Europe Network
 Our Speaker can help you – take the opportunity &
discuss your business issues with them today
© C2I Ltd April 2015

25. You will find us at:
Email: succeed@connect2innovation.co.uk
Follow us on Twitter: @Connect2Innov
Join our Linked In group: Connect 2 Innovation
Telephone: 01483 743024
© C2I Ltd April 2015