Innovators Think (& Do) Differently
How many of us have tried to push the boundaries of our content — trying to make it resonate more, reach more, do more — but end up falling far short of our goals? Its not from a lack of trying. Rather, its because we try to change things by doing the same thing we’ve always done, but just trying to do it “bigger” or “different”. You can’t spend your way into innovative content. You can’t throw the coolest new camera technology into the ideas you’ve already done, or put more into distribution, or change graphics approach, or revise your #hashtags and think you have innovation. You cannot think or act the same way as you have and expect a different result. And you cannot try to emulate what others are doing.
My answer: you gotta think differently.
What if I told you that you can develop a new approach that will transform the way you think of content? An approach that doesn’t mean you have to fire your team, or rip up everything and start from scratch. There is no magic bullet and its not like an infomercial where you have to wait until DVD #5 to get the answer. So too this article doesn’t give you a magic bullet, but it should help stimulate discussions that will lead to action!
First, lets look at two scenarios many take to try to be innovative but most likely fall short: (Scenario A: All Sizzle, No Steak) You hire an outside agency to create an amazing campaign that will reap huge dividends. You end up with sexy, albeit expensive pieces of content that do nothing to move your brand. (Scenario B: We Got This) You task your internal marketing/creative team to build a campaign that will hit the right demographic — because they are closest to the brand and are all savvy in today’s market — but they have no plan for distribution outside of the traditional markets/tactics you’ve always approached, and they kept close to their comfort zones, developing the campaign in the same verticals they use day to day. Both of these scenarios beg the question: What is the cost when you fail at big ideas? It’s more than money. It’s staff, it’s time, and it’s attention away from ROI and engagement.
In my previous article I laid out the concept of Reverse Engineering content. The idea that you do not lead with content, it is the end result of truly understanding WHY you are creating — the objective, and WHO can create the outcome you are looking for. From there is the HOW — the methods of distribution that gets to the needed audience. And finally the WHAT — the content that will appeal. It is only in the WHAT — with all you have behind it — that true innovation can occur. You strip away the “big idea” and focus on the “right idea”.
Let me touch on something quickly that some might be thinking: Reverse engineering is not merely a new way of saying “creating with the end goal in mind”. True reverse engineering is putting a microscope even on the idea of end goal. It drills down much deeper, and ensures that there is a very clear path and focus to any piece of content. This form of focus doesn’t mean you loose creativity, it means you do it with purpose and direction. You will save time and resources.
But saving isn’t a strong reason to create content. We are creative people. We represent brands and ideas that demand innovation and growth. So how do you ensure you create ideas that will expand opportunity, make you more money in the long run, and propel you into “innovative” territory? Truth be told you cannot guarantee, we all know that. You have to think about going in new and risky directions. Risky means pushing yourselves outside your comfort zone, and into the creativity zone. Risky means scrapping some of what you are currently doing to give yourself the bandwidth to think in new ways. This can be a challenge when you will always have the day-to-day needs that you cannot ignore.
“You don’t want to sit and let the conversation happen around you.”
As I’ve mentioned, to make this shift you have to have an end result in mind before you even think about content, and you have to be able to look past what you are doing now and focus on what you want to accomplish. You gotta reverse the process and start at the finish.
I posed some questions in the first article in this series to get you thinking about content. And here they are again. Think about them now related to your team and your approach to content. Think about what you are missing in the mix to have the ability to develop innovative content.
- Do you allocate time, talent and funds to new concept development outside of your normal scope of work? What percentage of that development are you willing to be purely R&D without financial outcome?
- Do you pay for your team to grow and train in new strengths outside their current scope? How do you fill holes (& expand the palate of skills) within the team?
- Which department/s are in control of Content Creation? Content Distribution? Communication with your Core Audience?
- How do you track and valuate content success? Are the metrics purely clicks and likes and shares? Is there more you could be doing to give true value to what you produce?
- How many of your competitors do you follow on social media? Other means? Do you dissect their content? Do you dissect you content?
- Where do you look for innovative thought?
- How much time do you invest on client/end-user outcomes and what else they are focused on?
Where did you come out with your answers? Do you have the pieces in place to focus on innovation while also doing all you already need to do to keep the balls in the air? Are you already focused on this approach? While you may be able to develop the internal team effectively, for most you do need outside support. I would contend you do not need an agency for much (if not all) of this content strategy. What you need is to bring in advisors and partners who encourage and facilitate this creativity zone approach. And you need to be focused on how you put together a support team that is as focused on this approach as you are.
I’m excited to hear from those of you who have adopted the Reverse Engineering model, and from those of you that are looking for a gentle (or not so gentle) push into your creative zone. This is exciting as it is scary. Love to help you achieve greatness!
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Patrick Jager is CEO of strategic advisory firm CORE Innovation Group and a thought leader in media, communications and business development.
