I am in full preparation for my biggest physical challenge for at least the last decade and after IFS announced that Bruce Dickinson, lead singer in Iron Maiden, is keynote speaker at IFS World Conference 2012 October 15 – 17, I have a new source of inspiration; “Run to the hills…”
Read MoreIFS is a company that encourages and promotes creativity and innovation. The more brains that are involved the greater the creativity, so by sharing ideas and inspiration creativity flourishes. Learn more about why IFS values creativity and innovation.
Run to the hills….or better, to IFS World Conference 2012
Market Share vs. Innovation Share—What drives the share price?
If you were about to invest in a company that had about 85% market share for one of the main products in its portfolio, and nearly had market monopoly for another main product, wouldn´t that investment be recognized as safe and profitable in the long term, rewarded by a share price that rises over time? The answer is no….
Read MoreTips for How to Make the Perfect Pitch
Sitting on a late flight heading west to the UK for a presentation to a board of directors, I read some official stats in the flight magazine that proved my personal motto when it comes to sales pitches. The stats showed the relation between the pitcher’s view of his own presentation and the clients’ view of the presentation. It’s founded on the premise that any pitch you make will be made up of four elements—style, format, content and chemistry.
Read MorePick One, Strong or Different – Either One Will be a Winning Strategy
It’s often said that access to information is a competitive advantage. We are living in an information society and selling knowledge and services is seen as a future-proven business model. But who will win the battle for the customers’ pockets?
Read MoreEvery Time I Do It, I Get a New Idea
Browsing magazines and books that are far away from your own business, and perhaps your comfort zone, is extremely productive if you are looking for new ideas, need to find solutions to a problem or want a new angle on things. Let yourself be influenced by ideas and emotions from businesses outside your own.
Read MoreBusiness KPI for Dreams and Emotions
How can you, as a company, share with investors the most important ingredients for new innovations, namely dreams and emotions? How can you, as a company, explain tools (e.g. company culture) and processes you have in place to mass-produce ideas that will later become profitable innovations? Is it possible to measure, communicate or even benchmark the ability of companies to create and share dreams in a financial document such as a quarterly report?
Read MoreTip for 2012: Be Specialized—It has worked the last 10,000 years
What happens when you cut off the ability for people to specialize and exchange? The answer is that you slow down technology progress—or even regress. There are studies to prove this, e.g. what happened Tasmania 10 000 years ago when it was isolated as the waters rose. But we don’t have to look back some 10 000 years. Look what has happened with societies such as North Korea or some of the Arab countries when people have been cut off from the ability to specialize and trade.
Read MoreThe Tiny but Brutal Difference Between a Ta-Da and Oh-Oh
For some strange reason, kids (again) solve this creativity process so much better than both CEOs and business students.
Read MoreIdea Generation is a High-volume Business that Takes Time
The more ideas you produce, the higher is the probability that one of them is a bright one. But are you spending enough time and do you have the right processes in place to boost ideas within your company? So what does this YouTube clip tell you about your creative processes?
Read MoreCommunicate the Future to Drive the Present
Being creative and coming up with ideas is important, but having the skill to communicate ideas or a vision is business critical too. Being able to describe the future in rational terms (numbers or products) is just as important as describing the future in emotional terms (how it will feel for all concerned).
Read MoreBusiness Apps Can Take You Faster through the Economic Downturn
At last weeks IFS VIP event I asked for a volunteer to try one of our existing apps. In the back, a lady waved intensively and shouted “I want to try, I want to try”. I gave her my phone and in a single click she had authorized her first travel expense and purchase order – and she was so happy. When she had completed her very first travel expense, including a photo of a taxi receipt, she was literally dancing on the stage…
Read MoreHow to Revive Commodity Products and Make More Profit
As a marketer you have a few parameters to differentiate your product against the competition. Take a scale for example. Some people might prefer a digital display and some prefer a retro analog style. Some people might want a black descret scale and someone else wants one in a strong and personal color – maybe purple. But does it really stop here?
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