While some of these brands had large budgets behind their fresh thinking, here we share simple ways that any small business can put these concepts to work. With some outside-the-box thinking, your small business will be on its way to being seen as a leader in small business innovation.

1. Unpack Innovation from
Businesses You Know
and Love
The Problem
There was a shortage of fresh thinking around
new LEGO sets and a lack of customer
engagement.
The Innovation
LEGO’s Ideas invited fans of the brand to
publically submit their own concepts.
Apply it to your small business!
Allow customers to try before they buy.
Depending on your product or service, consider
offering them a small sample or a shortened
service to help them see your company’s value.
Apply it to your small business!
Reimagine the ordinary in the products and
services you create. Address the most often
cited complaints with even simple changes,
and showcase them on your website.
The Problem
There was a need to provide customers with
more relevant programming.
The Innovation
The company developed multiple algorithms
that deliver personalized recommendations
on what to watch.
Apply it to your small business!
Create a more personalized experience for
customers with behavior- and purchase-based
recommendations. Even if the algorithm is you,
it will work.
As a small business owner, it can be daunting to think of new ways to solve
age-old problems. But a look at some of the nation’s most beloved brands
can remind us that big innovations sometimes come in simple packages.
The Home Depot
The Problem
Customers were unable to imagine paint colors
in their spaces.
The Innovation
The Project Color app was created, allowing
customers to “try on” wall paint before
making a purchase.
Dyson
The Problem
Hair dryer design had not meaningfully evolved
in more than 60 years.
The Innovation
The Supersonic Hair Dryer was created to
minimize heat damage to hair, cause less strain
on the arm, and — importantly — be quiet.
Netflix
LEGO
Apply it to your small business!
Invite customers to share ideas with you through
a focus group or on social media, and then
celebrate their participation publicly.
JetBlue Mint
The Problem
Travelers felt frustrated with air travel’s high
prices and ever-shrinking perks.
The Innovation
Pricing on passenger perks was dropped.
Things passengers typically paid up to $2,000
for — streamlined check-in and boarding, free
Wi-Fi, meal services, lie-flat seats and closable
suites — JetBlue offered starting at $399.
Apply it to your small business!
Analyze your pricing. If there’s a way to solve a
common complaint with a smart cost correction,
your business will stand out from the crowd.
10K 1%The amount the fan
earns of the royalties.
of what people watch on
Netflix is a suggestion from
their recommendation engine.
YEAR 1 FLEET YEAR 2 FLEET
The number
of votes required
before LEGO
gives the design consider-
ation. If LEGO approves,
the product is created
and sold.
blog.kissmetrics.com
dyson.com
fool.com
ideas.lego.com
itunes.apple.com
jetblue.com
mobilestrategies360.com
nytimes.com
SOURCES
75%