Tag: new product ideas

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A lesson from the Bard on marketability

Copyright © 2014 by Chesney Bradshaw, all rights reserved
Copyright © 2014 by Chesney Bradshaw, all rights reserved

This year many recently celebrated the 450th birthday of William Shakespeare. William Shakespeare was born on 23 April 1564 and died on 23 April 1616.

Shakespeare whose by-name was the Bard of Avon was born in Stratford-upon-Avon, Warwickshire, England. The Bard was an English poet, dramatist and actor considered to be the greatest dramatist of all time. Shakespeare was astonishingly clever with words, images and imaginatively stimulating dialogue. His works were not bookish but involved dramatising the actions and behaviour of human beings whether it be king or nave. Continue reading “A lesson from the Bard on marketability”

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Can you come up with ideas that are as good as the professional idea generators?

sunova-surfboards-bert-burger-team-rider-paul-...
sunova-surfboards-bert-burger-team-rider-paul-bocquet-the-professional (Photo credit: Sunova Surfboards)

You’ve thought of a new product idea but don’t believe that it will match up to what the so-called professionals can concoct. An idea hatched in a bedroom studio, kitchen table, backyard shed or garage doesn’t seem to have the lustrous glamour of those that come from research and development laboratories, test kitchens and design fests.

With so many new ideas out there in any one year, how will your idea stand up to the hining brilliance of others with much more professional experience in coming up with new products and services? Continue reading “Can you come up with ideas that are as good as the professional idea generators?”

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How to market test your product at low-cost

George opens in Johannesburg
George opens in Johannesburg

My daughter wanted a shoulder bag to take with her on an upcoming holiday and we went to the new George clothing store in the Cresta Shopping Centre, Northcliffe, Johannesburg.

We weren’t in the shop for more than five minutes when my daughter found exactly what she was looking for and better quality than she would have found in similar priced local clothing stores.

What interested me is the temporary format of this clothing store to test the local market. George, which is owned by Asda, a subsidiary of Walmart in the UK, has been brought out to South Africa by Massmart (owned now by Walmart). Continue reading “How to market test your product at low-cost”

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How to imitate (legally) a successful product or idea

Stainless steel sculpture Begynnelse (Beginnin...
Stainless steel sculpture Begynnelse (Beginning) in Eslöv, Sweden, by Alexius Huber (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Imitation is stigmatised, derided and virtually blasphemous in society and business. But why are more businesses doing it rather than pioneering or innovating completely new products and services?

Simple really. Imitators can come into the market with less research and development spend, avoid the pitfalls of the innovator, produce at a lower cost, reduce risk and quickly capture market share in the wake of the trailblazer who can’t cover all bases. Continue reading “How to imitate (legally) a successful product or idea”