Innovative Pricing Models

I was having a conversation the other day with the CEO of a small and growing company. We were talking about innovative pricing models that could help attract – and then lock in customers. Although there are many models out there, here are three I find particularly interesting. The Consumable Model With this model you […]

Innovation at the Four Seasons Hotel

Last week I attended a presentation at the Four Seasons hotel in Boston given by Barbara Talbott, the EVP of Marketing for the Four Seasons. She discussed “The Power of Personal Service.” Here are my notes from that speech. Admittedly, not much was radically new, but it was a good reminder of how personal service […]

Get Online Innovation Training

This week, the American Society of Mechanical Engineers (ASME) released an online training version of my 24/7 Innovation book. The course includes all of the materials from the book plus a series of questions after each chapter to test your retention. The cost is $100 and can be ordered online from the ASME website.

Oscar Wilde Was Right

A recent blog entry of mine focused on how price impacts perception. Today’s topic is on how perception drives price. Many times, the cost of something is driven by what we paid in the past – even when the rules have changed. Seth Godin recently wrote about how Apple will be charging $3 for online […]

Innovation and the Performance Paradox

Today, my article on “The Performance Paradox: When Less is More” was published by the American Management Association. You may recall that I introduced this concept in a blog entry last month. What is the Performance Paradox? The more fixated on your goal you become, the greater your chance of success, right? Yes, but only […]

Innovation and Leadership

Back in my Accenture days, I had the pleasure of working with many brilliant individuals.  One person in particular stood out amongst the crowd: Brad Kolar.  Although he worked in the “professional development” department (which typically implies taking other people’s intellectual property and converting it into training), he was one of the firm’s greatest thinkers.  […]

Innovation Lesson from The Apprentice

I’ll admit it. I, unlike most people in the United States, did not watch Donald Trump’s “Celebrity Apprentice” the other night. But in a conversation with some people who did tune in, it sounds like the winners applied an important innovation concept. As I understand it, the task for the week was to see which […]

2007 Innovation Lesson

Every year at this time, Chuck Frey at innovationtools.com asks experts/readers for the most important lesson learned during 2007 regarding innovation, creativity or brainstorming. Here is my response: Over the past couple of years, I have observed something I call “The Performance Paradox.” This paradox looks at the relationship between motivation (goals, targets, and management) […]

How to Target Innovation

When I conduct executive training, one of my favorite activities requires participants to consider a typical set of processes common in the insurance industry: Develop Products and Services, Customer Service, Manage Revenues, Manage Distribution Channels, Market Products and Services, Underwriting, Claims Fulfillment, Manage Provider Network, and Plan and Manage the Enterprise. I ask the group […]

How to Change an Organization’s Culture

Much literature has been written on branding. But what is a brand? Can you define it in just 6 words? No, it is not Nike’s “swoop.” It is not McDonald’s “I’m Lovin’ It” jingle. It is not Accenture’s Tiger Woods ads. It is not the design of my website or my “Unconventional Thinking” tag line. […]