Drive Momentum to Grow Your Vision
Learning Objectives
After completing this unit, youโll be able to:
- List marketing tactics for helping your vision go viral.
- Articulate one key piece of advice about inspiring a movement to grow your vision.
- Describe two styles of innovation movement leaders.
You Got the Green Light! Now What?
Wowโyou did it! Your initiative and vision is becoming a reality. What a phenomenal achievement. As any entrepreneur would tell you, coming up with an idea and even securing funding means that youโve only just begun. Now begins the exciting journey of execution. (We havenโt written that trail yet!)
But just so we donโt leave you hanging, weโll share a few suggestions on important activities during your first 60โ90 days after getting approval for your project. It all comes down to inspiring a movement inside your organization.
Seeing Is Believing
Up until now, itโs likely that only a small community of people outside the members of your innovation team are aware of your project and its goals. Just as you phased the development of the product, we recommend that you phase your project announcements. Focus on those individuals whoโll be involved with building and developing it. Add to this group the people who will become instant evangelists because they share your vision.
Whatโs the most effective way to share the story of your innovation journey? Here are few ideas.
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Teaser videoโCaptivate your audience with a short (less than 2 minutes) and memorable reel. Try to make it from your customersโ voice to emphasize that youโve prioritized their needs. Donโt allow people to get caught up in the details. The goal of the video is to build excitement.
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Infographic postersโHighlight the proposed metrics and business value in a visual and eye-catching way. Youโve done a great job if you see that people hang it up in conference rooms or at their desk. See our resources section for infographic inspiration.
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Create your short, engaging talkโStart giving your talk at lunch-and-learns. As you onboard evangelists, teach them to give the pitch and have them deliver it as well.
Whatever the format and forum, itโs important to start to socialize the vision in a sticky way.
Letting Go to Grow
If youโve done a good job with your marketing work, soon many of your colleagues will take interest and show leadership around the initiative. When you find yourself in this situation, we have one piece of advice: Donโt be afraid to let go.
This project has been your baby for the past several months. Itโs temptingโespecially after you succeeded in securing investmentโto want to keep it close, be the face of it in front of your peers, and enjoy accolades. But we advise you to let go. That doesnโt mean to shirk the remaining responsibilities. Instead, think of it as creating room for others to join the party.
Donโt perceive letting go as a threat. Rather, letting go is an opportunity. It means that you are willing to let others be co-creators and champions of the innovation. They put their fingers in the clay with you. Creating artifacts, venues, and conversations you never dreamed of. Your innovation becomes their platform.
Let your community drive the innovation forward in ways you never imagined. Innovation, like governing, has various forms of leadership. There are dictators who command and control innovation. And then thereโs a vibrant, democratic grassroots innovation movementโby the people, for the people. The lesson here is that no one person owns brilliant innovation; rather, everyone does. And anyone who tries to own it, puts a harness and a leash on it, and it wonโt grow as far as fast. Get out of your own way.
Happy Diving
As we reach the end of our moduleโand our innovation trailโone thing is clear: No innovation is without adversity. There are always more challenges to define, insights to discover, possibilities to dare, experimentation to do, and opportunity to drive.
Experienced innovators understand that perfection doesnโt exist, yet we stand resolved, unfettered by, even compelled by, perpetual imperfection. The innovatorโs glass is perpetually half full! We donโt suffer in minor setbacks or daunting challengesโwe dive in and tackle them. In our challenges, we find hope, optimism, camaraderie, and we relish the opportunity to learn and grow together.
We are grateful to welcome you to our Innovation community.
Onward!
Resources