Your company claims they can’t innovate. It’s because a) this isn’t that type of business, b) there’s no money, c) time is better spent on marketing via ads etc. That might even be the words coming out of your mouth as you read this.

Seth Godin shares an example to challenge that. Imagine being in airport and hearing music. Normally you’d be listening to canned music of some sort. But imagine now that you’re listening to the music and turn around to see a live band. Yes.Live.Real People.Real Instruments. Seth had that experience.

It leads him to question how your company and mine ‘can’t’ innovate when even an airport can. Did it cost them some money? Yes. Did it return some value? Absolutely. Chance are that Seth wasn’t the only one to notice.

In an age when even busy businesses are struggling, innovation is no longer an option. Even staples can’t count on their customer base for keeping sales up. It’s about the truth of real needs versus a bit of emotion attached to those basic needs. People buy what wins their hearts as much as what’s practical.

Who is your customer? Why do they buy from you? What would increase their interest? How could you spend a thousand dollars to win some hearts? A hundred? How about an intern for a week?