Sometimes, better than giving advice about how to run things well, it can be useful to have a hit list to notice to help you identify when things are less than productive. Meetings can be hugely productive, especially if you keep a sharp eye out for these Ten things:-

We’ve all seen some absolutely fantastic products, services or systems which are incredibly hot profitable money-spinners, and many of us have often wished we had thought of it first.

But just where do ideas come from? How do creators come up with products and concepts?

Surely it’s based on massive research and development, huge capital investment, public scrutiny, market assessment - and that’s just a start.

WRONG! Whilst above may be true of some products, services, systems, ideas and so on, absolute best don’t involve any such in-depth planning - far from it.

I’m going to reveal to you secret of how some of biggest, best and hottest ideas are conceived. - and how some of most successful ever product ideas, were positively simplest.

Don’t get me wrong, product testing and market analysis is still very important, but completely pointless until you have clambered over initial hurdle of ’thinking up’ a product.

Let’s look at a couple of brilliant examples of a product which is a world-wide name and multi-million dollar profit centers,

Firstly, just about everyone on knows about Duracell Batteries, and how they came from nowhere, and trounced competition virtually overnight.

Was it because their batteries were better than competition? No, not really….. Not in general terms. But marketing people behind Duracell came up with not one, but TWO pieces of absolute sales and marketing brilliance.

Firstly, they looked at competition, market-place, mode and method of battery sales, then compared their product side-by-side with other leading batteries. It seemed that their battery was just as good as rest, or at least as good as market leader.

But in marketing world, trying to sell a product on basis of “It’s just as good as rest” - doesn’t really work.

They needed an EDGE.

During comparative product testing, it revealed Duracell was in fact, better than leading battery, in a particular way. They had discovered that Duracell batteries lasted longer, much longer than others….. during ’continuous use’.

EUREKA! That was it! They had found their edge….. The marketing angle….. The secret weapon.

So now, we all know that …. “ Duracell lasts longer any other battery during continuous use “…..

They had found a NICHE in battery market……. ‘continuous use’.

Why is this so important? Simple. Most people who use products which require batteries, seldom actually use product (and therefore battery) for long periods, i.e. continuous use - but rather use them in shorter, regular periods - like flash-lights, electric door-bells etc.

But that was of little importance - they marketed heavily on ’lasts longer… ’ concept - with funky little Duracell Bunny going on, and on, and on… and on……..

Duracell were not misleading anyone - they were completely truthful in their advertising, and with it, became a virtual household name overnight.

BUT - they also wanted a second scoop of market, and devised yet another unbelievably simple, but so effective concept….. of gigantean proportions. What was it? Sell batteries in PACKS! Simple but Brilliant!

Many readers may not recall, but before today’s multi-packs of batteries, they were simply sold loose, separately, individually. If you wanted just one - you went to local store, and purchased just a single battery.

Now, Duracell decided to sell in multi-packs, and that was only way to buy their new batteries. No singles. Period. Instead of selling one at a time, they sold FOUR At a time. Battery for battery, against competition, they blew them away.