By P.S. Jones, P.S. Jones Communications
Every amazing thing starts with a tiny spark. Many times the idea hits you when you’re thinking about something completely different. Some of the best ideas come in the shower or while you’re washing the dishes. The next step is to research the logistics of the idea — how to get it done, the costs, and all the other little details that have to be taken care for a new idea to flourish. That’s when so many people hit a brick wall because their research leads them to a startling fact.
Somebody else is already doing it.
There’s nothing like seeing an idea that you thought was 100% original on somebody else’s business. It happens more often than you think. If you do your due diligence you’ll often find at least one or two other people who had the same or very similar ideas. But don’t let that scare you away from something that could take you or your business to the next level.
Never be afraid of a little competition. Competition is what sets the women apart from the girls. Innovation is amazing but the odds that you will come up with an idea that no one else will come up with–or try to copy once you’ve come up with it–are slim. No matter what it is you do, there will always be someone (or a few million someones) doing it, too. The fact that someone else is doing it is actually a good sign. It says that the idea has merit and if the other guy is making money doing it, at least you know there’s a market out there for it.
The best way to cope with competition is to set yourself apart from it. Do it better than anyone else is doing it. Find the weaknesses in the competition’s operation, solve them and offer the solution to your customers. Put your own twist on it and make the idea truly yours. Focus on a niche overlooked by the rest so you can speak to an audience the competition is forgetting. Just remember that innovation isn’t always about creating something new. Sometimes it’s about making some already there better. You don’t have to reinvent the wheel to be successful. You just have to make me want to get my wheels from you.
P.S. Jones is the owner of P.S. Jones Communications. Her company offers marketing and communication solutions to small businesses and entrepreneurs looking to make their words work. For more information about Jones or her work, go to www.iampsjones.com.
