The BIG Idea File: Mommy, where do ideas come from? Top 10 All-Time Best EVER Sources for Inspiration

Ever get just plain stuck trying to come up with a new idea?

Inspiration is everywhere if you take the time to look for it – it’s a matter of learning how to ‘tune in’ to the sources of inspiration and take that raw information and turn it into a business goldmine.

Top 10 All-Time Best EVER Sources for Inspiration:

#1: Crowdsourcing – Benefitting from the collective wisdom of crowds has never been easier with web 2.0 technology. The idea is you pose a question or a problem and source a crowd to solve it, usually with a reward for the best idea.

#2: Trend Spotting Sites – Check out the trend spotting sites for research data on trends. Two favorites are Trendhunter.com and Forrester.com! Beware of information overload!

#3: Industry Competitors – Look at your industry competitors for both ideas and insights on your competitive advantage. What is your competition doing differently?

#4: Business Publications – Poke around in the business books or head over to the magazine stand and flip through the interesting clips section. Inspiration sometimes just pops out of nowhere!

#5: Unrelated Industries – Just because you aren’t serving up coffee doesn’t mean you can’t learn from Starbucks. Look at the strategy behind the brand and you’ll discover an endless source of ideas.

#6: Entrepreneurial Success Stories – Pay attention to both the big-brands and the start-ups for the secret recipe to success. Look at how they do things differently, how they build a buzz and how they deliver the goods to their customers.

#7: The News – Tune into current events and think about how the latest developments will impact your corner of the world. Is there a new problem that needs solving? Is there a new opportunity you can tap into?

#8: YOUR Customers – Tap into their knowledge by 1) Surveying your current customers and ask them what they enjoy about working with you – the answer may surprise you, 2) Paying attention to their most common questions and challenges.

#9: Advertising – Become a student of advertising. Pay close attention to how brands position their products and how they use different advertising media. Believe it or not, the Sham-WOW commercials are a goldmine for product positioning and selling.

#10: The BIG Idea File – Stay tuned. We’ll be bringing you fresh new ideas every Tuesday – from inspiring stories to how-to lists.

Got an idea for The Big Idea File? Check out our Submission Guidelines for how to get your BIG IDEA published in MOMeo Magazine!