Rocky 7.1 (with apologies to Sly Stallone)

At the core of marketing innovation are four basic tenets – perseverance, people, planning and pure karma (or dumb luck or coincidence or kismet, or whatever you prefer to call it).

Over the next four weeks, this blog will address each one individually. Please contribute your stories of how you’ve put each of them to work in your own business. (And remember, commenting on blogs with your company name is a great way to improve your own visibility and SEO – a marketing innovation itself!)

In order to innovative, one must be willing to take a serious beating about the head and body (hopefully not literally), and pop back up again…ready to battle another challenge. Did you know that Colonel Sanders heard 1009 “no’s” before his chicken recipe was accepted? (And he obviously still had the energy left to count his rejections.) 

No great change has ever come about without frustrations, battles, and despair. Of course, a fine line exists between believing strongly in a new idea and moving it forward to the point where you risk poverty, lose credibility, and even lapse into madness. (See “A Flash of Genius” if you need a good example.) 

Clearly, one needs more than a great idea and tenacity to innovate. But some of the most successful entrepreneurs faced ridiculous odds and did not allow rejection, nay-sayers, and severe obstacles to force them to abandon a truly great idea that they were passionate about.

How do you keep motivated through those dark days?

• Read, watch or download (and listen on your iPod) stories of entrepreneurs who “beat the odds.”

• Seek out positive, helpful people as advisors – the best ones will give you honest advice and help you fine-tune, rather than simply agreeing. (Remember to ask for help!)

• Take a step back and ask yourself honest questions about why previous attempts may have failed and be willing to course-correct

• Acknowledge the small victories towards achieving your goals. Whether you are tackling new social media skills, launching a new product, or changing some aspect of your current business model, be sure to plan, document and celebrate your minor successes along the way.

Most important, remember that no business or idea is ever worth risking your personal health and well-being of your family. Stay balanced in life and work. You’re no good to anyone if you’re lying unconscious in the ring.