Seven ways of demonstrating innovation

Financial stakeholders, journalists, jobseekers and clients highly value to see a company’s new ideas and developments on its website. A company that is constantly on the lookout for new ideas could be regarded as a key player in the market and as an attractive employer. And as the corporate website is more and more a number one source for news and information, you could imagine that communicating online about innovation is a vital element for the perception of your company. Make sure that you have something substantional to tell your stakeholder. Window dressing will be recognised immediately and not appreciated at all.
 

1. Show the projects and activities you undertake

You need to demonstrate your innovation – just words are not enough. Show the projects and activities that you undertake. Offer proof for your claim. Present the range of areas in which you excel and describe the impact of each innovation. In what way does it make a change? Are you making your customer’s life easier or are you meeting demands from society?

DSM has a separate innovation section on its corporate website and clearly introduces its latest innovations:

Recent innovations of DSM’s Nutricion & Pharma department
 

2. Keep a neutral tone of voice

Be as objective as possible in describing your achievements. Marketese texts are not appreciated by stakeholders and undermine your credibility. Let your projects do the talking: present the activities and projects that demonstrate your position as an innovative key player in your sector.

3. Offer concrete and specific information

Give an accurate description of your innovation and explain the novelty: in what way is it new? For what problem do you have a solution? What are the benefits for your customer? What research have you undertaken? Name specific resources, don’t stop by saying “research shows …’. Make your achievements tangible and offer related information as well: provide links to press releases and relate your innovation to your company strategy. Explain that the new product or service contributes to achieving your goals and ambitions. If you have had a press coverage for your product, don’t forget to mention these. External sources usually are very powerful validations.

4. Communicate your successes

Awards for innovators are available in most industries. If you are rewarded for one of your innovations, mention it on your website as well. Remember that news articles or press releases are stored in an archive or are regarded as ‘old news’. Give your rewards their own space in the navigational structure of your website.

Xerox shows its National Medal of Technology

5. Keep your innovation section up to date

Nothing is as killing for your innovator’s image as an outdated innovation section. If your last publication on this subject goes back to 2005, you may consider if your company is really that innovative. Not to mention the conclusions your stakeholders will draw. Mobilise your colleagues to come up with news about new or current projects. Consider to include a separate news section as well: ‘More innovation news’.

6. Show your venturing team

Some companies have a special venturing team that is responsible for creation and realisation of new business concepts. These teams stimulate external parties and employees to come up with new ideas. They help realising them either by advising on a business case, gaining a budget or providing actual support in execution. Offer a section to introduce these initiatives on your corporate website. In this way you demonstrate that ‘innovation’ really matters to your company and that it is not just a buzz word.

Nokia takes venturing a step further and invites customers and other external stakeholders to exchange ideas. The company recognizes that innovation does not only happen within Nokia’ and offers the opportunity to submit a venturing proposal.

Submitting your venturing proposal at Nokia’s

7. Enrich your information with multimedia

Stakeholders appreciate tangible and attractive information. Use multimedia to illustrate your innovation. Use campaign material or depict the processing process. DSM decided to present a photo of each innovation (see example above). Xerox produced an ‘innovation video’, a blog and a podcast.

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