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Join the innovators' club

Feb 18 2003

A free and independent business advice service has been set up by the Department of Trade & Industry (DTI) to help businesses focus on market-led innovation.

The Innovators’ Club claims that firms that focus on market-led innovation, which it defines as innovating consistently in line with changing market demand, increase productivity and improve their ability to win and keep customers.

It is keen to explode the myth that innovation, which they admit is an “overused buzzword”, is risky and expensive, particularly in the case of market-led innovation. It wants innovation to be an ongoing process, rather than a cyclical one that is only considered when times are hard.

The Club aims to act as a filter for the vast array of information available on innovation to help businesses find exactly what they need via the internet or the phone.

It will do this through the website, www.theinnovatorsclub.co.uk, which contains The Innovation Store – over 140 publications to help entrepreneurs to understand and benefit from market-led innovation – and the Pot of Gold, a database of funds available for innovation.

There is also an area of the site dealing with events and seminars around the country and opportunities to promote individual products and services to others using the site.

Founder of the club Peter Soddy says, “Market-led innovation is based on everyone in the organisation thinking in terms of improving the overall service to the customer. Low cost (or no cost) actions can make huge changes in customer perception and can really make a difference to the bottom line.”

To join the Innovators’ Club or for more information, go to www.theinnovatorsclub.co.uk or phone the help desk on 01295-812200.

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