Be Your Own Boss - Is Your Idea Viable? with Keith Evans

Keith Evans from Cida co. came in to talk about how to measure the viability of our ideas.

Tips to remember overall when selling work;
- Don't be afraid to ask
- User generated content
- Think Globally
- Network
- Keep an eye on competition

11.9 billion - What the creative sector is worth.

UK Creative Sector  

• Competition - Getting a better idea of how to price your work, potential collaboration.
• Technology - Online Presence, Social Media.
• Customers - What do they want, where will they buy it? 
• Policy/Legal Issues - Tax credit, Trade/ Marketing - intellectual property, Copywright.
• Supplier.
• Economy, Education, Environment - Awareness of things eg. cuts to fees, staying with the news.

Important things voted by the class - 

• Protect the value of your work 
• Self Promotion and Networking 
• Brand 'UK' - Leading Country
• Digital  - Brand, Selling (eCommerce/ Market) Experience
• Uniqueness 
• Enterprise Schemes
• Sustainability - Selling point, suppliers 

COSTAR 

Used in the UK & USA, eg. Iplayer

Methodology - Measuring the value of ideas

Customer - Who is it and what is their unmet need?

Opportunity - What is the full potential, how can it expand? 

Solution - What is your proposed solution for capturing the opportunity?

Team - Who needs to be on the team to ensure the solution's success.

Advantage - Your competitive advantage over alternatives.

Results - What will be achieved from your solution?

Critical Behaviours For Success

1. Confidence sells! What you say in a pitch is only a small percentage of how you communicate.

2. Have a clear sense of values and beliefs.

3. Conceptual thinking - Be open to people's ideas.

4. Strategic Thinking - Value the planning process, plan over significant periods, recognise trends and opportunities.

5. Commercial Aptitude - Keeping up to date with the latest developments.

6. Project Management - Ideas into reality, critical links between people, ideas and info at all stages of the project - understanding negotiation, communication and reach agreements.

7. Risk Taking - Hope of success, not fear of failing. Set goals despite setbacks.

8. Customer Sensitivity - Long term relationships of trust - high level of customer service. Regularly exceed customer expectation.

9. Networking - Key business activity. Networks provide access to info, expertise, collaboration and sales. Planning and preparing leads to desired results. Sell you!

10. Leaderships - Drive your own projects.

11. Innovation - Develop work.