How can I say this gracefully? Stop being ordinary! The first step to breaking out of the ordinary and starting your own creative revolution can begin with four specific ideas (remember that I'm speaking to manufacturers, publishers and retailers):

1. Form your own CSI department, and find out what makes other stores or operations so successful. Take pains to observe and understand nuances from the front lines. Too busy to spend time in the field or read about other successes? Think again.

I continue to read about the exploits of my former employer, Procter & Gamble, and its chairman, A.G. Lafley. While he oversees the company's $50 billion enterprise, he still regularly finds time to visit individual homes and talk with customers to keep current on what really matters to people. Yes, he could delegate that role to an army of minions, but he chooses to make his own firsthand observations because he knows they are simply important.

Take a two-minute field trip, and click on www.tomsshoes.com. See what's going on at this successful organization. It's a pretty simple business premise. They have kept this distinction simple and memorable-for every pair of shoes they sell, they give a pair away to a needy child. Priceless!

2. Become a proactive "idea broker" in the industry. I see Karen Grosse of Lighthouse Christian Books in Green Bay, Wis., and Bill Flandermeyer of Focus on the Family as two of many colleagues in the industry who practice constant "cross pollination" of ideas. They are always willing to apply the lessons learned from the past, think creatively different and pass ideas forward. They somehow give equal weight to learning and collaborating and are healthy conduits for fresh ideas.

Karen will readily tell you the promotional ideas that work with greeting cards and gifts. Her successes are then added to the successes of others as programs are tailored to meet local and regional customer needs. It's her own form of "idea-pay it forward." Her joy comes from building up of the body of Christ as a community and seeing countless other retailers win. Both Karen and Bill have this "sanctified ego" that allows them to mentor others to success. Got it in you?

3. Keep a little sketchbook or journal with you to write down ideas so you don't lose momentary insights. It reminds me of a movie with Michael Keaton where he is shopping in a grocery store and comes to the canned tuna section. In his moment of capturing ideas, he blurts into his hand-held tape recorder: "Call StarKist. Tell them to put mayonnaise in the tuna cans."

While this makes us laugh, the idea of recording ideas in real time on your phone or a sketchbook can bring great value. And don't forget to broker those ideas.

The next time you are near a Target, take a very close look at how they are highlighting specific designers. They continue to roll new product and new designers in to keep their merchandising mix fresh. It gives guests a reason to come back.

How are your vendors doing relative to bringing you fresh new looks? Put your suppliers on notice to be more creative-and retailers, help suppliers by finding retail space to devote to fresh product. You may also want to consider displaying local artists who are glorifying God with their artwork. Check out www.art4God.com, and see the 2009 winners of the International Christian Art Competition. You may have a local winner who is willing to display his or her original piece of art.

4. Embrace the power of storytelling and "sneezing"-also known as viral marketing. Community storytelling about the success of your store and/or company trumps all the other press you could receive. Imagine if you get all your employees and even part-timers to talk about the kingdom-building that is going on at your company. That's what is happening at Gracefully Yours, and it is electric. We talk about the sympathy card that provided special comfort at the funeral of a loved one.

To make storytelling/viral marketing active, take time at your next staff meeting to share consumer stories that are worth repeating. Start to build a "what makes us legendary" book, and post these on your Web site for public consumption.

Take up this challenge, and start your team on its own remarkable course, one grounded in Scripture, human inspiration, great ideas and initiatives, and radical collaboration that will lead you to remarkable distinction.

Start your revolution today!

Rick Tocquigny
www.gracefully-yours.com

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