Design Confidential » competition http://www.design-confidential.com inspiration. information. influence Tue, 07 Feb 2012 06:02:07 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.9.2 en hourly 1 Trade Secret #2- The View from Outside http://www.design-confidential.com/trade-secret-2-the-view-from-outside/ http://www.design-confidential.com/trade-secret-2-the-view-from-outside/#comments Thu, 08 Jan 2009 06:01:12 +0000 Deb http://www.design-confidential.com/?p=141 “I avoid patterns. By patterns, I mean ruts and to keep fresh ideas flowing; I carefully watch how people in completely unrelated industries do business. I’ts incredibly eye opening to see how a fitness entrepreneur develops a new product line or how a marketing company reaches out to the community. I’ve discovered some of my best ideas this way. I watch how other companies handle everything from bookkeeeping to customer service and then I challenge myself to incorporate these ideas into my business.”   Maya Meirav, Maya Meirav Haute Couture

courtesy Boston Globe

Here’s my fresh business idea – Sampling Salons. Customers are invited to take their time and try as many make-up and skin care products as they like without any pressure to buy. They can test-drive different brands and varieties side by side and make their purchases later. While some salons employ a staff of knowledgeable consultants, there are no salespeople. The concept offers a relaxed shopping experience for consumers, expanded product exposure and market research for manufacturers. Salons get revenue from manufacturers who pay for their products to be displayed, market research organizations and sometimes from the customers themselves, who pay modest membership fees.  Who will be the first to create design sample salons?

What have you learned or borrowed from other industries?

 

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