Have an idea? Go on…sell it!

You have an idea that you believe if implemented will make a positive impact in your organisation. You share it to get backing and it gets ‘shot down’. Is it because it’s no good? Not necessarily. It might be a question of how you sell it. Here are some tips.

Be clear what the idea is: We think it is an idea but it might be just a fuzzy notion. Clarity means you can see what it’ll be like in practice; that you’re able to explain it simply even if the implementation of the idea itself might not be necessarily simple.

Identify the key benefit: Good ideas have advantages such as saving costs and or time, making a process better or providing improved ways of implementing something. The more practical the benefit, the more likely it is to be heard.

Pretest the idea: Outdooring your idea for the first time to the people who will decide whether it lives or dies is not a good plan. Get some bright minds together beforehand and use them as a sounding board as well as to polish up any ‘rough’ edges.

Sell it on your audience’s terms: You sell, but your audience is under no obligation to ‘buy’. Find out what you can about the person(s) you’re pitching to and what they need to know from you in order to make a favourable decision.

Be ready for the ‘buts’: No matter how good the idea, it’s unlikely to be accepted wholesale. Think ahead to where your audience is likely to challenge your argument and prepare responses. Receive feedback in good faith and use it to improve

Don’t take it personally: Be prepared to make a strong case but it’s important to allow the independent evaluation so that its merit is properly assessed.

Be prepared for iterations:  An idea is never perfect from the beginning and might have to be reworked. So don’t be discouraged if it feels like your idea is being torn apart. Be clear what elements your audience think need further work and get on it.

Start thinking ahead: Start to think about next steps should your idea pass. This includes putting together a team to give the idea legs and momentum and to promote it to audiences critical to its success.

Don’t chuck it in the bin: If your idea did not pass, don’t tear up the file. Park it; but be ready to ‘pop’ it out and give it a second chance when the time is right.

Now take action: What idea have not had shot down, how would you sell it now?