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There's no need to invent something brand new if you want to build a successful business. In fact, some of the biggest money-spinners involve clever and creative evolutions of existing products and ideas. 

If you look around at some of the business ideas that have gone truly stratospheric in terms of success, many of them conform to this formula; they're not necessarily delivering anything that wasn't available before, they're just making things more engaging, more accessible, or more straightforward for the customer.

Consider the following examples of three successful business developments that involve evolution rather than completely new ideas:

Making it Cheaper

For many people planning a holiday, access to indulgent facilities like a luxurious pool or hot tub is often high up the list of the priorities.

But this business evolution isn't to do with holidays - it concerns the hot tubs themselves. For a long time, owning a luxurious spa pool was the exclusive preserve of people with a significant amount of money to spend. However, in recent years, there's been a growing trend for inflatable tubs that put this luxury within reach of far more people.

By taking something so desirable and making it cost hundreds rather than thousands, the manufacturers of inflatable hot tubs have produced a shining example of how you can build a business around making something cheaper. In early 2017, budget supermarket Aldi released a hot tub costing under £300, resulting in huge queues - and admittedly some disappointment when not everyone managed to bag one!

Making it Better

Online casinos are always innovating and, thanks to technology, they are able to constantly evolve their businesses to provide more engaging games and features for their players. Many online companies in particular have embraced virtual reality as a way to attract younger gamers while altering the gameplay of modern slots to focusses on a more skill-based model, as opposed to blind luck. 

Another example is the recent trend towards live casino gaming, as typified by companies like Betsson, which has 28 different live games. Players can interact with real-life dealers and croupiers, resulting in a true casino experience from a laptop screen. This is a solid example of a "making it better" business example - taking something that's already popular and making it more engaging.

Making it Easier

The "making it easier" business strategy is beautifully exemplified by the booming popularity of price comparison sites. Until relatively recently, people seeking insurance would employ the services of a broker or spend their time ringing around for multiple quotes - and possibly doing a bit of haggling.

Price comparison sites have completely disrupted this long-established norm. A 2016 survey showed that 41% of people "compare prices most of the time before shopping." This has created a booming price comparison industry - one which goes way beyond financial services. People can now find comparison sites to compare the prices of almost anything they may care to purchase - from flights and hotels to computer software.

So, if you ever find yourself struggling to think of your next business idea, try to take some inspiration from the "better, easier, cheaper" theory. Think of something you think could be better, easier, or cheaper - and make it so!