“Wait.... hold on... I think I have a... yep, yep, I have an idea”*
Trilix is founded on the three fundamental elements of insight, strategy and creativity. Within those fundamentals is the development of ideas which are a key component in all marketing strategies, campaigns and tactics. But how many ideas need to be developed in order to deliver one? So many hours are spent developing ideas that don’t get executed. How can you use your brainstorming sessions to your maximum benefit and deliver an idea that actually works?
1. Know your audience. Knowing your target audience will save you time and allow you to build relationships – and that kind of insight is priceless. Developing strong relationships with your clients, clients’ customers and your own employees can directly benefit client relations as you discover the goals and objectives of their business. If you do your research before the brainstorming session, you’ll find you can save a lot more time, energy and resources. Before each brainstorming session you should research your audience. Know their demographic, interests and dislikes and you’ll find these sessions to be more focused and productive.
2. Be prepared. Bring paper for everyone and set a time limit on the session. Setting a time limit will force you to focus on the task at hand. Take a brief break and brainstorm again for a few more minutes – some of the most valued ideas surface at the end of the session.
3. Look for variety. Don’t brainstorm only within your department – branch out! Include people from a variety of backgrounds with various years of experience. Your entry-level employee will look at things differently than your 20-year veteran. This variety will give you an opportunity to gain the most creative, versatile and unique ideas possible.
4. Get out of the cubicle. Leaving your usual think space allows your thought process to be clear of clutter, e-mails, to-do lists and visiting co-workers which can allow you to think productively. Use open-ended questions to start the session in order to trigger the flow of ideas. It’s beneficial to the thought process if brainstorming is done in a neutral setting. This prevents distracting interruptions and allows for all members of the group to contribute.
5. Stock pile your ideas. Write all of your ideas down! Even ideas that seem far-fetched or unrealistic should be recorded – you never know when one of those may just lead you to a solution. What’s important is that you focus on the quantity of ideas and not necessarily the quality. You obviously won’t be able to use all the ideas you develop, but keep them on file as they may work for another project later on down the road.
Brainstorming can be very beneficial to your company or organization. You can profit and grow through improving the products and services you provide to your clients. It can also expand your personal creativity and help you grow within your career. While the process may take some time, in the end, the outcome may just surprise you. And it’ll be worth every minute you spent.
** Recognize the subtitle of the article? If you guessed it as a quote from the movie Dumb and Dumber, you guessed right! **