Get creative with marketing

Marketing involves creativity- new modes and methods of communication, to just get the attention of prospective clients or consumers. What do you do when you feel tapped out and the idea mill has dried up?

Creative people have methods they use, consciously or unconsciously, to give their minds the maximum capacity to think creatively and generate new ideas.

• Take time to think freely. This may be lying in bed before falling asleep, during a morning walk or run, in the shower, or during a long commute.

• Exercise your imagination. The more you use your imagination, the better it works for you. Visualize your success. Ask yourself, “What would happen if…?” Fantasize about the impossible.

• Do something new. Your brain’s neurons start firing when it has to learn something new. Read something different, volunteer, try a new exercise class, or start a new hobby.

• Create. Paint, knit, write, carve, cook… the result doesn’t matter. It’s the process that gets the right side of your brain active.

• Chill out. Creativity flourishes in a relaxed atmosphere. Take a walk, meditate, find a quiet place, breathe deeply. Put your worries aside for awhile and de-stress.

• Get back to nature. Spend time appreciating the colors of the season, the sound of water churning, or the changes during sunrise or sunset. Get inspired.

• Immerse yourself in creativity. Go to the theater or an art museum. Pick up a classic piece of literature or poetry.  Creativity breeds more creativity. 

With a tight schedule and multiple deadlines looming, you may think some of these activities are a waste of time. However, they are methods that “sharpen the saw” as Stephen Covey would say. When you take time to cultivate your creativity, you’ll spend less time chasing a muse, and more time wowing your clients with innovative ideas.

Efficient Marketing

Have you noticed how crazy marketing can get sometimes? Between answering the phone, writing emails, running to meetings and returning messages it’s a wonder anything gets done during the day.

As a self-employed marketing professional, I get hundreds of interruptions every day and it leaves me feeling stressed. It’s as though I did not accomplish one important thing that day! Is there anyone who feels the same way?

So what do you do? Some things that really help me through the frustration are:

Make a list. I know a lot of people are not big on “to do” lists but I find them very helpful. After jotting down on paper the important things I want to get done for the day, I feel free. I know I won’t forget what needs to get done and I can choose which items on my list I want to cross off first. Whether it’s writing a proposal for a client, paying invoices, putting an estimate together or sketching out a creative brief, I know that at the end of the day I can look back at my list and know there are a number of things I have accomplished.

Don’t answer every phone call. While I know it’s sometimes easier to pick up the phone and respond to an issue immediately (rather than play phone tag for days to come) often it just doesn’t pay. When I find I’m focused and in the moment, getting interrupted stops my train of thought and throws me off-track. Decide at the time if it makes more sense to entertain the interruption or to continue what you were doing.

Schedule meetings close together. I like to make sure I have certain days where meetings are not scheduled and I have entire days or blocks of time when I can get things done. If I have to run from client to client every day of the week, I’d never accomplish a thing.

Consider your routine. Are there things that you find you are doing that are time-wasters? Or do you do things during the day that inspire and energize you? Pay attention to what you do throughout the day and keep in mind which activities should stay and which could be eliminated. Begin a routine of motivating, energizing activities throughout the day to keep you moving forward.

I’m very interested in hearing how you get all your marketing tasks done. And, I’d love to learn more interesting ways of how to get through a difficult day. Thanks for sharing!