Raman Sehgal is the founder of ramarketing, an international agency helping firms raise profile & generate leads in the life science sector.
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These are the dreaded words marketing folks shudder at hearing from their boss or client: “You work in marketing, so you must be creative. Come up with some ideas for next month’s board meeting.” As your stomach turns, you walk away thinking: “Ideas. Okay. Ideas. I can come up with ideas. Actually, I literally can’t think of anything. I’m doomed. Oh God, I’m going to get fired.”
So, where do you start when you find yourself in this situation? First, don’t stress. Stay calm, and don’t get overwhelmed. Instead, think of it as your chance to shine.
A client recently asked me how I come up with creative ideas. It stopped me in my tracks. It’s always been something I just do. But when I thought about it, I do have a process in place for developing ideas from a blank sheet of paper. It’s been molded by reading stuff, trying new techniques and having to come up with client campaigns for the last 20 years. That’s the reality of running an international pharmaceutical marketing agency.
Assuming you ever find yourself in this situation with a boss or client, I figured I’d write down my process and share it with you. I’m sure it’s not textbook, and there are many alternative ways to come up with ideas, but it seems to work for me and may for you too.
1. Indulge In Information
Find and read as much information as possible related to the issue you’re trying to solve. Market research, client insight, competitor data, existing materials — it’s all gold. Also, investigate, talk to people, generate opinions and observe, where relevant. While doing this, make lots and lots of notes. This step is all about absorption and filling your mind with whatever information you need that will help you solve the problem at hand. Keep asking why, why, why. Challenge assumptions, and be curious. The best time to do this is when you’re distraction-free (like on a long flight). No interruptions. If you don’t have the time, make it. Make sure it’s just you, the information and your brain.
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2. Change The Angle
Often during this stage, I make a few provocative shifts that help me look at the issue from different perspectives. This is especially useful if ideas are, so far, limited. First, I pick up a dictionary and find a random word. I then must somehow tie that word to the problem. I do that a few times, and often this word association game opens lots of routes that I’ve never considered before.
Second, I think of analogies from completely different sectors. That tends to unlock some new language and thinking. Again, write lots of notes. Some of your worst ideas might be useful down the line. I’ll never forget one brainstorm session when everyone at my company was drawing a blank. We used the dictionary game that led to a gem of an idea, and then it snowballed into a brilliant theme for a client campaign. The energy went from flat to really high in a matter of moments, giving us priceless memories — and game-changing creative concepts.
3. Go With The Idea Flow
By this point, my imagination is usually racing. This is the time to think of as many ideas as possible to solve the problem. This is often the phase where I collaborate with colleagues to bring some more perspectives into the mix. Two brains are often better than one. To bring your thought process to life, this is a good time to use visual mind maps. I use Evernote or Google Docs to keep all my ideas together and then easily share them with others. Often, a couple of ideas will connect. Some may even start to lead the pack, especially if you can see how the ideas can develop and live beyond the initial purpose.
4. Stimulate Your Senses
During this stage, I often walk away from the challenge with a fried brain. I take a breath and remain calm. I simply let my mind mull over the concepts while I drink coffee, run, drive or listen to music. I let the magic of my subconscious take over. Sometimes, I think of something even better during this stage or ways to improve the existing ideas. This is when you often see something random on a blog, on the TV, in a book or in a store that triggers the creation of some truly exceptional ideas. A recent example is when I saw a font in a TV ad that had exactly the style I wanted for the creation of a new brand.
5. Bring Your Idea To Life
At the end of the thought process, I refine the idea and/or run it past the team to get their feedback. Assuming it’s good, I’ll smooth the edges and make it the best possible version I can before I present the concepts. The one thing I’ve learned to always do at this point is go back to the start again. Remind yourself of the brief or challenge and ensure that your creativity hasn’t taken you down an irrelevant path. You need to truly believe in your ideas to make them bulletproof. Don’t take something to the table that you feel is weak. It’ll either make you look silly and unprepared, or, God forbid, your boss/client chooses it, and you’re left delivering on an idea that, in hindsight, you know will never work.
So, if you’re faced with the daunting task of coming up with ideas, try this five-step framework. I hope it helps you think of some amazing ideas that not only impress your boss, client or team but also really impact your business, perhaps helping you win new contracts or create more jobs. Because that’s the impact of creativity I see in my world. And that’s the type of creativity that matters — the type that builds trust, enables success and drives growth.
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Author: Raman Sehgal, Forbes Councils Member
