Your Best Method Selection Criteria – Special Response Checklist

When evaluating any potential marketing method you can check out its viability by running it through this checklist.

• What is the method?
• What do you know about it?
• What marketing goals do you expect this method will help you to achieve?
• What other business similar to yours has used this method and got results?
• Can you find this out?
• What kind of result is it possible to achieve?
• What are the potential benefits for a business like yours?
• Is there any guarantee of success?
• What are the risks involved?
• What resources, investment and time are required to get it set up?
• Have you got the resources and time to set up and run this marketing method?
• What will it cost you in terms of time and money to do this?
• How will you measure your success?

 

How To Use This Information

Read this book and take note of any of the methods that you think could work for your business. Run each you choose through this checklist before you add it to your marketing plan.

33 Being Creative With Your Ideas

What Does Being Creative Mean?

Being creative is all about your ability to come up with ways of doing things differently. It is about thinking outside of normal boundaries and rules, thinking outside of the box that the majority stay within. Creative thinkers use more of their right brain which is that part of your brain that accesses ideas and concepts, as opposed to their left brain which controls logic and order. We can all be creative if we allow ourselves to be and being good at marketing your business will need you to develop ways to capture the spirit of your business and stand out from the crowd.

Why Is It Important?

With the persistent competition for market share and the ever increasing pressure to do things better, cheaper and quicker in order to stand a chance of success, creative thinking is a must. If you can, come up with innovative ways of promoting yourself you will be remembered when others are forgotten. It is often easier to follow the crowd in any industry, to do something because it is expected or because it has always been done that way. It takes courage to break free and be different. Good creative ideas can propel you forward and help you to stimulate the mind of your customer.

Your Challenge

Some business owners would not describe themselves as being creative. This is probably because they have never really allowed themselves to be. By creating the right circumstances and allowing your mind to run free we all have the potential for bright ideas. Being creative is all about opening your mind to possibilities and letting go of the reins of control. Most of us come up with our best ideas when we are relaxed, enjoying ourselves or being stimulated by a new environment. It is hardest to be creative when you are walking the treadmill of familiar daily tasks. Your greatest challenge will be to create opportunities to let your mind relax giving it a chance to get stimulated outside of a normal routine environment.

How To Be Creative – Special Response Checklist

• Where are you when you find you come up with your best ideas? Go there more often.
• Have you tried a creative marketing ideas brainstorming session with your team?
• Take your team out of the office and just let your minds run free: all ideas are accepted no matter how crazy. If you create an environment that is free from criticism and analysisyou will be amazed at what comes up.
• Some of the reality business programmes on television like Risking It All, The Apprentice, Dragons’ Den are great for stimulating ideas. If you see something you like, think about how you could apply it to your business in a different way.
• What kind of fun creative activity do you think would get your business some attention?
• What kind of competition could you run?
• What could you do that would attract some positive press coverage?
• What could you do that is different and unique?
• Get yourself a brightly coloured artist’s pad and some coloured pens. Help yourself think creatively by drawing and linking ideas together. Mind maps are a useful way of connecting your ideas and allowing one thought to branch off into another.
• Keep a record of your ideas whenever they occur to you and let them develop.
• What could you do that would really communicate the spirit of your business?

How To Use This Information

When you come up with a new and different approach to the marketing or advertising of your business make sure that it has the best chance of attracting the right people and giving out the right message about your business. Keep your eye on your brand image and make sure that anything you do is supportive of it. If your idea ticks all the right boxes give it a try and just like any other marketing method you use it will need to be tested and measured.