As a marketer with over twenty years experience clients sometimes mistakenly think that I have the answer to most marketing related issues and expect me to pull out of my briefcase a solution to every creative opportunity. That’s flattering but clearly wrong.
The best you can hope for is an application of clear business process harnessed to a good idea; and that marriage bringing home the rewards. Whilst I have no fear in applying the business process and on occasion have originated the odd golden nugget of an idea, I am by no way a fount of perpetual ideas.
In fact, if anyone suggests that they are capable of solving all your marketing/ business problems it could fall into the category of “too good to be true” because no one has all the answers.
If you are in need of inspiration you could do far worse than look closer to home. Over the years my clients have created fantastic strap lines, impactful adverts and wonderfully original logos simply by having someone believe in their own ability to be creative and that others wouldn’t laugh at their efforts. Sure, a little guidance is sometimes required but more often than not a small amount of encouragement and permission to “do it themselves” is all that’s required.
Don’t get me wrong, advertising and design agencies can provide superb input and take a germ of an idea and breathe life into it but equally those within the business are better placed than anyone to understand the real needs and to be able to communicate that to their target audience.
What is absolutely critical is that the finished product fits the bill and doesn’t look “handmade”, “cheesy” or even worse somebody else’s idea in the first place!
No one has exclusive rights to the creative process, we all possess the ability, the trick is to apply the most appropriate methods to find it.
An added benefit is by involving your business in a creative process such as brand naming, copywriting, logos etc. you provide a real opportunity for them to participate in taking the company forward. This can be achieved through a variety of mediums:
- Staff newsletters
- Competitions
- Away day meetings
- Department meetings
- Intranet
- Surveys
Why is this so important?
Ultimately your greatest marketing opportunity lies with your own workforce. Consider how many people each of your staff interact with on a regular basis and how they may all be potential customers.
If you can engender a positive attitude to your company and its activities through your own people others will soon get the message and the business will continue to grow.
