Marketing Secrets
Marketing Secrets
The Lost Art of Brainstorming
Rule 4: Everyone’s Opinion Should Be Heard
Rule 5: Share What You Capture
If you’re tuning in here, make sure to catch the definition, Rule 1, and Rules 2 + 3.
Rule 4: Everyone’s Opinion Should Be Heard
If you have carefully selected your attendees, then it will be no surprise that you want them to participate. When I was in grad school, I participated, as an INTERN, in a brainstorm session about product diversification and brand awareness at a multi-billion dollar global company. What did I have to contribute? Apparently, something, because I was there with some fairly high up people that I would normally have no business sitting in a room with at that point in my career. I was expected to participate, not just take notes or clean up messes or listen intently, participate. If someone is quiet, ask for their opinion. If they have showed up to this session, they are there to participate. This is not an hour/half-day/day away from the office or opportunity to catch up on emails. Everyone should be actively engaged. Or they can leave. I get that thinking creatively and shirking criticism for a little bit can be uncomfortable for a lot of people. We are trying to get out of our own way and start positive change. Voicing ideas is the least uncomfortable you will probably feel during this entire transformation.
Rule 5: Share What You Capture
At the end of the brainstorm, follow up with all the attendees with what you collectively came up with. Here’s what we all heard and agreed to, here’s how it answers our questions. Then, ask for feedback. Does it make sense? Does it track outside the brainstorm room? These are answers that will be the basis for the next steps of the organization. If everyone is still on board, you have your foundation to make important business decisions. So, if we decided that paying carriers was their number one concern, how do we make that part of our processes, procedures, marketing, performance evaluation, etc.? The brainstorm isn’t a nebulous black hole where great ideas go to live while your questions fester in perpetuity. It’s the drop that starts the ripple.
go. brainstorm.
The way you plan and pace your actual brainstorm session is up to you. I have my own special recipe to keep the brainstorm magic alive, but you can have yours. These 5 rules are the ones that are most critical to assure you have a fruitful and meaningful brainstorm that breaks down and answers some incredibly big and consequential questions for your business. Brainstorming is an art. And anyone can be an artist.
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