INSPIRED CREATIVE MARKETING - A GUIDE

Transcription

1 INSPIRED CREATIVE MARKETING - A GUIDE

2 TABLE OF CONTENTS OVERVIEW FIND YOUR CREATIVE SPACE KNOW THE GOAL KNOW THE AUDIENCE DON T PLAY IT SAFE KEEP IT SIMPLE SLEEP ON IT AN UNBIASED VIEW

3 OVERVIEW...it makes us consume that particular product or service. All good marketing is creative it engages our attention, it stands out from the crowd, it hits us in the right places at the right times, it evokes emotion and, ultimately, it makes us consume that particular product or service. At the same time, coming up with something truly creative is no easy task. Big multinational companies spend millions of pounds each year paying top creatives in the world s best advertising agencies to come up with new ideas and even they don t always get it right. So how can you? By it s very nature, creativity isn t something you can teach but there are a few little tricks and pointers you can use to make it that little bit easier. 3

4 FIND YOUR CREATIVE SPACE...we re talking about finding space... Sounds like the words of a pretentious artist or experimental dancer right? Probably, but we re not talking about working in a room filled only with cushions and sandalwood incense! We re talking about finding a space, whether you re working on your own or with others, that s away from your desk. Go into the meeting room or other area where you can just purely focus on coming up with ideas and get away from the ringing phones and cluttered desks. It makes a real difference. 4

5 KNOW THE GOAL...when you think you have an idea that is truly brilliant think back... Good creative marketers constantly revert back to the end goal, checking if their creative solution actually solves the problem. When you think you have an idea that is truly brilliant think back and make sure that your marketing idea will achieve what you want it to. 5

6 KNOW THE AUDIENCE...create solutions that compel them to take action. Sometimes otherwise great creative ideas just don t fit with the audience that they are trying to engage. We ve all had those ideas for truly hilarious new strap lines for our products (or more often someone else s!) but if the people that you are trying to reach don t quite share the same sense of humour then it s time for a rethink! Know the audience you re engaging with and create solutions that compel them to take action. 6

7 DON T PLAY IT SAFE...doing the same as everyone won t get you anywhere. Despite the previous point, you should never play it too safe when it comes to marketing ideas. In today s crowded market place it s difficult to stand out from the competition; so doing the same as everyone else won t get you anywhere. If you re looking at the competition then look for what they re not doing and then try and outplay them. A good trick for coming up with ideas that beat the competition is to take inspiration from companies you admire that operate in completely different industries to you. Then you can apply new ideas to your business that your competitors haven t thought of yet. 7

8 KEEP IT SIMPLE...define your message and convey it in the simplest, most creative way possible. If the idea confuses you even slightly it s going to be much worse for the potential customer who has no prior knowledge of your business. Define your message and convey it in the simplest, most creative way possible. 8

9 SLEEP ON IT...get a fresh pair of eyes to go over your ideas... If possible, sleep on it. If not, get a fresh pair of eyes to go over your ideas and give you an honest opinion. We re all guilty of having had those revolutionary new ideas that don t seem quite as revolutionary with the benefit of a good nights sleep! 9

10 AN UNBIASED VIEW...define your message and convey it in the simplest, most creative way possible. When soliciting opinions on your ideas from others, try to ask those that have no prior involvement with what you re doing and what you re trying to achieve. If possible ask someone that doesn t even work for your company. This way you will get two things: 10

11 1. An honest opinion because the person is less likely to worry about hurting your feelings or angering their superior. 2. An unbiased first reaction because the person has no prior involvement in the project - they are coming to it completely fresh. They also have less knowledge of your company in general so you are essentially gauging what the opinions of consumers may be when they see your advert (It s not quite cutting edge market research but it does help!). Try these next time you re working on a new idea and let us know how you get on. 11

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