We all want to be creative geniuses, especially in this day and age where our online audiences are not only craving, but are expecting quality content that is engaging, entertaining and/or educational, quality, engaging, entertaining and/or educational content.
The concept of great content has been around for a while, and we’re all very familiar with it – but how does a business owner actually go about delivering great content to their customers? Where do these ideas come from, and how can they be crafted so as to fulfil all of their customers’ expectations?
At Fireworks, our creative team have come up with a step by step process which has been designed to help you get the most out of your business’s online presence. Being a creative genius doesn’t have to be complicated – any business owner can create something memorable or even spectacular with their brand, with the right tools. Let Fireworks show you how!
Step One – Research!
There is no point in putting pen to paper to finger to keyboard unless you explicitly understand the concept of what you will be writing about.
Let the scope of your research be as broad as possible. Ask yourself the following: What makes your business unique? What sort of product or service are you selling? How long have you been in business?
Nothing that you discover will be wasted, so be sure to get collect as much information as possible! Make a list of attributes that highlight the product/service and highlight the parts that you think are valuable. Look for flaws that can be avoided or possibly shown in a different light. Do some research on your competitors to find some insights on the market and ideas that have been used in the past. Finally – put yourself in the mind of the customer – What interests them in regards to your product or service?
If is a competitive industry, find a niche or way to differentiate you from your competitors. For example, if you are a personal trainer, check your surroundings and the locations you visit. Do you visit customer’s homes? Do you have a unique method of delivery?
Anything that helps separate you from the rest of the pack will give you an edge on creating a great idea- one that customers haven’t heard before and will be interested in.
Step Two – The Ideas Group
Get a small group together – with anyone you know and trust who can provide quality advice and ideas, and discuss your brand together. A group of 2-3 is plenty, as that can allow you to gain sharper insight. Large groups run the risk of falling into a rhythm where everyone jumps on the bandwagon over a couple of ideas instead of grazing over lots of different concepts.
At this stage you should be looking for quantity, a lot of ideas where nothing is forgotten or ignored. Dean Kean Simonton, from the University of California, conducted a study on over 2,000 famous scientists throughout history and the connection they have with ‘creative thinking’. Some of the more well-known scientists included people like Da Vinci, Einstein, Charles Darwin and Tesla. One of his major finds was the ability of these people to create large sums of work. Einstein had over 200 papers published in addition to his well-known piece on relativity. Simonton also discovered that amongst all the fantastic life-changing ideas, there were also relatively standard ones. This emphasises that one of the most important steps of creative thought is the quantity of ideas as well as quality.
Make sure you listen for opportunities through other people’s ideas. Many times some of the best ideas are snippets from a range of different ideas. Common practise within the creative team at Fireworks is to write ideas on a whiteboard and connect similar ideas together. Encourage your group to say anything they like. Nothing is out of bounds……..nothing! No matter how strange the ideas or how silly you think they are, they should be heard. The idea session should be filled with loud noises, lots of hand gestures and lots of fun and laughter.
Step Three – Collaborate Your Ideas
Now take all your information and ideas and lay them out on a table in front of you. Look for opportunities and patterns to make something larger than one piece of content. Quite often the best ideas come from combining or looking at the bigger picture. Be open to finding the connections and gaps between your goal and ideas.
Additional research can make sure that your ideas are actually possible. At this stage remember to ask yourself, how will this help your business goals? What are the opportunities and what will hold us back with this idea?
Begin to narrow down your choices and number your options based on your own criteria. Get rid of ideas that you know just won’t work. Make sure you have at least 2-3 solid choices, but one in mind that is the main topic of choice.
Step Four – Pick a Topic & Plan
To be blunt, ideas are not really worth much until they are utilised. Motivation & inspiration form only the starting point of creativity, and not the final product.
The next step is to transform your idea into something that you can see. Look for some fresh minds in your office to give you some feedback, and remember don’t become too attached to your idea just yet. You need to understand that at this point the product is still in its infancy and can be moulded and refined. Be open to reviews and recommendations from others, and always be on the lookout to improve what you started.
Take the time to review all of the feedback and be objective. Remind yourself of your client’s goals and ask yourself if your idea will meet them.
Step Five – Get Writing!
You have to be enthusiastic about the final stage. You and anyone who helped have been through a great amount of creativity and inspiration to get to this point, but the best pieces of work will only come through hard work and focus.
Now is the time we need to persevere – that is the true goal. Working tirelessly to finalise and deliver the product you have nursed from the beginning. Oversee the workflow with great consideration and care to ensure it is created the way you had planned it to.
This is where the little details will matter. Look for all the flaws, if any and focus on the final product. Ensure quality will make the difference between a satisfactory and extraordinary accomplishment.
At Fireworks, we always endeavour to take the long road when it comes to creating content that will benefit our clients the most. By keeping the task structured and adhering to these steps, we are able to create unique and memorable content for all of our clients. But so can you. With the right kind of attitude and perseverance, we have every confidence that you too can find the creative genius within.