13 answers
Yasmine
Student
Coalisland, Northern Ireland, United Kingdom
6
Questions
Updated
929 views
How can I be more creative? as a student that wants to study marketing, I feel like I am not very creative. How marketing professionals come up with those creative and great ideas?
I am a student interested in marketing, I am willing to learn more about sector. #marketing #business #marketing-and-advertising #communication #question #answer
13 answers
David Weight, MS
Digital Marketing
24
Answers
Lansing, Michigan
Updated
David’s Answer
I'll second what a few have mentioned here that creativity is not always a visual thing. I, for example, cannot draw or design to save my life, but I am a creative person; my creativity comes in the form of solving problems. When faced with a challenge or goal, I tend to find creative ways to address them and that has served my marketing career well thus far. My first tip would be to try to identify the ways in which you are creative. Think of the things that are different between you and your peers; what things do you approach differently than others? What are the things that you see clearly that maybe others do not?
If you're looking for something more tactical, my suggestion would be to delve into the world of consumer behavior and human psychology. This is an area that seems to be really under addressed in marketing and has lead to some of my more "creative" ideas. Having a deeper understanding of what really drives people to action (and it's more than just impulse or clever words) can help bring out more creative solutions. People are motivated by a myriad of unknown factors from events in their childhood or a desire to fit in. Understanding some of those factors can really help you devise creative solutions to influence behaviors.
If you're looking for something more tactical, my suggestion would be to delve into the world of consumer behavior and human psychology. This is an area that seems to be really under addressed in marketing and has lead to some of my more "creative" ideas. Having a deeper understanding of what really drives people to action (and it's more than just impulse or clever words) can help bring out more creative solutions. People are motivated by a myriad of unknown factors from events in their childhood or a desire to fit in. Understanding some of those factors can really help you devise creative solutions to influence behaviors.
Shannon Calvert
2
Answers
Updated
Shannon’s Answer
In addition to the above, keep in mind two additional ways of thinking:
1 - Everyone is creative in their own way. Some are gifted with their hands, some are gifted in creative ways to problem solve or present data. Creativity shows up in different ways - not always the artistic way.
2 - There are many different roles within Marketing in the business world. There are the roles that are heavy creative thought and visualization, design...but there are also analytics, go-to-market, operational marketing, and more. So play to your strengths and interests because Marketing is a large space with many talents needed and various avenues to develop and succeed.
Explore the various roles within Marketing field to determine what speaks most to you
Play to your strengths and realize you are creative in your own unique way!
1 - Everyone is creative in their own way. Some are gifted with their hands, some are gifted in creative ways to problem solve or present data. Creativity shows up in different ways - not always the artistic way.
2 - There are many different roles within Marketing in the business world. There are the roles that are heavy creative thought and visualization, design...but there are also analytics, go-to-market, operational marketing, and more. So play to your strengths and interests because Marketing is a large space with many talents needed and various avenues to develop and succeed.
Shannon recommends the following next steps:
Alejandra Zelaya
Senior Analyst
54
Answers
New York, New York
Updated
Alejandra’s Answer
Hi Yasmine!
Alejandra here again (: I work in marketing and have to write weekly articles that talk about youth culture.. and let me tell you it's really hard to be constantly creative. That being said, what I've learned as I have mastered my skills is that creativity should feel exciting, exhilarating, and be something you want to share. If you're not getting excited about the idea, then it's probably not the most creative. Here are some tips I have for your specific questions:
How can I be more creative?
- What I have found helps me be creative is really sort of going to the edge of how I understand something. For example, if I'm trying to write a creative article on cats, I think about everything I know about cats, I look at other articles already written about cats, and I think to myself.. what do I wish there was more of about cats? what do I want to know? what doesn't already exist. By taking inventory of what I already know/see, I am able to be creative and think in the beyond.
How do marketing professionals come up with those creative and great ideas?
- By listening! The biggest lesson I have learned is to be quiet and just listen to everything and anything people are thinking. Similar to the above, the first few discussion points when brainstorming a creative idea are the ones everyone had right away. If you just listen, you can think beyond the first few thoughts and really grasp at that great idea that is beyond the initial brainstormed ideas. It also allows you to hear what people think is missing (similar to the above, what doesn't already exist) Listening allows your brain to explore, instead of thinking "what am I going to say next" just listening to all the insights allows your brain the liberty to think creatively while others put down the facts on the paper.
I hope this is helpful!
Alejandra here again (: I work in marketing and have to write weekly articles that talk about youth culture.. and let me tell you it's really hard to be constantly creative. That being said, what I've learned as I have mastered my skills is that creativity should feel exciting, exhilarating, and be something you want to share. If you're not getting excited about the idea, then it's probably not the most creative. Here are some tips I have for your specific questions:
How can I be more creative?
- What I have found helps me be creative is really sort of going to the edge of how I understand something. For example, if I'm trying to write a creative article on cats, I think about everything I know about cats, I look at other articles already written about cats, and I think to myself.. what do I wish there was more of about cats? what do I want to know? what doesn't already exist. By taking inventory of what I already know/see, I am able to be creative and think in the beyond.
How do marketing professionals come up with those creative and great ideas?
- By listening! The biggest lesson I have learned is to be quiet and just listen to everything and anything people are thinking. Similar to the above, the first few discussion points when brainstorming a creative idea are the ones everyone had right away. If you just listen, you can think beyond the first few thoughts and really grasp at that great idea that is beyond the initial brainstormed ideas. It also allows you to hear what people think is missing (similar to the above, what doesn't already exist) Listening allows your brain to explore, instead of thinking "what am I going to say next" just listening to all the insights allows your brain the liberty to think creatively while others put down the facts on the paper.
I hope this is helpful!
Hello Alejandra! Great to hear from you again! Hahah thank you so much, it was very helpful.
Yasmine
Loved this answer.
Sylvester Jackson
Sachin Bapat
1
Answer
Updated
Sachin’s Answer
Creativity can be learned- it is not something we are born with.
I loved a book called-How to Think Like Leonardo da Vinci: Seven Steps to Genius Every Day
Below is the link on amazon for the book...just copy and paste it in your browser.
Also, here are a few things that help me be more creative-
- Talk to other people about my ideas and get their feedback...
- Keep coming up with new ideas to solve problems...
- Learn something new and practice it
- Do something challenging for yourself (e.g. speak before other people, sing in front of others, create a presentations and share it with others)
- Read about journeys of people who creative. For example, I loved reading Steve Jobs's biography or watching the movie Steve Jobs...
Link to the book:
https://www.amazon.com/How-Think-Like-Leonardo-Vinci/dp/0440508274/ref=asc_df_0440508274/?tag=hyprod-20&linkCode=df0&hvadid=343220051962&hvpos=&hvnetw=g&hvrand=4211816695678998971&hvpone=&hvptwo=&hvqmt=&hvdev=c&hvdvcmdl=&hvlocint=&hvlocphy=9010814&hvtargid=pla-434091759791&psc=1&tag=&ref=&adgrpid=66484626862&hvpone=&hvptwo=&hvadid=343220051962&hvpos=&hvnetw=g&hvrand=4211816695678998971&hvqmt=&hvdev=c&hvdvcmdl=&hvlocint=&hvlocphy=9010814&hvtargid=pla-434091759791
I loved a book called-How to Think Like Leonardo da Vinci: Seven Steps to Genius Every Day
Below is the link on amazon for the book...just copy and paste it in your browser.
Also, here are a few things that help me be more creative-
- Talk to other people about my ideas and get their feedback...
- Keep coming up with new ideas to solve problems...
- Learn something new and practice it
- Do something challenging for yourself (e.g. speak before other people, sing in front of others, create a presentations and share it with others)
- Read about journeys of people who creative. For example, I loved reading Steve Jobs's biography or watching the movie Steve Jobs...
Link to the book:
https://www.amazon.com/How-Think-Like-Leonardo-Vinci/dp/0440508274/ref=asc_df_0440508274/?tag=hyprod-20&linkCode=df0&hvadid=343220051962&hvpos=&hvnetw=g&hvrand=4211816695678998971&hvpone=&hvptwo=&hvqmt=&hvdev=c&hvdvcmdl=&hvlocint=&hvlocphy=9010814&hvtargid=pla-434091759791&psc=1&tag=&ref=&adgrpid=66484626862&hvpone=&hvptwo=&hvadid=343220051962&hvpos=&hvnetw=g&hvrand=4211816695678998971&hvqmt=&hvdev=c&hvdvcmdl=&hvlocint=&hvlocphy=9010814&hvtargid=pla-434091759791
Don Shell
Director, Corporate Communications
25
Answers
Fenton, Michigan
Updated
Don’s Answer
"Imagination is more important than knowledge. Knowledge is limited. Imagination encircles the world." -- Albert Einstein
I like to think that creativity comes from one part inspiration and two parts perspiration. That means, as others have said here, it can be learned, rather than simply existing as an innate personality trait. In short, being creative takes effort as well as ingenuity. Here's what I'd recommend:
Be a student of your craft -- Going beyond the basics of your Marketing classes, make your passion and hobby reading industry blogs, news, and most importantly, watching industry trends. This is the body of knowledge that will feed your imagination, whether you consciously know it or not. It's like the old sports adage, "The more I practice, the luckier I get."
Study other trends, too -- Particularly in the field of Marketing, keeping your pulse on the beat of the culture is vital, and as you grow in your career, understanding the personas and preferences of your target audiences will help you synthesize these trends into creative campaigns.
Be fearless! -- Every brilliant ad campaign in history had its detractors somewhere in the board room. Don't be afraid to push boundaries, starting with your own.
I like to think that creativity comes from one part inspiration and two parts perspiration. That means, as others have said here, it can be learned, rather than simply existing as an innate personality trait. In short, being creative takes effort as well as ingenuity. Here's what I'd recommend:
Be a student of your craft -- Going beyond the basics of your Marketing classes, make your passion and hobby reading industry blogs, news, and most importantly, watching industry trends. This is the body of knowledge that will feed your imagination, whether you consciously know it or not. It's like the old sports adage, "The more I practice, the luckier I get."
Study other trends, too -- Particularly in the field of Marketing, keeping your pulse on the beat of the culture is vital, and as you grow in your career, understanding the personas and preferences of your target audiences will help you synthesize these trends into creative campaigns.
Be fearless! -- Every brilliant ad campaign in history had its detractors somewhere in the board room. Don't be afraid to push boundaries, starting with your own.
Andres Wiest
I'm a business owner
2
Answers
Orem, Utah
Updated
Andres’s Answer
Creative people think differently. Try associating to make surprising connections across areas of knowledge, industries, even geographies. Don't be afraid to make odd combinations of things you never thought they could combine. I hope this helps you get started. I have other things that can help also.
Tip #1: Force new associations
Tip #2: Take on a different persona to think the way they might
Tip #3: Generate metaphors and analogies
Tip #4: Build your own curiosity box by collecting odd, interesting things
Andres recommends the following next steps:
Thao Pham
Marketing/ Recruitment
17
Answers
Adelaide, South Australia, Australia
Updated
Thao’s Answer
Good question! My academic background and professional expertise are in Marketing. I guess the “tip” of building creativity is to ask question of “what are better / different / more efficient ways to do/ see/ understand/ about certain things?” By asking this question constantly in my daily tasks, I found my views are more objective and diverse which boosts my creative thinking/ skills. Guessing you could try! Good luck!
Kim Rooijakkers
Marketing Program Manager
5
Answers
Amsterdam, North Holland, Netherlands
Updated
Kim’s Answer
Hi Yasmine,
I really like the answers above. I've been in Marketing 15+ years. And at first I never thought to position myself as 'creative', but realized soon after I started that there is a lot of creativity and VALUE in things like:
1.) being able to come up with more and more different solutions to the same problem - this helps find the best way to go about things. Practice by thinking of a problem you had in your life and how you found different solutions. Imagine holding the problem in your hand and looking at it from all sides. Or imagine a hat stand, where every hook is another way of looking at it. For example: You are asked to do email marketing but results are poor. How to solve it? One angle could be: Data: How can we ensure email data is accurate? How can we get more data? Buy it? Sponsor events? Organic ? Social? Content strategy? Change our strategy with regards to forms? Another angle could be the customer: Is email marketing the right way approach our customers? How are customers liking our emails? How do customers consume our messages? Do we have the right persona defined?
2. being able to listen / ask / consult : You can have all the great ideas but it may not be the solution your business partner or customer is looking for. Or maybe someone is trying to tell you what they found out in working with the customer, while you were too busy thinking of other great ideas? Have you listened? Have you asked? Nobody works in isolation. It's totally ok to ask feedback, brainstorm, read up online to see what others have done to solve a problem...
3. Be curious , research and take note : sometimes the best ideas in other industries have not been implemented in your part of the world, your industry or your company. Stay curious, follow interesting thought leaders, conferences, magazines etc. to learn about what's going on in the industry, and beyond.
Hope my answer and the one of others have helped you realize that there is creativity in everyone. We need highly creative people in marketing, but also highly analytical ones. Don't qualify yourself out because you think you are not creative, there are a variety of people working in marketing. You can surely find your way too!
Kim
I really like the answers above. I've been in Marketing 15+ years. And at first I never thought to position myself as 'creative', but realized soon after I started that there is a lot of creativity and VALUE in things like:
1.) being able to come up with more and more different solutions to the same problem - this helps find the best way to go about things. Practice by thinking of a problem you had in your life and how you found different solutions. Imagine holding the problem in your hand and looking at it from all sides. Or imagine a hat stand, where every hook is another way of looking at it. For example: You are asked to do email marketing but results are poor. How to solve it? One angle could be: Data: How can we ensure email data is accurate? How can we get more data? Buy it? Sponsor events? Organic ? Social? Content strategy? Change our strategy with regards to forms? Another angle could be the customer: Is email marketing the right way approach our customers? How are customers liking our emails? How do customers consume our messages? Do we have the right persona defined?
2. being able to listen / ask / consult : You can have all the great ideas but it may not be the solution your business partner or customer is looking for. Or maybe someone is trying to tell you what they found out in working with the customer, while you were too busy thinking of other great ideas? Have you listened? Have you asked? Nobody works in isolation. It's totally ok to ask feedback, brainstorm, read up online to see what others have done to solve a problem...
3. Be curious , research and take note : sometimes the best ideas in other industries have not been implemented in your part of the world, your industry or your company. Stay curious, follow interesting thought leaders, conferences, magazines etc. to learn about what's going on in the industry, and beyond.
Hope my answer and the one of others have helped you realize that there is creativity in everyone. We need highly creative people in marketing, but also highly analytical ones. Don't qualify yourself out because you think you are not creative, there are a variety of people working in marketing. You can surely find your way too!
Kim
Michael Belanger
Corporate Communications
17
Answers
Austin, Texas
Updated
Michael’s Answer
Hi! There are actual classes that "teach you" how to enable creativity. We are all creative but it is all about understanding how to bring that creativity to life. I think the best place to start is taking classes but also looking at content that you find to be creative so you can get inspired and get you to "think outside the box". If your major is in communications, you will find different classes related to creativity - especially if your focus is in advertising. There are also free resources online/on Youtube on how to enable creativity. Keep searching for those to help you in your journey to become more creative.
Jordan Heidtman
Manager - Marketing Operations
7
Answers
Greenville, South Carolina
Updated
Jordan’s Answer
Great question! There are so many ways to start being more creative.
Start super simple by changing your daily routine. This will force you to see the world through a fresh pair of eyes.
Build a "creative network." Is there someone/a group of people would you want to be like? Start following them.
Say "yes" more than you say "no."
Forget what you did in the past. Think about the now and the future.
Jordan recommends the following next steps:
Michelle Mosmeyer Sellers
Communication, change management
5
Answers
Montgomery, Texas
Updated
Michelle’s Answer
I believe creativity begins with curiosity... let yourself question why things are the way they are... could they be different? In what ways? What would that look like? And then play around with those ideas...
Also, consider surrounding yourself with creative ideas and creative people - people who don't just accept things as they are and love explore different perspectives.
Also, consider surrounding yourself with creative ideas and creative people - people who don't just accept things as they are and love explore different perspectives.
Phyllis BABYAK
2
Answers
Updated
Phyllis’s Answer
Yvonne, you don't necessarily have to be creative to be in Marketing. You may have a sharp strategic mind or analytical mind. Marketing has grown far beyond creative writing or design. A good leader will position you within a team where your skills best fit and if you're the leader, then surround yourself with individuals who support your needs. Follow your passion and you will be successful.
Chris Beasley
Regional Director for an Insurance Carrier
18
Answers
Lansing, Michigan
Updated
Chris’s Answer
That is a great question Yasmine. Learning how to be creative is a skill that will benefit you in your career and one that you can develop. The best path for success in this endeavor is to create a proactive routine to challenge yourself. You may be thinking How does creativity come through a routine? Shouldn’t it be spontaneous? Think of it this way, to get better in sports you must practice, to get better grades you must study more, all of life’s success comes from rigorous repetition, and developing creativity is no different.
Ask questions – This is a powerful way to start developing creativity. Ask, how could this product be messaged more effectively? How could we communicate the benefits of this product better to our customers? What is a different way to communicate this product to our customers? Now you have the ball rolling. So, step one, plan on asking at least three questions to spur your own creativity.
The List – Listing out the results of your questions brings a wealth of options to your product or service. Write them down. No idea is too silly to write down. Let your mind flow with options and don’t critique them at this stage.
Evaluate – Once your list is complete, now begin to rank them. Start to put them in order on the criteria you think will bring the most value. Now you have used a simple creative technique to build your creativity and in so doing bring new ideas to the table to help further your career. There is great value to people who, (forgive the cliché) think outside of the box.
Use your Calendar – Now comes the repletion. Schedule time on your calendar specific for building creativity. Select a product or process you are working on and ask your questions, make your list and then bring the best ideas to the forefront.
If you want to go all out to build your creativity, then let me take you to a challenging place. Sign up for a class on Improvisation. This was a big help for me when I was in college. As an introvert, I can be reserved and quiet. But the class taught me improvising techniques that I still use today in the business world. You can find most colleges have this type of class usually found in the theater department.
Yasmine, good luck on your pursuit to build your creativity.
Ask questions – This is a powerful way to start developing creativity. Ask, how could this product be messaged more effectively? How could we communicate the benefits of this product better to our customers? What is a different way to communicate this product to our customers? Now you have the ball rolling. So, step one, plan on asking at least three questions to spur your own creativity.
The List – Listing out the results of your questions brings a wealth of options to your product or service. Write them down. No idea is too silly to write down. Let your mind flow with options and don’t critique them at this stage.
Evaluate – Once your list is complete, now begin to rank them. Start to put them in order on the criteria you think will bring the most value. Now you have used a simple creative technique to build your creativity and in so doing bring new ideas to the table to help further your career. There is great value to people who, (forgive the cliché) think outside of the box.
Use your Calendar – Now comes the repletion. Schedule time on your calendar specific for building creativity. Select a product or process you are working on and ask your questions, make your list and then bring the best ideas to the forefront.
If you want to go all out to build your creativity, then let me take you to a challenging place. Sign up for a class on Improvisation. This was a big help for me when I was in college. As an introvert, I can be reserved and quiet. But the class taught me improvising techniques that I still use today in the business world. You can find most colleges have this type of class usually found in the theater department.
Yasmine, good luck on your pursuit to build your creativity.
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