Overcoming an idea drought

The daily pressures of work – and life, in general – can drain your brain. And that’s usually the time when you are tasked with developing creative ideas – by yesterday. Here are three brainstorming tricks that will get those synapses firing and spark great ideas.

1. Apply the five senses. Whether you’re working on your own or with a team, this technique can help you think differently about the product or service you want to promote. Divide a piece of paper or whiteboard into five sections – sight, touch, smell, taste and hearing. For each column, ask the question, "If you could see/feel/smell/taste/hear Product X, what would it be like?" Some columns will be a natural fit for the product with some obvious responses – an extra soft paper towel, for example, will have some obvious descriptors related to the sense of touch. Set your imagination free and describe what that soft paper towel might sound like. You’ll be surprised at how applying a different sense can help guide you towards a more creative approach.

2. Build a web of ideas. Write the subject of your brainstorming session in the center of a white board. Then, have your team start throwing out ideas and jot down everything – similar topics, emotions, opposites – until you’ve filled the board. Once the storm has subsided, begin circling terms that seem related and drawing lines to connect them. Continue clustering like ideas, using different color pens or varying the way you circle and connect items – straight, wavy or dotted lines. In the end, some terms will remain unconnected, and you will have a web of ideas to help you develop a creative approach to your central topic.

3. Try a free association game. Steven McNamara from AdCracker.com suggests asking "What’s the problem?" Say you’re looking for a fun way to advertise the new bread container you’ve invented. Put yourself in your propects’ shoes.

"What’s the problem?"
"Bread gets stale too fast."

"What’s the problem with that?"
"I end up wasting money just to feed the ducks."

"Well, why is that a problem?"
"Bread is bad for ducks because it expands in their stomachs."

The ad visual – a couple of ducks, feeling bloated, looking miserable, and wishing people would use the fantastic XYZ bread saver.

This is a game you can try on your own or with a group – and the results can help you drill down to a great creative message.

The next time you need a creative approach for a new brand, a product ad or a lead-generation campaign, invite a mix of participants and try one of these techniques to jump start your imaginations and inspire an innovative solution.