How to be a creative genius in 5 easy steps

Recently I was asked to teach a class on creativity for a local writing group. This is a subject near and dear to my heart. I have made a lifelong study of the subject and have read dozens of books on the subject. One of the best of these is "A technique for producing ideas" by James Webb Young.

This is a an old book, originally published in 1940 but has never been out of print.

It is a small book, just 60 pages or so.

It is a simple book, written in simple language.

Most of all, it is a practical book written by a man who built a career on coming up with ideas for his advertising clients. James Webb Young was a giant of the advertising business in the early to mid 20th century. Unlike artists who can work for years on a single creative project, advertising people have to produce ideas on demand under the pressure of an immovable deadline. Young was exceptionally good at this and excelled in the industry. When others approached him as a mentor, he analyzed his creative process and broke it down into 5 simple steps:

1. Gathering information
2. Digesting the materials
3. Incubating the idea
4. Birth of the idea
5. Developing and refining the idea

Though it is over 75 years old, I think "A technique for producing ideas" is a "must read" for anyone in advertising or any other creative enterprise. It is available for just a few dollars on

Amazon ( you can use the attached link). It is at once an easy and entertaining book and a book that will greatly enhance your abilities.

Thanks for reading and for referring this blog to others.

Jim Busch

Link to: A technique for producing ideas

The "creative" process

Creativity is a definite creative advantage. Customers look to us for new ways to promote their business. We also need to find creative ways to reach our customers. I see creativity as a two step process:

1. First you must keep your eyes and ears open. You must develop what writer Roger Von Oech deemed the "Hunter's attitude." Always be on the look out for ideas and changes in patterns.


2. The second step requires asking yourself this question: "How can I use this?" Does a change in a pattern open up an opportunity for your paper. Does the problem the customer told you about offer a new way to help them. If you get in the habit of looking for opportunities you will find them. This is what psychologists call the "broaden and build" effect. Believing you will find something good opens your perspective and you notice opportunities that others miss.

Once you develop a reputation as a creative problem solver customers will welcome your ideas and your sales will increase.

Keep Smiling--Keep Selling!

Thanks

Jim Busch

Keep your eyes open for ideas

Over the weekend I received a coupon mailer from Half Price Books. This mailer provided me with something more valuable than a few bucks off a book--an idea. The headline on the mailer was "Give your wallet a spring break!" I put a copy of this in my headline file. This is a headline that I can borrow (Steal?) for one of my customers. I am always on the look out for useful or adaptable lines that can be used to create good ads for my clients. I may not use this for years or I might use it next week. Of course you need to be careful of copyrighted terms like "You deserve a break today." but in most cases doing this is fine. For example if I was working with a restaurant I could use "Give your kitchen a spring break, let us cook dinner for you." An idea file can be a great tool to jog your creativity. Keep Smiling, Keep Selling! Thanks Jim Busch

Weekly Quote

"Develop the hunter's attitude, the outlook that wherever you go, there are ideas waiting to be discovered." Roger Von Oech

This is a quote from one of the best books ever written on creativity and one of my favorite reads. Roger Von Oech's "A whack on the side of the head." This quote makes me think of going into the woods with my grandfather as a child. As a lifelong woodsman and hunter grandpap would see many, many things that I would overlook. He saw them because he knew the woods have many things to offer him. Psychologists call this the "broaden and build effect." People who expect to encounter good things in their lives keep their eyes open and see opportunities that more negative people will miss. Keep the "hunter's attitude" and you will be much more successful.

Keep Smiling, Keep Selling!

Thanks

Jim Busch

Quote of the week

"Success is often just an idea away" Frank Tyger

Today I was working with a rep who ad been stopping at prospects and leaving them brochures for special sections along with a business card. I asked him how many ads he had sold using this technique and he told me "None." This is the classic definition of insanity--doing the same thing over and over and expecting a different result. Think of your sales territory as a laboratory, constantly experiment with new sales techniques and approaches. Trying new ideas not only helps you to increase your effectiveness as a sales person but also keeps the job fresh and fun.

Keep Smiling, Keep Selling!

Thanks Jim Busch

Weekly Quote

Here is the perfect quote for our industry:

"So long as new ideas are created, sales will continue to reach new highs." Dorthea Brande

This is why my business is called "Ideas and Eyeballs", ideas are critical to our business, People look to us to provide them with ideas to build their business, A great book on the subject of creativity is Roger Von Oech's "A whack on the side of the head". I highly recommend it.

Keep Smiling, Keep Selling!

Thanks Jim Busch

Trap those ideas

Ideas can be fleeting things, they can go away as fast as they come to you--unless you trap them before they can escape. I always carry a small pocket notebook and have made a habit of writing down my ideas, or fragments of ideas as soon as they occur to me. I jot down ideas for promos, ads, sales techniques etc. until I have time to give them some more thought. I transcribe these ideas into a larger notebook, writing them at the top of the page. This gives me room to record related thoughts and develop the idea further. When I need an idea to drive revenue or to use in training, I flip through my notebook and often find something to jump start my creativity. Since I am 57 years old, the notebooks have worked well for me for over 30 years, you may prefer to use a smart phone and/or a laptop to corral those creative thoughts. We work in a creative business. Ideas are our stock and trade. However you do it, a systematic system of capturing and developing ideas will make you more successful.

Keep Smiling, Keep Selling!

Thanks Jim Busch

Constantly Collect Ideas

I am blogging tonight from the rim of the Grand Canyon in Arizona. I am on my way to teach at the AFCP annual conference in Tucson. Today I walked the south rim of the canyon, bought a few souvenirs for my grandson, took a lot of pictures and bought every local paper I could find. Whenever I am out of town or even out on calls in my own area, I pickup or buy every paper I see. When I get a moment I will go through the papers page by page looking for good ideas. I look for promo ideas, good ad layouts, powerful headlines and anything else i might be able to use. I keep an "idea" file with ads filed by business type plus sections labeled "promos", "headlines" etc. When I need an idea I consult my file and usually find something I can adapt to my need. (I also include design and copy ideas I find in national publications and magazines) Creativity is nothing more than having a stock of good ideas in the bank and knowing which one to pick.

Keep Smiling, Keep Selling!

Thanks Jim Busch