How to Get Ideas
So you hear about all of these people making money with great ideas, and you think, “Well, it’s easy for them, but I’m not creative. I could never come up with ideas like those.” Wrong!
Generating ideas--useful ideas--is a skill and, like any other skill, it can be learned. The more you practice, the easier it will be to come up with ideas whenever you need them. Whether you are looking for a new business concept, ways to improve your products and services, or strategies to get attention for yourself and your business, the techniques here will help you. Try them and see which ones work best for you.
Eavesdrop. Listen to people talking on the bus, at the coffee shop or in the elevator. Build on the snippets of conversation you overhear to create a story, and let that story lead you to a brilliant idea.
Hold a grudge. What annoys you? Chances are it annoys other people, too. Keep track of the things that bug you and find a way to make them better.
Forget everything you know. Too often, we let our biases creep in and influence our thinking. Start fresh, without pre-conceived notions of what you “must” do or what is “impossible.” Be open to anything and everything.
Give advice to someone else. Sometimes we are too close to a situation to see the best solution. Imagine that someone else is coming to you with the problem you are trying to solve. What would you tell them?
Have people ask you questions. Get someone who is not familiar with your situation to ask you questions about it. They may ask things that lead you to an idea that you overlooked because it was too obvious.
Do the opposite. If something isn’t working, consider doing exactly the opposite of what you are doing. It might work!
Get a little help from your friends. Bring together a few of your creative friends and colleagues for a brainstorming session. Start throwing ideas around, and be willing to be silly. Sometimes the best ideas sound a little crazy at first. Record the session so no one has to slow down to take notes. Oh, and having a pitcher of Margaritas on hand can help the ideas flow more readlily.
Hire a professional. Many of my clients come to me for help in getting ideas for their businesses. Sometimes I come up with ideas for them, but often my role is simply to help them find the great ideas that are buried in their brains. A consultant can ask the right questions to steer you to the idea you need.
Borrow an idea. Everyone thinks that their business is not like anyone else’s. The truth is, all of our businesses are more alike than different. Look at what others are doing in other industries and see how you can apply their ideas. By the time you adapt their idea to precisely fit your business it will be unique.
Start creating “it.” You do not have to wait until a concept is fully formed to take your first action. Begin with the germ of an idea and start developing it. As you do, you will discover the problems as well as the opportunities and you will be able to refine your idea as you go.
Use these techniques whenever you need ideas and you will discover that the more you use your creative abilities, the better they will become.
This article is adapted from a piece I contributed to Jim Kukral’s book, Attention! This Book Will Make You Money: How to Use Attention-Getting Online Marketing to Increase Your Revenue
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