How To Generate Creative Marketing Ideas

We’ve all been there. One day your brain, which is usually filled with ideas, suddenly becomes devoid of anything creative. Some people call it creators block and is sometimes caused by anxiety, pressure, or overthinking. Furthermore, you might even have a strategy in place but can’t seem to fill it with anything. Even writing this blog has created a form of creative blockage that I just can’t get around. As I’ve stated in my previous blog, being creative and weird are some of the key ingredients to becoming a memorable brand. So, how can you do that if you can’t think of anything? Let’s discuss why creativity in marketing is important, how to generate creative marketing ideas and provide you with some ideas that I’ve scavenged within my brain.

Why Is Creative Marketing Important?

Simple answer: you need to stay relevant. Long answer: creativity is what helps businesses grow by entertaining customers and keeping them interested in your brand. For instance, if you’re not changing things up once in a while, you’re bound to go stale in the public eye. Also, since technology is always evolving and new words are being added to Urban Dictionary daily, businesses need to keep up by evolving their marketing practices. Get bolder with marketing tactics to reach a wider audience. People will take notice and will want to discover what your brand or product is all about. Set your company apart from others. Think outside the box. You’ll see the results sooner rather than later.

Can’t Think Of Anything?

Right now you’re in the box. You need to do some research and figure out what strategies can get you out of the box. Luckily, I have a few tactics in mind that can help you get your creative juices flowing.

1. Shower and Sleep – All of my best ideas come from showers. Sometimes I’ll get lost in thought, make mental connections and generate ideas I never would have thought of prior to the shower. Buffer came out with an article that talks about the science of shower creativity. It discusses how our best ideas come together when we are in a relaxed state of mind. If you can remember your dreams, sleeping can also help form some creative ideas.
2. Competition – Go check out what your competition is doing but don’t copy them. Instead use them as inspiration to jump-start your creativity. You might check out 5 competitor ads and come up with an idea that uses elements from each one. Make it your own and craft a marketing campaign that’s wilder than the last.
3. Technological Breakthroughs – Artificial intelligence, machine learning, chatbots, augmented reality, virtual reality, video and voice technology are just some of the avenues you can take to differentiate your marketing tactics. Check out this article from Single Grain to read about the digital marketing trends that you can no longer ignore for a deep dive into how these tools can help you.
4. Interesting Topics – Target niche customers and market towards them. Maybe your marketing strategy can reference video games and nerd culture. Market your product or brand using Game of Thrones references or anything else that’s currently popular. See what’s trending on Twitter to snag some ideas!
5. Keep Bad Ideas – Your ‘bad’ ideas may evolve into better ones or maybe those ideas are better suited for a different marketing plan. Never throw away bad ideas because they may spark new ones. Share those ideas with your team and they may spin it into something better.

Let’s Get Started

Coming up with your own ideas can be incredibly difficult, especially if you don’t consider yourself a creative person. Down below, I’m going to dump a bunch of marketing ideas that you can use. You may even come up with your own better ideas from the bad ones you’re about to read. Remember, always keep bad ideas!

1. Join Hashtags – Join a weekly theme like #ThrowbackThursday or #WednesdayWisdom and be an active participant in the community. Have fun with it! Others will eventually see your posts and check you out.
2. TikTok – Now this one really depends on who you want your target audience to be. If your product is more for kids, teens and young adults then this app is for you. Create 3–15 second videos of you doing something funny or awkward. Since TikTok is still a relatively new platform, the chance of getting thousands of views is higher than if you posted to YouTube.
3. Facebook Ad Library – The ad library provides a searchable collection of ads currently running across Facebook. You can explore the library with or without a Facebook account. You can view ad data and reports to understand the ads that work and those that don’t.
4. Weird Sponsorships – Sponsor a product that you normally wouldn’t think would have a sponsor. For example, you can sponsor a bike sharing company, get your brand on a blimp, or sponsor a health club event. Better yet, sponsor a charity to help raise awareness for a cause you truly believe in.
5. Photo or Video Contests – Photo contests are easy to enter and provide plenty of user-generated content. It’s also a perfect marketing tool for when users mention you or use your hashtag. Video contests are a bit more difficult for users to enter. Those that actually take the time to make videos can provide high caliber content for your brand now and for the future.
6. Infographics – People love colorful visuals so infographics are perfectly shareable content that when passed around can bring you more visitors. There are plenty of websites that provide templates to help.
7. Top 10 List – Everyone loves a good list. Its a quick way for people to obtain information if they don’t want to read the nitty-gritty details. Providing information that’s directly to the point and gives the reader what they need will increase the likelihood of shares and comments.
8. Host Webinar – Host a free or relatively cheap webinar. Teach topics you’re knowledgeable about to become a thought leader in your field. If you clearly know what your stuff, you can build trust with those willing to watch.
9. Podcast – Creating a podcast specific to your niche can be very insightful for potential leads and customers. They get to know who you are as a person rather than a brand. If listeners like you and the topics you talk about, they may just buy into what you’re selling.
10. Ask Your Audience – By simply asking your audience what they want, they will let you know. Use the ideas they give you and create content around their ideas to garnish a stronger following.

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