Last week I did my first Instagram Live with Shannon from Mockingbird Makes where we discussed all things creative.
Whilst PR is not creative in the sense of making things with my hands it does often require some creative thinking. In the past this has involved but is not exclusive to:
· Getting a group of female singers to take to a town centre and sing classic pop songs but with the lyrics changed to mention underwear.
· Encouraging a nationwide restaurant chain to take part in a fundraising campaign which raised £150,000 in the space of a weekend.
· Organising a bra fitathon with a local radio station
· Coming up with numerous in-store event ideas
· Getting celebrities to take part in a celeb’s vs the public football match.
· Taking part in a tour which involved a double decker bus converted into fitting rooms and a space to provide press breakfasts.
Whilst these may seem high budget for a small business or charity some of these are actually doable for businesses of any size (maybe not the converting a double decker bus)
Other ways I have had to get creative for clients are finding the story in a business anniversary, devising ways we can work with influencers to promo0te their products, finding stories from customers, looking at awareness days and seeing how a client story might fit.
There are numerous ways that small businesses can get publicity with a little creativity, but I know that for many getting creative and thinking outside the box isn’t something that comes easily. Here are some of the things that work for me and that you could try when you are trying to think of an event idea, social media post, media story or any other activity you might undertake to promote your business.
· Take time out. This might sound counterproductive, but I have spent a lot of time staring at a blank screen or piece of paper trying to get my brain to focus on an idea and nothing happening. Sometimes the magic happens when I step away and have a cuppa or even start working on something else.
· Do something that switches your brain off. For me this might be meditating or colouring.
· Keep a notebook by your bed. Nothing worse than trying to get to sleep and then having that lightbulb moment and having nowhere to record it. If you’re anything like me I need to write it down as come the morning all that will be left is that knowledge that I had a good idea but now have no idea what it is.
· Have a look what other people are doing. They don’t even have to be in the same arena as you. I’m not saying use their ideas but often looking at others can spark an idea in us.
· Make the most of dictation on your phone. When we could go out and about, I’d often have my best ideas whilst travelling that might be on a train journey or lying on the beach on holiday. Discovering that I can dictate my thoughts into a word document on my phone has been a game changer.
· Create a mood board or mind map if you have an idea of what you want the message of your story to be or you know how you want an event to feel. Get everything down even if sounds silly or that it doesn’t fit. Often the seed that is planted that looks least related to the topic can blossom into a wonderful thing.
They are just a few of the tactics I find helpful and use to get the creative juices flowing. What do you do when you need to get creative?
If you need some help with ideas, want to get some clarity on your PR ideas or need assistance finding your story then book a 75 minute Dig Deeper Call with me