Innovation and PR

When people hear the word innovation they most likely think about product innovation.  While that is a large facet of the term, idea innovation is equally as important.  This is something that is key in fields like entrepreneurship but that I think can tie nicely into public relations.

We are often involved in brainstorming sessions with clients and with coworkers.  This is the perfect time to be innovative.  Bringing new ideas to the table is crucial but it's also something that can be difficult. Innovation can be loosely defined with three terms:

1. New. There isn't a lot out there that hasn't been thought of, but if you can come up with a completely new idea, you're in the gold as far as innovation is concerned.

2. Different. We live in a society that's always changing and looking for the new cool thing.  If your innovation is different than what came before it, you'll have a good concept on your hands.

3. Better. This is probably the most reasonable quality of an innovation.  We are always looking for ways to improve and an innovation that makes things easier or better is always great.

The key to a good innovation, in addition to these three things is value. If you don't bring value to your client or the audience then your innovation isn't going to work.

Keep these things in mind next time you're attending a brainstorming session!

Brainstorming Made Easy

One of my favorite aspects of PR is the creative side, where you get to really map out fresh innovative ideas for new and exciting projects. Whenever taking on a new client, it is likely that you will have to brainstorm ideas and tactics to help the clients meet its goals. This may seem like a piece of cake, but in reality, brainstorming can get a bit tricky. Especially when you are trying to collaborate thoughts within a team.

Clients are looking for you to come up with ideas that are even more outrageous and creative than the ones they could come with on their own - that's why they hired you! When brainstorming new ideas for a client, keep these tips in mind to stay focused on task and yield great results:

Start General - When thinking up fresh ideas, start with general phrases and thoughts and then narrow things down. Something may be too broad to attempt to execute, but it may spark an idea for something else. You also never know when a client will be more drawn to a bigger, more outrageous idea.

Write Everything Down - The power of word association is not one to be doubted. Write down any word or phrase that comes to mind. Seeing the words on paper makes it easier to trigger new thoughts which may prove useful.

Fill in Missing Links - What is your client lacking or asking you to bring to the table? Write that down, and use that to spark new thoughts. It's your job to help the client make up for the areas it lacks in.

Forget the Budget - This may sound like PR suicide, but while you're brainstorming the one thing that will prevent your creative juices from flowing is constantly considering numbers. Since you are starting with general ideas anyway, as you narrow your list down you will be able to more realistically consider the client's budget. You never know, one of your more extravagant ideas may inspire the client to reconsider their funding options!

What tips do you have to brainstorm effectively? Let us know!