10 Helpful Ways You Can Increase Creativity in Your Business
With all the content we view each day, it’s no wonder creative ads get the best results. In fact, high-quality creative can contribute to a 56% uplift in digital ad-related sales. But how do you make original, “high-quality” work? Creativity in business feels like an immeasurable metric, if not completely elusive.
So, how can you increase creativity in your business and get results (without hiring an entirely new team in the process)?
We’ll talk about it today, but first, let’s go over what it means to be creative and how to think differently.
The meaning of creativity in business
For most of us, creativity has to do with art, imagination, and originality. When someone makes something unique, it’s exciting. But in business, those unique choices can also be a gamble.
On one hand, big risks can secure even bigger rewards. Take iHOP’s iHOb campaign, for instance. By taking a risk with logo, brand identity, and brand recognition, this campaign scored 3,000+ article mentions, over 8 billion impressions, top spots on Twitter, and increased burger sales by 400% in the first three weeks.
On the other hand, you might remember Pepsi’s “Live For Now” campaign, which was poorly received, and in turn, a huge waste for the company. With Pepsi being Pepsi, however, one bad campaign isn’t really a big deal. But the same can’t be said for smaller companies, where these gambles can feel much more consequential.
Luckily, you can start small. You don’t have to create a massive campaign on a national scale. You can simply be creative in the tasks you already do.
No marketing is too insubstantial for a bit of originality. Emails can be encouraging newsletters; display ads can be fun and attention-grabbing. You can even find new ways to go above and beyond in customer service and loyalty programs.
But you don’t have to start all at once. You can begin just by thinking more creatively when it comes to your business.
What is creative thinking, and why is it important?
Creative thinking helps you solve existing problems; foresee and challenge future risks; and in general, it helps you brainstorm new ideas and strategies.
With that said, thinking creatively doesn’t mean your ideas will always be totally original. That’s a lot of pressure, and frankly, an unrealistic standard.
Instead, you can use creative thinking to refashion and redefine familiar ideas, especially in your business.
This can be simple, like having a slogan that plays on a cliché—or it can be complex, like creating a brand with an established theme.
Let’s look at some examples. You might know Dollar Shave Club’s famous line, “Shave Time. Shave Money.” This clever copywriting that takes the familiar adage, “save time and money,” and gives it a new meaning unique to the brand.
And as for themes, many companies have ones that play directly into their branding. These themes can be subtle, or they can be overt.
You may have heard of the popular Ohio bar known for its theme—The Shining. This bar is an example of how someone can take two basic concepts—like owning a bar and enjoying a movie—and combining them to make a creative business.
Image source: The Overlook Lodge
Ways to increase creativity in business
Here are some ways you can increase creativity for yourself and your brand:
Consume more content
Collaborate with creative people
Work with an agency
Pay attention to white space
Try new things
Take care of your health
Write down your ideas and experiences
Archive failed projects
Spend time in nature
Decrease your stress levels
1. Consume more content
Ideas don’t happen in a vacuum, and in order to know what’s being made by other ideators, you have to consume many different types of content.
This could be videos, books, interviews, Twitch streams, and much more. Find creators you like, and follow them religiously.
And while it’s beneficial to engage with several mediums (and publish several mediums), you should also consume the content you want to produce.
So, for instance, if you plan to host a podcast but don’t listen to any podcasts, that’s a problem. By consuming content you’re interested in, you can learn best practices as well as what to avoid.
2. Collaborate with creative people
A little healthy competition is actually positive for creativity. Now, this doesn’t mean you should seek out a cut-throat atmosphere—quite the opposite. Feeling slightly challenged by others encourages originality—far more than no competition at all. But intense competition can also stifle that urge to create, so be mindful of your situation and your peers.
With that said, it’s always good to surround yourself with people who think differently. You’re allowing new ideas to form organically. Plus, by diversifying your team, you also generate more growth and capture more markets, thanks to a greater breadth of ideas and backgrounds.
3. Work with an agency
Just because you want to increase creativity in your business doesn’t necessarily mean you want to make the creative for your business. And that’s okay.
If you’re too overwhelmed to focus on branding, hiring an agency is a great way bring creativity into the fold. This gives you a chance to focus on other goals as well. Plus, people form emotional ties to established brands, so a quality agency can help you form that persona and connection.
4. Pay attention to white space
In advertising, white space is untapped potential for audiences. KFC’s advertising takes this to a logical extreme, inserting their mascot into unexpected mediums, like Lifetime movies and dating simulators.
Image source: Lifetime/Twitter
Of course, no one expects you to fund a Lifetime movie or a dating game, but you might find a way to advertise with a popular creator on a social platform (which some believe to be the future of advertising). Alternatively, you might sponsor a local event to solidify your brand’s place in the community.
By finding and exploring that white space, you can give your brand an edge.
5. Try new things
Have you been wanting to try something in your business? What about in your personal life? Either way, trying new things can help you meet new people and learn more skillsets.
And if you try something for a while, and it doesn’t provide you or your business with the outcome you hoped, no problem. But as successful startup founders have shown us, calculated risks can create both intrigue and revenue, which can in turn push your creative boundaries.
6. Take care of your health
Several studies suggest better health can support creative thought. Various factors, such as quality sleep, exposure to sunlight, and positive mental health are beneficial elements to uninhibited creativity.
Plus, your health should always come first. Don’t punish yourself for the sake of a company, no matter how seemingly important. Remember, there are lots of brands but only one you.
7. Write down your ideas and experiences
We all have those ideas and stories that got away.
In the past, we needed to carry notebooks with us at all times in case inspiration struck. But now, we’re always prepared to take organized, legible notes, because we have phones in our pockets constantly. You can easily write quotes, anecdotes, and ideas as quickly as sending a text.
Best of all, you can reference these notes whenever you need to brainstorm, because you’ve already done the work! As Nora Ephron so famously said, “Everything is copy.” Commit this idea to your life by recording all you can.
8. Archive “failed” projects
Most professionals—especially creative types—are no stranger to failed projects. Budgets get slashed, and plans fall through. But failure, although frustrating at the time, doesn’t have to be a permanent end.
Instead of scrapping those “failed” projects, archive them instead. A business plan can be repurposed later, and a long-buried campaign can gain new life with a different product. In other words, keep your failures, because they may later be successes.
9. Spend time in nature
Yep, you read that right. So, what does nature have to do with creativity in business? Studies suggest spending time in nature can increase creativity, and we also know from studies that long workdays can be detrimental to our health.
In his memoir, On Writing, Stephen King says he takes walks whenever writer’s block strikes. This has been consistent over the course of his prolific career, helping him during a particularly tough novel.
So, be like Stephen King, someone who has harnessed the power of creativity many times over. And remember, allow yourself to feel happy instead of guilty for enjoying the outdoors—better mental health equals better creativity.
10. Don’t stress about it
Number ten may seem silly, but stress is actually an inhibiter of creativity. If you’re feeling burnt out or overwhelmed at work, a new project probably won’t benefit you or your business, no matter how fun it may seem.
So, what can you do to decrease stress levels? Luckily, some of the above-mentioned suggestions are perfect stress-fighters. Getting outside, absorbing sunshine, focusing on your health, journaling, and spending time with friends are all ways to eliminate anxiety in your life.
Conclusion
When it comes to creativity in business, there are so many ways to stimulate your imagination and build new life for your brand. What methods do you use that we missed in this list?
If you’re looking for ways to boost the creative side of your brand, contact our agency here for a free consultation.
