The Creative Process and Why It Matters for Marketers
Recently I learned how to use Photoshop (with help from this tutorial) and started creating mastheads for the site. This in turn made me think about the creative process and how it works. And, perhaps more to the point for this blog, why should a marketer care about how the creative process is performed?
The simplest answer to why a marketer should care is that marketers use a creative process all the time. Generally not to design an email blast layout or logo, but rather to come up with new methods for marketing a product and interpreting data. The results almost never have an aesthetic value, but the method is necessary to constantly improve marketing techniques. The ability to think creatively about new approaches for marketing is critical for success.
While not everyone uses this exact approach, common steps in the creative process are:
1) Research
2) Define the problem in specific terms
3) Create many possible solutions
4) Choose a solution and refine
Research
The research stage can and should happen all the time. It’s a matter of being open to and seeking out ideas and influences, and then making connections, often in new and unexpected ways. Completely new ideas are very rare; generally creativity is simply bringing old ideas together in a novel way. To get new ideas, a designer might visit the local art museum, develop a passion for comic books, or browse the web to see what other people in the field are doing. Marketers might read a book, examine how competitors are marketing their products, or talk to other people in the department. The ways to be exposed to new information are extensive and we’re lucky to live in a time when information is widely available.
Define the Problem
While research is perpetual, problems tend to have a deadline. The first step is to clarify exactly what problem needs to be addressed.
For example, if the webpage needs an overhaul, what exactly does that mean? Does the site need a new look? i.e. a color change and a few graphic switches. Or is the overhaul in response to a usability test and the entire interface needs to be rethought out?
The more specific the question, the easier and more productive the next step will be.
Creating Solutions
Once the problem has crystal-clear clarity, the next step is to create solutions to address the problem. This is when all that research in the first stage comes in handy. More targeted research will probably also need to be done at this stage. What you already know and what you are learning gets thrown at the problem and creative solutions are brought to the surface.
There are many different ways to handle this step. One is simple, old-fashioned brain storming. Get a group of people together who are knowledgeable about the problem, bring in a white board and write up or sketch out any ideas that the group suggests. The brainstorming session should be completely positive; outrageous ideas can suggest novel solutions.
Another technique that I find useful is the aptly named squid sketching. A key word is written in the center of the page, and then related words are written on lines that branch out. This helps to generate new ideas in a structured way. A more complete explanation of squid sketching can be found here.
A list of other creative techniques that can be useful for creating ideas is here.
Choosing a Solution and Refining
Once all the possible solutions have been created, choose one or two and develop them further. This may be an iterative process where the final solution is modified and only arrived at after going through several versions. The iterative process is common; very few people seem to come up with a perfect solution the first time around.
The creative process is very important for anyone involved in the creative side of marketing and it is undoubtedly hard work. This same process can be used by marketers to come up with creative ways to address problems. If you're interested in learning more about the creative process or how to become a more creative person, the links below should be useful.
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