Five Simple Ground Rules For A Successful Brainstorming Session

Having ground rules is a good idea when you begin brainstorming session. This will help keep the atmosphere open and keep the ideas flowing throughout the session itself.  If you’re facilitating a brainstorming session, use a large sticky note to post these as a continual reminder throughout the session to encourage everyone to participate.  Go over the rules at the beginning of the brainstorming session to set the stage for the meeting and explain why you have these simple, easy-to-follow rules in place.

Respect Time

You must be respectful of time. Everyone is busy.  People don’t want to feel as if they’ve gone to yet another unproductive meeting.  Even though there will be times when people get off on tangents, it’s always a good idea to rein it back in so that it doesn’t take up the time to brainstorm the topic at hand.  If ideas don’t relate to the brainstorming topic itself, put those aside on a separate sheet of paper or white board that is your ‘parking lot.’ This ways it is noted, but understood as a separate topic and conversation.  Doing this allows you to validate a person’s input while keeping the meeting running on time.  It’s your job as the facilitator to be the timekeeper and keep things flowing.

Participation

Encourage participation. This is key. It’s quite embarrassing to host a brainstorming session and have only one or two of the people participate while everyone else just sits around. Equally embarrassing is allowing someone to monopolize the session with their ideas at the expense of others.  As a facilitator, it’s your job to ensure everyone has a voice during the meeting.  Call on folks that are quiet.  Ask boisterous people to ‘hold that thought’ while you ask for someone else’s opinion.

At the beginning of the session, tell everyone, “You are here for a reason.  You were invited to this brainstorming session because of your knowledge, skill set, and perspective. Your ideas are valued.  Please participate wholeheartedly and enthusiastically.

Electronic Devices

Phones and any other electronic devices should be turned off or silenced. Having a phone buzz or ring during an in-depth discussion or breakthrough moment can ruin the epiphany that was about to happen.  Schedule breaks during the session and let everyone know they will have plenty of time to check email and voice mail during that time.  Some folks go so far as to have everyone drop their device in a basket that gets set aside.  This may be too bold for some situations.  You’ll need to decide this for yourself and situation.  Make it clear that the brainstorming session was set up as a time to focus on the topic.  Creativity cannot flow when there’s continual interruption by electronic devices.

Equality

This is of utmost importance during a brainstorming session: everyone has to have equal importance when it comes to ideas.  Job titles need to get checked at the door. Depending on the brainstorming topic, you may have the president of a company alongside the door greeter at the same table coming up with ideas. All ideas need to be forthcoming and flowing easily. And, no idea should be considered too big or too small.  Everything should be treated with importance and appreciation- no matter who it came from.  Doing this allows everyone to feel welcome and equal as a part of the process and brainstorming team.

Go A Little Nuts!

The last rule in creating a successful brainstorming session is to welcome all ideas— no matter how crazy, wacky, silly, or ‘pie in the sky’ that they are.  Some of the wildest thoughts spur additional conversation. That dialogue can lead to additional thoughts and creative ideas that are exactly what your company needs to implement or expound on.  The key to success for a product launch, new service offering or marketing campaign can be found when you allow the looseness, creativity, and wackiness to flow.

Follow these simple rules for a successful brainstorming session and you will come away with some fabulous ideas.

Brainstorming Sessions Are A Great Idea And You Should Know Why

One of the things most productive things you can do in your business is conduct a brainstorming session.  When you feel like you are in a rut and can’t get out, taking time to brainstorm is always good.  Not convinced?  Keep reading for reasons why brainstorming is a wonderful idea.

Busting Through ‘Normal’

Brainstorming provides a break from the normal routine.  Participants get to step outside of what they do on a day-to-day basis in their roles or position. It gives them a sense that their perspective is valued because they can offer fresh ideas on how the company should be positioning itself, how products should be perceived in the market, and what service offerings should be planned.

Building Consensus

Having a brainstorming session helps you build consensus within the team. Once you get a team all together in one place where they can talk and see each other’s different viewpoints, they understand each other’s perspective. Because of that understanding and new perspective, different concepts and ideas come to light.  When a team works together on a project through brainstorming, it builds consensus and cohesiveness within the team.

Getting A Commitment

People have more commitment and more understanding of the business when they’re in a team-centered type of an environment where brainstorming is encouraged. A brainstorming session is also a way to get people to participate in the business that normally don’t. Many times people sit at their desk and keep to themselves even thought they have great thoughts they can contribute. It can bring out the best in associates when they’re asked to participate.

Fabulous Ideas

And, very importantly, you also get creative ideas.  When you run a brainstorming session well, it spurs creativity throughout the organization.  People begin thinking about how their jobs affect all of the different processes and routines on a daily basis. It reinforces the importance of each role in a business. You’ll gather a plethora of ideas that will range from the simple things to make better customer experiences to the next range of product or service offerings or how to market them.

So, when you are in a rut, conduct a brainstorming session.  It can spur your next stage of success.  Quite simply a brainstorming session is a great way to get people together and working together. You need to have it properly organized and run a tight ship when it comes to the brainstorming session itself, but when you have one, it can be one of the best things you do for your business.

Keep The Creative Ball Rolling And Win The Marketing Game

It’s hard to be ‘on’ all the time when it comes to marketing ideas. Keep the creativity flowing and your marketing growing.  If you’re in a rut and need a creative jumpstart, do some of the following.

Look at competitive websites.

Looking at competitor’s websites (and even related company industries) can spur ideas for how you could be doing things differently. Read customer testimonials to help you find out what specific things clients are looking for.

Read about what your clients have said about you

Gain insight into the reasons why people are buying. These can give you some “Ah-ha!” moments that provide the little nuggets that you can focus on in your marketing campaign.

Put yourself in your clients shoes

You can ask yourself how the advertising, direct mail, e-newsletter, website, and any type of collateral you have like a brochure is perceived by the customer. Think of yourself in their situation. Think of yourself in their daily routines and ask yourself, “Is this something that emotionally connects with me so I would want to buy this product or service?”

Get out of your cubicle and go brainstorm

Brainstorm with someone that is a trusted adviser. Sometimes picking up the phone or just walking away from your desk and having a conversation with someone for five minutes can really spur your creativity.

Seek creativeness

Find creativity that’s not related to what you do, but gives you an appreciation for creativity. Listen to different kinds of music. Go see art. Watch a movie. Go out and dance. Get some exercise. Make dinner. Invite friends. Converse with someone you barely know. You never know what kind thoughts and ideas can come about.

Most of all, what you need to do is trust the process. Trust that the idea will come to you at the right time. You need to remain positive and enthusiastic. Keep asking yourself, “How can I (my company) be of service? How can I be of better service to the clients I have?”  Do this and undoubtedly the creative marketing ideas will flow.