Mind Mapping Benefits (Photo credit: Emilie Ogez)One of my favorite activities with a group of friends--or alone for that matter-- is bantering ideas back and forth. It's fun to come up with ideas as they hit you and take them as far as you can.
The primary concept of my blog is to toss out ideas to readers and see what they can toss back to me. That's why the blog is called Tossing It Out.
We are all filled with ideas that are waiting to burst free of the confinement of our heads, but sometimes we're afraid to say them out loud. We might be afraid that someone will think that our idea is stupid. I assure you that many great ideas were first thought of as being stupid by some.
Marketing is all about ideas. Don't be afraid of bringing ideas out into the open and working through them. If you don't have a group to brainstorm with, try things like making lists of ideas as they come to you. There are visual idea development aids such as mind maps or fishbone diagrams. Do an internet search for idea development aids and you can find a wealth of things you can do on your own. There are even software programs for those who want to get technical about it.
In marketing, ingenuity helps. Ideas don't even have to be original. You can use ideas that have worked for others--that's probably a wise idea. Think. And then think some more. One idea usually leads to another and sometimes when you get on a roll it's hard to stop.
Do you have a book to sell? Would you like to open your own business? Are you searching for that perfect life partner? Start making lists. Pros and cons. Hows and wheres. Whys and why nots. If you come up with enough ideas you will find some workable methods to use. You may even think of ideas that may surprise you.
For the letter "I":
Susan Flett Swederski is full of ideas at her blog I Think; Therefore, I Yam. In her profile she says, " if, at my (ahem) "advanced age", I DO find success, I'm telling you right now ... SO CAN YOU! Never, never, ever ... NEVER give up! It's never too late to reach for the stars. Isn't it worth the effort? I sure think so." I think she's got the right idea.
