PR requires an endless amount of creative and strategic thinking. A great way to tap into your best ideas is a brainstorm with your peers. At Voxus, we love a good old fashion brainstorming session, it’s an easy way to get those creative juices flowing and come up with the next amazing PR campaign for your client.
Here are a few tips to consider when organizing a melding of the minds:
Be prepared
Start with a well-honed list of objectives for the brainstorm. Share your goals with the group, along with any other company and industry background information that is needed. You want all participants to have as much information as possible so that they can provide you with educated ideas that will match your campaign goals.
Pick the right space
Pick a location that is not only comfortable, but also has a proper meeting table so that everyone can face each other and interact easily. Plan to have access to a whiteboard or another type of large surface to document all ideas so that everyone can continue to review and add to a list throughout the meeting.
Invite everyone!
Don’t just invite you team members; invite others in the agency that can bring fresh perspectives to the table. Plus, a larger group means more ideas to bounce off one another. Brainstorms are also great for team building and getting to know colleagues you don’t usually work with on daily basis. And it can be a helpful and educational experience for your participants to get a bird’s eye view of a different client and industry.
Encourage everyone to speak freely
Keep the meeting open, fun and inviting, allow all participants to speak freely. No one should feel self-conscious about his or her ideas. Some of the wackiest concepts can turn into winning ideas.
Scheduling is everything
Don’t challenge your colleagues to think creatively after lunch, plan the brainstorm for earlier in the day or during lunch. Offering a free lunch as an incentive is always a great way to go. Also don’t forget to allow yourself time after the meeting to soak in all of those great ideas before picking which will be the best fit for your client and strategy.