Storm The Brain! With Brainstorming!

Main Points:
1. Brainstorming is exciting
2. There are ways to curb brainstorming block

Isn't it amazing how much computing power and creative ideas stem from just talking? From just having a conversation. It is amazing how you think you have the best idea, but then someone throws a twist your way, someone simply speaks and it triggers a new and better version, version 2.0 of your idea in your head. It's a process that is exciting from the get-go, or maybe just for me.

I enjoy brainstorming. I don't think there is a better way to improve ideas than to open it up to multiple people. Of course, you need to set limits to how much you open up your brainstorming activities but in general, the more the better. There is nothing more exciting than the first couple minutes in a brainstorming session. Well, actually there is, but I guess I am just different. Then, when you get going and white boards fill up, notes are flying, people are getting excited about the idea, that's where the magic is. But, we all know that some days the magic doesn't happen. After reading through blogs and books, I have compiled a list of ideas you can use to curb writers block.

1. Find a place of peace. Find where you are comfortable, then change it up, change it back, change it again, re-change it, go outside, go upstairs, find your place of peace. When I say peace, I mean the place where you start thinking creatively. It will be different on multiple occasions.

2. Bring a friend. Ask a friend. Ask a stranger. Anything to make you think differently.

3. Constrain your limits or set goals. Such as, 5 new ideas, then you are done. 15 minutes, then you are done. Remember, no idea is stupid or absurd. Sometimes, the weirdest ideas will trigger the best ideas.

4. Meditate. Self-reflect. You have come up with great ideas before, this is no different. When you finally start the flow, you'll wonder why you had block in the first place.

5. Eat something or stimulate your mind. No specifics, everyone is different, if you catch my drift.

There are other methods to curbing brainstorming blocks but these I thought were powerful and interesting.

brainstorm
envision · create · dream up · ponder · think · conceive

(www.lulublog.com)

FREE LUNCH. Help Decide My New Business Name.

Main Points:
1. I need help with a Business Name
2. I have always been a DIYer. Are you too?
3. Doing things for yourself is good.
4. Comment with your ideas
5. FREE lunch if I use your idea. Promise.

Continue reading for a good time:


Have you wanted to start your own business? I have. I always have. This of course sounds cliche, but since we all have to work to earn money to pay bills and to have leisure time, you might as well do something you have some interest in. I have no idea where my drive to 'get things done' came from, but I really like that quality about myself. I have always stayed true to that traditional business model, the mom and pop shop, the DIYers. You just get more utility when you do things for yourself. For instance, a home cooked meal that you (a) came up your recipe one night when you couldn't sleep, (b) went to the store after your hard day at work to pick up the ingredients you carefully considered, (c) cut, seasoned and prepped all your ingredients, (d) cooked everything to your liking, (e) cleaned up your mess. There is just something very fulfilling in the process of doing things for yourself.

So, being the natural at doing things for myself, I have decided to start my own consulting company in January. Well, the preliminary stages will come in January, but I figure I could get a start on it now. This is where all my friends come in. I know everyone has ideas. Everyone has free time and everyone thinks. The best ideas are the ideas that are put to good use. So here it is:

Basics on what my business will be:

Opportunities exist in the Social Media sphere that Small Business' can implement fast, cheap and with little resources. However, understanding that Social Media is not a one way communication takes a greater understanding.

(INSERT NAME HERE) is a Small Business brand that implements key Social Media methods by leveraging Internet tools that are cost effective and bring a whole new meaning to user engagement.

I have already came up with these ideas:
- Zocial Group, Inc, etc.
- Zocial Sedia
- Leverage

PLEASE:
Comment on this post with any suggestions for names
Post something on my Facebook
E-mail me: gregcrisci@gmail.com
Text me
Twitter me: @mktgstudent
Linked In me

Also, if you are perhaps interested in joining, shoot me an e-mail and we can talk. I hope I can get some responses. After I installed Google Analytics, which is amazing, and posted something on Facebook, I have actually seen some activity, which is pretty cool. Thanks to anyone who read this or commented. Seriously, thank you.

Here are some resources for business name creation:
http://sbinfocanada.about.com/od/startup/a/createbizname.htm

http://www.ehow.com/how_2002418_choose-business-name.html

http://www.entrepreneur.com/startingabusiness/startupbasics/namingyourbusiness/article21774.html

Enjoy.

Engaged!

So it appears that my brother has gotten engaged. Congratulations to them! I was instructed to go paparazzi style with these until he popped the question, then run out and capture whatever moments I could. Seeing how it was freezing cold, not too many places to hide, I was wearing red flannel, I had a huge camera, it was cloudy and overcast, it was definitely a fun time.

Here are just a couple of the photos that I thought were worthy of being out there. The full album is available by invite from the couple. We are also setup to do their engagement photos in the coming future, so be on the look out.

Engagement is the promise to marry. It's the trivial time between the proposal and the wedding itself. But, in business is a little different. Engagement in business refers to "turning on a prospect to a brand idea enhanced by the surrounding context" (Advanced Research Foundation). The surrounding context is where the creativity lays; it is part of your competitive advantage. What aspects of your business/service engage and interact with your customer? Engaging could be as simple as empowering the guest such as at restaurants when they are allowed to "Create Your Own."

In the new era, Social Media is a dramatic addition to engagement. The Social Media platform, built upon Web 2.0 services/software allow business' to connect and engage with consumers on a new level. Response time to complaints is lessened, response time to questions is faster and engagement with the brand or a physical person from the brand is increased. The Social Media platform allows a business to increase engagement in a variety of ways. Be creative in your engagement.

I don't want your ad.

One of the biggest misconceptions with marketing is that people want to listen. This is not the case. With the ever increasing amount of marketing and the limited amount of eyeballs out there, one of the challenges for marketers is to utilize creative techniques when designing ad campaigns.

I do not want your ad. I don't want to hear what you have to say. I am not interested. The new marketing era is changing. Prior to the social media era, just-in-time was reserved for mass production. Now, with the complex algorithms and complex data sets, just-in-time marketing refers to idea that, when a customer wants to see something, they will and we must provide it to them. This is in contrast to how it used to be. It used to be the marketer was in control of the marketing process. But, it is slowly moving to incorporate the end user in many of the marketing functions. Look at the ideas of crowdsourcing and the impact it has on companies and freelancers.

We need to understand that the world of marketing is overcrowded and with the introduction of social media, it might get even more scarier. Marketers need to become more and more creative with their campaigns in order to stay alive.

Consulting.

In no way do I consider myself a professional consultant. A professional consultant has earned a reputation amongst the field he/she currently resides and has experience to back it up. I am however eager to promote and implement new ideas, I have a strong ability to think creatively, I have experience with technology, I am sociable and I am part of the community. These characteristics, I feel, are also part of what makes a good consultant.

I have a feeling this coming up year will be an interesting one. First, I will be graduating with my degree, second, social media is starting to take off, and third, I need to start gaining experience with clients and the real world. I feel as though this is the time to enter the market as a consultant to social media. Companies are starting to fill positions for social media and platforms are becoming easier and easier to use. This next year, when the economy is starting to turn around is a prime time to recruit more awareness of your product or service, to increase your involvement in the Digital Networked Environment (the web) and to take your business to the next year.

I have always wanted to start my own business. I have always seen myself helping out local small business' or even starting my own business. So, I was thinking, why not start a business that helps other business'? Great idea. I think I will.

Twice removed.

In Predictably Irrational, Dan Ariely points out an irrational behavior that is exactly that. It's irrational to think that stealing a coin and stealing a can of coke would invoke different motivations from people. But, as he conducted his study, he found out that once physical money was taken out of the equation, people acted differently.

One of his first studies he conducted was in a dorm hall. He placed a six pack of coke in the lobby refrigerator and then counted them each day for a week. He conducted the same survey with 6 dollar bills that he left in the same spot. What he noticed was that people were willing to snag a coke here and there but surprisingly no one touched the money.

So think for a little. Do you borrow pens from the break room? Do you eat a couple fries or some chips here and there? Once money is removed it's a whole new game.

Get to know yourself, employees, life, organization...

I'm at the point where I need to start thinking about what I should do when I graduate. For all of you followers of my college life, Joey and Geoff, my planned graduation with a degree in Marketing is Fall of 2010. And no, I will not be receiving my doctorate, although it has felt like it's been that long.

I know for a fact that after I graduate, I would like to travel. I am not sure where, maybe going back to Europe may be a good idea. I just know that I want to go see what's out there.

So, we'll see what happens. Right now I feel like joining an agency would be a wise choice but then the fear of interviewing (I don't know why I get so nervous) weighs upon me. Having worked for a couple small business' and for a few older entrepreneurs, I know I can do better than them (not to sound selfish). They lack things called basic business practices. But I do want to give them credit on establishing what they have done so far. But, it appears they are in "The Dip" and have no idea how to get out. Or, they might not care about getting out. I know these practices won't make or break a business, but not knowing your costs, not knowing your demographics, not utilizing the creativity of your employees, not treating your employees as your number one asset is mind boggling to me. Which is why I think I could run my own business.

So, I am not sure what to do. Just food for thought on my part. I want to be able to work for myself. I want to be able to wake up at 10:00-11:00 and work till 10:00. I hate the feeling of constrained hours. But, if I had to do it, I could. I would just prefer not to.

There are different types of people in the world. Night owls, day timers, morning people. I am definitely a night owl. Is this a bad thing? Hell no. It's common sense. If I had my own business it would run on how/when people are productive. There are people that like to work at 7:00AM, good for them. There are people that like to start their day later (myself). I don't believe that you can get as much productivity out of someone without understanding their habits and life style. Get to know your employees, seriously. Ask them. Be creative. If someone is always late in the morning, ask why? If there answers are consistent, I woke up late, obviously they aren't a morning person. Get them out of that time slot and I am sure their productivity and happiness will increase. If it doesn't, they are retarded.

I know what type of person I am. I know what I can and can't do. I know what I want and don't want to do. Let's just talk and figure them out.