Make Yourself More Creative

One of the things I like about my job is that it allows me to be as creative as I want. During brainstorms and planning meetings, I have a chance to throw out ideas that may not make any sense, but could turn into something awesome.

When you first start in PR, the creativity element can be a bit intimidating. Certainly, brainstorming takes practice, but everyone can contribute something unique to the creative process. Here are a few ways I keep my mind churning, thinking of new ideas and stay on top of my game:

Stay on top of other brand news - What are other brands doing out in the world? Huge events? Sponsorships? Partnering with celebs or bloggers? Send yourself or your teams an email when you see something great that could spark some ideas. My favorite recently? McDonald’s “Pay with Love” campaign.

Do something new - I love trying out new fitness classes during the week. It gives me something to look forward to and there is always a new group of people to meet. I also am dying to go to a hockey game and read that atmosphere. The more you get yourself out there, the different kinds of audiences you can experience. You might come up with a fun idea when you see how people are enjoying themselves.

Read - At least once a month I go on Amazon.com and New York Times to be sure I’m up to speed with the latest with novels or non-fiction stories. I absolutely love the business and consumption of books. It is one of the only mediums left that doesn’t have advertising or marketing – a book becomes popular simply by word of mouth. Not only can you get yourself in the mindset of others with a good read, but your brain will expand greatly each time you pick up a book.

How do you get the creative juices flowing?