Have you ever used creativity in a benefit statement or explained to your clients that you can provide creative solutions for their business problems?
But you were not sure if you could pull it off after you made that statement?
We all like to hear stories about clever ideas from creative people with a vivid imagination and how they were able to put together the perfect promotion.
But do you sometimes wonder how you could ever do something that great?
Well… you are not alone. Most people think they are not very creative but actually they are; they just don’t know it.
Did you know that we all possess about the same amount of creativity? It’s true, and studies have proven it.
The difference is that some people never learn how to tap into or utilize their inherent creativity. Creative thinking is a skill that needs to be practiced, and polished on a continual basis or it will be kept bottled up never to be used to the full potential. How is this done?
First, you have to think about your business in a proactive manner… not reactively. Proactive thoughts and actions are creative while reactive thoughts are more task-oriented.
Second, you must schedule creative think time. Yes, you need to schedule undisturbed time in your office where your only thoughts are centered around business-building concepts, and money-making ideas. One way to do this is to have a key web site where you can view creativity that will get the juices flowing.
The good news is that the creative spirit can grow in those who have not adapted yet by training yourself to think outside of the box.
Those who schedule think time, and become good at this exercise are known as the “deep thinkers” and “situation analysts.”
Here is a simple test you can take to evaluate your current level of creativity:
- Do your customers call you for ideas instead of products?
- Do you think about your client’s marketing campaign and artwork first, and items to present last?
- Do you regularly send wildly creative spec samples to your clients?
- Do your clients view you as a source for products, or a valuable extension of their own marketing team?
- Would your clients recommend you to a friend who is opening a new business and looking for marketing ideas to help them get started?
If you answered yes to these five questions, you are already a deep-thinking, creative consultant. Everyone has creative talents; the most successful learn how to use them!
Best of Success!
Dale Limes, MAS, is Senior Vice President of Sales for HALO Branded Solutions. He is an industry veteran of 27 years, a frequent trainer at industry events, and consults with distributors at every level to help increase sales and efficiency.
