At The Found Gen, we’re all kind of obsessed with trend forecasting and idea architecture. What’s next, what’s after that…extra kudos for the marketing ideas that follow. Now, how do we make them come to life?
Yes, we’re swimming in ideas over here.
There are certainly worse dilemmas for a content marketing and production firm; after all, ideas are our currency. But for individuals and brands out there in the world of content and branding all alone, too many ideas can mean no ideas at all. At a certain point, an overflow of ideas becomes paralyzing and blocks significant progress.
So how – short of waving a magic wand and hoping for the best – do you translate lots of pretty okay marketing ideas into one fabulous driving concept to guide your brand’s next steps? Easy.
How to Develop Great Marketing Ideas
- Time-Hop. The best ideas are equal parts nostalgia and post-modern, eliciting an immediate attachment while inspiring a fresh, new direction. Know the latest trends and preferences in your industry, and jump a few steps ahead of those, while remembering what spoke to you loudest yesterday. It sounds complicated. But when you land on such an idea, you’ll feel it in your gut.
- Start small. We always begin with the basic product or message and grow from there. What specific product are you trying to create? What specific problem are you trying to eliminate? Identify the exact idea you’re trying to accomplish. The stronger and clearer the initial idea is, the better, more expansive the ultimate build will be.
- Be ruthless with your time and energy. Give your best efforts to the ideas that’ll stand the test of what-ifs. Bonus points if the idea is met with strong disapproval from some in your audience, because great ideas are controversial and test our beliefs.
- Consider the validity of the idea. No, really. Be very honest with its success rate. Will it help people or change them in some fashion? Make sure there’s enough of a market to make your endeavor worth it. Remember: You don’t need a huge audience to succeed. Just a loyal one.
- Think prototype before full-fledged business. Rather than staff a soon-to-be multi-million-dollar company, start with a sample or small-run and let your potential customers in on the test. Their feedback is worth its weight in gold.
- Know your limits. There are times when even the best idea needs to be better, and times when the only thing that’ll get it there is an outside resource. Ask for help. Ask for advice. Ask us.
At The Found Gen, we always have room for more ideas. Bring yours to us. We can turn them into brand-changing plans.