Three Ways to Put Fresh Spins on Old Marketing Concepts

Are you struggling to find a new twist for old advertising or marketing campaigns?

If you're a small business owner or a copywriter/coach/other creative professional, you know exactly what I'm talking about. Having to come up with new ideas for a long-term client (or even your own business) can be overwhelming.

As much as you love those long-term clients or established products, because of their longevity, it gets harder and harder to come up with the next brilliant product.

But never fear. Here are three ways to get those creative juices (and new ideas) flowing.

1. Study other ads. Flip through a magazine or turn on the television, except this time focus on the ads and not the content (I know, I know, this is counter to what you usually do). Which ads do you like? Why do you like them? Is there something that those ads are doing you can modify for your campaigns?

The key word is modify, not copy. I don't want anyone committing copyright infringement. What I'm talking about is using an existing ad to jump-start your own ideas. Maybe you really like the use of an evocative photo with a single caption. Or the use of repetition in Mastercard's "Priceless" campaign. Or the idea of turning the "money can't buy everything" on its head (which is essence of that campaign). Can you use that concept in your campaign?

Another resource for great ads is Communication Arts Magazine. Each issue showcases some of the most creative and beautiful ads found anywhere.

2. Check out what a completely different industry is doing. For instance, let's say you sell software products to computer professionals. Techy market, right? So, pick up a yoga magazine. See how that industry communicates with its audience. Now try selling your product using the same language and concepts. Take it a step further and brainstorm ways your software product is similar to doing yoga.

This is a very powerful way to jolt your own thinking and start your muse down a completely different path you might never have discovered before.

3. Force a connection. With this idea, force a connection with a random object rather than an entire industry. You ask yourself, how is your software program similar to a stuffed dog? Write down everything you can think of, no matter how silly or foolish. Sometimes the foolish ideas are the ones that lead to the great ones.

A final note: If at all possible, don't rush this process. Give your muse some time to ponder and play with these techniques. I know it often seems like ideas pop into your head out of thin air, but usually that's because of the hard work you've put into it. You've given your muse the necessary tools and "incubation time" to make ideas happen.

Michele Pariza Wacek owns Creative Concepts and Copywriting, a writing, marketing and creativity agency. She offers two free e-newsletters that help subscribers combine their creativity with hard-hitting marketing and copywriting principles to become more successful at attracting new clients, selling products and services and boosting business. She can be reached at www.writingusa.com. Copyright 2004 Michele Pariza Wacek.

---

Receiving a Brochure Printing Quote

Brochures are a great way to get your message across.... Read More

Doing it with Class!

Doctors do it, hair dressers do it, and salespeople can... Read More

The Art Of Writing Classified Ads

The writing of good classified ads truly is an art... Read More

What Are Focus Groups & How Do They Work?

Businesses and other organizations use focus groups to research consumer... Read More

Why Pay for Online Press Release Distribution?

We've all heard that "free advice is worth what you... Read More

How To Get New Business

Market, Market and then market some more. So many small... Read More

Make Your E-Mail Signature File WORK for You!

You're probably familiar with e-mail signature (or "sig") files -... Read More

Whats Your Selling Sentence?

What's your Selling Sentence? If you have a business, you... Read More

How to Really Get Your Customers

What Really Makes Your Postcard Mailing Successful? The biggest single... Read More

Practice Marketing: How to Answer What Do You Do? to Increase Prospects, Publicity and Profits

"What do you do?""I'm a CPA. What do you do?""I'm... Read More

Good Marketing is Like a Bad Habit

You know those bad habits we get. Like raiding the... Read More

Use Events to Market on the Internet

Having difficulty knowing what to offer people online? Worried that... Read More

The Most Important Marketing Principles of All Time

As you have probably experienced there is a lot of... Read More

Reasons Why People Usually Dont Buy Again

There are many psychological reasons why people will buy from... Read More

To All Internet Marketers - How To Get My Business?

More and more people are realizing that the Internet offers... Read More

Mobile Marketing a New Age Strategy

More and more companies seem to be looking for new... Read More

How To Let Your Customers Search For YOU! ? Part 2

First I want to welcome you to part two of... Read More

Linking Features & Benefits

I'm sure that you've had those Eureka! moments, too. When... Read More

How to Brief a Marketing Agency

A new client recently emailed us a brief here at... Read More

Top 10 Ways to Create and Manage Opportunity

Most of us are used to the concepts of risk... Read More

What to Include in Your Marketing Plan Write-Up

For those new to marketing planning, the thought of completing... Read More

Why Great Companies Survey: Martian Logic!

If an alien civilization from Mars was planning a friendly... Read More

Communicating Our Attitude

The goal of successful marketing is to create long lasting... Read More

Marketing With Brochures

With the explosion of the internet and online businesses many... Read More

Market Planning -- Getting the Word Out

"There are those who get things done and those who... Read More

How To Conduct Effective Online Surveys

Although they are inexpensive and product fast results, online surveys... Read More

Turbo-Charge Your Viral Marketing- Five Easy Ways

The world of marketing has changed. With increasingly better educated... Read More

Are We There Yet?

Small business marketing is not like taking a family vacation.Did... Read More

Powerful Direct Marketing Numbers

Direct Marketing works!Why? It works because it's personal. It carries... Read More

The Surprise Inside!

Think about all those Cracker Jacks you ate as a... Read More

Business Postcard Marketing: 35 Ways to Use It

Postcards are an effective way for many business owners and... Read More

Too Much To Do: Four Keys to Effective Delegating

Never tell people how to do things. Tell them what... Read More

Mortgage Marketing - How to Write a Mortgage Marketing Sales Letter That Gets Results!

Have you ever sat down to write a sales letter... Read More