Humor and Creativity
These two factors are much overlooked in the marketing world. You cannot teach someone how to have a sense of humor, or how to be creative. You can teach them the importance of going with an idea even when it seems a little bold or unusual though!
Humor and creativity cannot be quantified. You cannot give examples of ways that someone else can be creative, because true creativity is unique and totally original. All you can do is give examples of what other people have done, and hope someone gets a clue of what they can do. True humor is also unexpected and original, and unquantifiable. This makes it difficult to really state their importance or teach them as viable concepts.
Humor is a powerful relationship marketing tool. But it has to be humor that actually appeals to the target audience. If you do something that they consider to be off color, you'll offend them. On the other hand, if you tickle their funny bone, they'll go away with a warm feeling about your company.
A good example of humor can be found in the TV ads that are run during NASCAR races. The best ones are very humorous. They span a range of humor types, but aim at a general target audience - people who like excitement, speed, and who love practical joking. There is a bit of redneck humor in there too, because the audience is also willing to laugh at themselves. When a new ad rolls out, the entire NASCAR fan world talks about it, if they think it was funny.
Creativity applies in two ways: If the ad is unexpected, but appropriate, it will appeal to the audience. But if you put an idea for using your product into the ad, and it is fitting, but unexpected, you'll also catch people.
I operate a Home Business forum, and it is always such fun to brainstorm on there. Someone will say, "I market this item. How do I reach an offline or online market?" And the ideas will pour in. One person will suggest things from one perspective, and someone else will suggest something from a totally different perspective. Then someone will take what those two said, and suggest a twist on their suggestions. Pretty soon, the person who asked the question has a whole batch of new, fresh, and creative ideas, which they alone could not come up with.
Brainstorming with knowledgeable and experienced people can often spark a wonderfully original exchange of ideas. You won't be able to do them all, but you'll be able to pick up on a few.
For example, when a woman asked about marketing scrap booking items, she got the following suggestions:
- Add decorative hand touches to her business cards to make them reflect the product.
- Hand out items at events that were useful, but that were created using a tool, instead of handing out a sample product. (This encourages purchases more.)
- Take a digital camera and mini-printer to events, and offer small single page scrapping kits so people could take a picture and make a page right there.
- Talk to various hotels in town to see about renting a room for a class or seminar.
- And a bunch of other ideas that she had not thought of.
The cool thing was that no single person had all that inspiration. It came from the discussion. One person would suggest something that triggered an idea in someone else. And in fact, some of the ideas that the woman decided to run with were not suggested by anyone in that form - they just triggered another idea in her.
You don't have to be highly creative yourself to add creative touches to your marketing. If you can find a group of people who will brainstorm with you, the synergy of the group will provide what your own brain cannot. I find that I am very limited in imagination when left to myself, but in a group of rapid-fire ideas, I can easily hold my own.
Be willing to have some fun with your marketing. Be willing to be different and original. Be willing to be a little silly at times, and to appeal to the sense of fun in your customer. Those elements, when done right, can go a long way toward setting you apart, and above, the competition.
