I read somewhere that the best test for creativity in business was simply to ask “are you creative?” So I tried it. And for the majority of people it seemingly proved true. The people that we all see as creative (designers, PowerPoint gurus, out of the box thinkers) said yes; and the planners, project managers, sales people said no. So I naively believed it to be true.

Then a few recent articles got me thinking more clearly. Namely Sir Ken Robinson’s speech at TED and Mike Wagner’s post on drawing a picture. These guys really cemented something that my 2 year old daughter teaches me every time I watch her play. We’re all creative. We all have boundless imaginations. We always have. Unfortunately our educational system has progressively worked that aspect our being out of us since about the third grade. No educational system on the planet puts as much emphasis on creativity as they do logic. Think about the number of math and science classes you took versus the arts and humanities. Not that logic is bad. In fact, it’s a critical element of who we are. It’s just over balanced compared to creativity.

I believe the lack of creativity is slowly killing business. It’s what’s driving everything to a commodity price-driven market. Without creative thinking how will the engineering team discover the next breakthrough product? How will the marketing team break out and stand above a crowded market place. Creativity isn’t solely the realm of designers and ad agencies. That’s what I love about Mike Wagner’s post. He asks the people in his seminar to draw a picture. Doesn’t matter what – just draw what comes to mind. Initially most people struggle with it. Imagine your finance person on this task – they’ll hate it. And why not, we’ve had decades of structured learning that tells us to ignore our creative side and to only focus on the logical. Mike tells a great story of a woman beginning to weep when she discovered she was just as creative now as when she was a little girl.

Creativity isn’t just associated with art. It does not equal wild and crazy. It doesn’t equal foolishness. When you hear “out of the box thinking”; that’s the call to creativity. It’s coming up with a new approach. It’s daring to think differently. After all, isn’t that what we’re paid to do? If everyone has the same view, the same ideas, the same approach, the same results then why are all of us still here?

To succeed in business is to be creative in your role (obviously Sarbanes-Oxley looks down at creative financial reporting – and for good reason). Growth in business demands creativity. It is what will separate you from the competition. As humans we’re trained to only notice what’s different in our environment, in other words, being different is the best way to raise awareness.

The lack of creativity across the board is hurting your brand. It’s hurting your profitability. It’s hurting your employees. Creativity isn’t a special gift – we’re all born with it. It never leaves, it’s just hiding. Look for ways you can let the two year old inside come out and play.

Nick Rice

Without new business your corporation will close its doors forever sooner or later. Thirty years ago consumers didn’t have as many choices available as we do today. It was easy for the old school ad agencies to develop a following for a certain brand. In the early days of television, brands like King Gilette owned the airways. They sponsored the shows, flighted commercials, and literally owned the networks.

Today, getting new leads isn’t always easy. Consumers are inundated with marketing messages and generally tune out anything that smells like a sales ploy. So the easy answer to get more leads is to develop the most loved products in your category. This is the purple cow theory. And it’s correct; but it’s not always easy to turn the R&D aircraft carrier. Another easy answer is to spend more on marketing/branding/advertising. Again, not a bad component, as long as its part of a greater strategy. If you can afford it. Unfortunately only the top brands in the world can truly spend enough money on mass marketing to sway the general public.

If you’re responsible for sales today, the best way to generate leads is to become known as an expert in your industry. This doesn’t mean that you know more about your products and services than anyone else. I want you to become the person that is sought out when a customer has a problem to fix in your specialty. Lead generation, and sales, is not about who you know. It’s about who knows you.

So how do you become known as an expert you ask? The foundation of becoming an expert starts in elementary school. Start writing. Honing your ability to write so that you can solve business pain points, without overtly recommending your solution, will position you as an industry specialist. Get in front of your audience and present. Whether its industry tradeshows or local business groups, if you’re in front of the audience, you’re the expert – as long as your content is valued.

It will take time, but the long term benefits are too enormous to ignore. Cold calling may get you in the door once in one hundred calls. But you’ve also just irritated ninety nine other prospects. Not a good ROI (return on investment). Your time is much better spent writing and speaking. No one likes to be sold. But all of us like to buy. You have to create a buying environment. In retail, you don’t have Banana Republic or Adidas calling you to try on their merchandise unless your a Hollywood celebrity. Sure they entice you to come in, but you already know what stores you’re going to shop at regardless of what flyers are in the Sunday paper. A B2B sale isn’t much different. When you’re recognized as a problem solving industry expert, people want to buy from you. And when people want to buy, price is not an issue. You’ve elevated above the competition and that’s a profitable position.

Nick Rice

If there is one thing that’s common among small business owners is the struggle to meet big goals with small budgets. I for one do not think that’s a bad thing. Seth Godin doesn’t either. Having a smaller budget than the Fortune 500 mega-corp down the street doesn’t mean you can’t have top notch marketing communications materials. It just means you have to be more creative and strategic with your decisions.

Are going to go out and hire Crispin Porter + Bogusky for a $25M 30 second commercial straightaway? Probably not, but don’t skimp where it counts. I learned a long time ago that two things make you successful in business; innovation and communication. You can succeed for a while on either; but when innovation and communication are both firing on all cylinders you will experience powerful growth. So without further ado:

5 Steps To Getting The Biggest Bang For Your Buck

1. Work with professionals that you can trust.
   You need specialists in marketing and communication that have your best interest in mind. They need to understand your business and your goals. They should also be able to generate and track a measurable ROI (Return On Investment) to show you that your money was well spent. Don’t put your image at risk because the kid in his basement can build a cheaper website than the established agency. The old rule rings true more often than not, you get what you pay for.

2. Talk to your audience.
   Don’t just take a wag at your next marketing effort. Ask your best customers where they think it makes sense for you to advertise. Ask them what they think of your message; what turned them on about you. Talk to them about becoming references.

3. Leverage Web 2.0 trends.
   Currently the marketing space is turning inside out. Customers are demanding more control over their buying experience. Use social networks and blogs to learn more about your audience. If you make a product that make them happy, give them an outlet to talk about it. In fact, they’re already talking about your brand – good and bad. You just have to tap into it. It’s cheap, easy and very effective. You need to be thankful for the praise. And if you’re getting something less than praise, you need to work on the innovation side of the equation. Take advantage of new technologies to tap into and start a conversation with your audience.

4. Trackable expenditures are key.
   If you cannot measure the effectiveness of the radio ad or the billboard, don’t do it. And reach and frequency stats aren’t enough for me to spend my money. You should expect a 4:1 return on your marketing dollars, find another way to reach your customers. I would test different mediums, but when they’re not working for you find another way to get your unique value prop out.

5. Buy for your business like you buy for yourself.
   Where do you buy your business suits? Wal*Mart or somewhere with a tailor? What about your shoes? Your watch? Your purse? All of these things say something about the type of image you want to portray. Your marketing and communication efforts are the same. You don’t have to spend a fortune; you just have to spend wisely. Even a young professional knows to build his/her wardrobe slowly over time with high quality purchases.

Nick Rice