I’m not saying that insights aren’t important. They are. I’m not saying that buying-persona-identifying and websitevisitor-tracking are pointless. They’re valuable, analytics are valuable. Numbers should always influence marketing efforts.
But every agency is using the same tools. Every marketing team has access to the same analytics. Every marketer is providing similar reports.
So, what makes the difference?
Creativity.
Everything starts with creativity. And the "safe" marketing teams, they’re the ones with shit creatives. The number stuff is important, but it comes after creativity. Without good creatives, your marketing will always be half as good as it could be.
Too many marketers are complacent or they don’t want to offended clients. The B2B marketing world in particular is full of people concentrating far on the numbers, instead of standing out.
Analytics companies said it was about insights. Startups said it was about some new amazing tool. Survey companies said it was about the research. But then, when everyone started doing the same thing, using the same tools, looking at the same platforms, and producing the same reports they forgot the importance of being creative.
So, we enter a new era, an era where businesses are crying out for creativity. How do you be creative? Well, here’s what works for me.
1. Ask yourself: has anyone done this before?True creativity lies with the things that no-one’s ever tried before. And if you do something new, I’m telling you now that it probably won’t work. And you’ll fail. But then everyone will forget about it. And now and again, something will pay off.
2. Traveling
Traveling makes you come across new people from different cultures and helps you get new experiences while creating memories for life. But most importantly, it boosts your creativity. Yes, traveling provides you a whole new perception of things.
3. Work with other creative people
Nothing quite sparks creativity like working with other creative people. And marijuana. But putting multiple creative minds together can work wonders. (I don’t smoke weed).
4. Don’t work too much!
I never work late into the night, I think that’s a bad habit that generally does not add to productivity, at least for me. I truly believe that by creating a work environment that prioritizes work-life balance, you can be happy and maintain a healthier, more productive and creative workforce.
5. Get inspired by the other creatives
I don’t mean to copy them. I mean look at them, look at who they’re aimed at, and ask yourself, “what are they not saying?”.