Sales:

Entasi Display:
10 ft. PopUps:
20 ft. PopUps:
10 ft. Panels:
20 ft. Panels:
10 ft. Custom:
20 ft. Custom:
Fabric PopUps:
Table Top Display:
Banner Stands:
Accessories:

Fabrics:
Graphics:
Buying Tips:
Display Systems:
Special Services:

Brainstormin' 101

How do the companies involved come up with these ideas? Chances are, they found inspiration through brainstorming. Here are five steps to help you make the most of your next idea-generating discussion.

Step 1: Prepare
Successful brainstorming requires careful preparation. Here's how to start: Set your goals and objectives. Goals are what you want to accomplish during the session.

Examples: Create a theme, find a marketing vehicle appropriate to a particular venue, or select a venue and program appropriate to a specific audience.

Objectives are what the project being created is supposed to do. Examples: Build brand identity, sell a product, explain what a product is or attract a crowd. Pull together all the information you can. What information does the company currently have that will inspire your creative direction? Consider using company brochures and communications, product briefs, interviews with internal and external clients, samples of other current campaigns, Web pages.

Carbo-load creativity on an ongoing basis. Look for creative inspiration everywhere: movies, TV, fairs and expositions, museums, magazines, galleries, plays, travel, restaurants, flea markets, direct mailers. Bring any pertinent examples to the session.

Step 2: Select participants
Good ideas can come from anyone. Invite a variety of people, and your results will soar. Consider bringing in a writer, designer, project manager, product specialist or video technician. You may even consider bringing in someone totally unexpected (the receptionist, the janitor, the account exec's teen-aged son) and someone who represents the target customer or product user.

How big should the group be? Four to six people is an effective, manageable group. Invite more than eight or nine participants, and things may spiral out of control.

To prepare participants, send them a briefing package (including an assessment of your objectives, challenges and needs along with the items collected in Step 1) prior to the session. Spend the first 10 to 25 minutes of the brainstorming session reviewing the package as a group.

Encourage everyone to ask questions, and make sure everyone understands the materials and procedures.

Step 3: Find the right environment
The brainstorming "event" calls for an environment that enhances and furthers the creative process.
The ideal environment:
Takes participants out of the normal work environment and stimulates creativity. If you want out-of-the-box thinking, get people out of the box-shaped conference room.

Does not represent the corporate structure. In a brainstorming session, everyone is equal. People need an environment that frees them from "organizational chart" constraints. An idea does not automatically gain acceptance just because it came from the company president.

Provides privacy and separation from the rest of the office and is free of distractions. No cell phones, faxes, pagers or beepers allowed.

Step 4: Follow the "rules" of brainstorming
For the best results, participants need to optimize their abilities to relax, leave inhibitions behind and most important, listen!

It's a good idea to use a moderator to lead the session. The moderator can prepare and present the briefing materials as well as lead and maintain control of the session. The brainstorming moderator doesn't have to lead the way creatively, but he or she must lead participants in following these rules:

Do not interrupt other participants. Everyone deserves a chance to say their peace.

Never say anything negative. The point is not to shoot down ideas; it's to generate as many concepts as possible.

Write it down! Someone should take notes on the session, typically the person responsible for the project (and preferably not the moderator).

There are many possible brainstorming procedures. Consider these techniques:

1.Give every participant one minute to toss out ideas. The group is free to discuss ideas as they come up.

2.Have participants throw out ideas in no particular order. If the group likes an idea, go ahead and explore it immediately.

3.Give every participant one minute to toss out ideas. No one else is allowed to comment. When everyone has finished, go back and discuss ideas the group finds appealing.

Step 5: Know when to close.
Knowing when to move on, wrap up or reschedule is essential. Has the rate of ideas slowed down? Has the group lost its energy level? If so, take a look at what you've done and assess:

Have you fulfilled your goals/objectives?
Do you know what you have to do to continue the project?
What is the next step?
Are there ways to execute the project?

If you can't answer yes to those questions, then you probably need to schedule a second brainstorming session. If you can say yes, then it's time to turn your ideas into action.

Remember, ideas alone do not make brainstorming successful. Appropriate team members must leave with an assignment or call to action. For example: Joe will develop the sailing theme into an outline for a presentation. Jan will prepare a list of all the integrated communications pieces.

Creativity is never "easy." But with brainstorming techniques like the five outlined here, you just might come up with the next great concept in trade show promotions.

By Mark Norby, executive vice president, Live Marketing; and Joe Lauck, artistic director, Live Marketing, 312-787-4800.