Approaches to Creative Outsourcing

Seth Godin, author of Purple Cow: Transform Your Business by Being Remarkable and many other business books, had an interesting post recently about two different ways to outsource creative projects.  The two forms are "blank slate" vs. "inside the box" (although Seth calls them "clean sheet" and "strategic mission").  The "blank slate" refers to a very basic set of instructions to the creative talent and relying on them to come up with something that you like while the "inside the box" refers to a clearly defined set of parameters for the project.

The strategic mission takes more preparation, more discipline and more difficult meetings internally. It involves thinking hard without knowing it when you see it. It's also the act of a mature individual, earning his salary.

The clean sheet of paper is amazing when it works, but involves so much waste, anxiety and pain that I have a hard time recommending it to most people. If you're going to do this, you have an obligation to use what you get, because your choice was hiring this person, not in judging the work you got when you didn't have the insight to give them clear direction in the first place.

What if you could combine the two approaches?

Every project, at some point, is a "blank sheet" and the question is simply when you decide to bring a creative talent into the process.  The sooner you involve the talent, the greater chance you will get an outstanding result.

Why would you get better results?

Because people who wear the label of "creative talent" (whatever that means in your situation) have tools or ways of thinking that they bring to the table which are often outside the realm of "typical business".  They are also a pair of objective eyes who can see your problem in a new light and question some of the basic assumptions that may be causing the problem or, at least, holding you back from achieving an outstanding result.

It's not about the box.

While Seth Godin's blog post kicked off the discussion, his short post didn't really capture the full spectrum of possible working scenarios available when outsourcing creative project work.  Most creative types actually work well when they are given "a box" to work within and the best actually rise to the challenge of finding a creative solution that fits.  On the other side, if creativity is applied to the creation of the box the results can be, in the words of Seth Godin, "amazing".

What's worked for you?

D.Mark Wheeler

Founder,

www.TheWorldsMostCreativePerson.com

Values and the 10-10-10 concept from Suzy Welch

Have you heard about the 10-10-10 idea (as discussed in Suzy Welch's book by the same name)?  

Have you ever had a difficult decision to make and needed some way to put your alternatives into perspective?  To take away some of the confusion from all the options and consequences that were swirling around in your head?

The basic idea of Suzy's 10-10-10 method is to use 3 time horizons as a decision making tool.  

What would be the implications of your decision in 10 minutes (near term), 10 months (mid term) and 10 years (long term)?

If you watch the video of Suzy on the Today show with Matt Lauer (clip is available on Suzy's website), she mentions the importance of understanding your values as part of the 10-10-10 decision process.

"Thinking about those consequences in each of those timeframes is not as powerful if you don't bring your values to it.  How do I want to live?  It is not a device.  It is a way to shape your life and that happens when you bring your values to it."

Do you know what your values are?  Are you living your values?

If you are wondering what your values truly are, click here to learn about a"tool" under development called Value Discovery™ Cards that help you identify values that you are currently living as well as the values that you want in your life (but may not currently have IN your life).   

If you have a good handle on your values... you can use the 10-10-10  method to help you make better decisions !

Creativity all around us...

Did you realize that there are opportunities to boost your creativity all around you?



One aspect of creativity is the ability to see things in a different way and because we often get into a rut where we simply do things the same way over and over again without thinking about them, it is important to break your pattern.



Take your living space for example. Do you always sleep on the same side of the bed? What would it feel like to wake up on the other side of the bed some morning? (Assuming someone is not already there ... although that might be interesting too!)



I noticed this phenomenon when I used one of my guest bathrooms today. I rarely, if ever go in there, but it gave me bit of a shift of perspective and helped me generate this blog post.



I know what you are thinking ... Shift Happens ! (or were you thinking that this post should be flushed?)



Seriously though... when was the last time you opened your eyes to the new experiences all around you? Take a new route to work ... or come home "the long way". Whatever it is, it will help rejuvenate you and... in the end... it will boost your creative energy !



Give it a try !

d.Mark Wheeler

“I took the road less traveled by, and that has made all the difference.”
Robert Frost quotes (American poet, 1874-1963)

Creativity vs. Innovation ... by Hugh Macleod

One of my favorite bloggers about creativity (and marketing) is Hugh Macleod and his recent post explains his current view on the subject...

"Innovative" is an "external" word. It can be measured. It generally talks about things that have been tested properly and found to have worked in the real world. "Creative", however, is more of an "internal" word. It's subjective, it's murkier. It's far harder to measure, it's far harder to define. It's an inward journey, not outward. Which is why a lot of people in business try to keep the word out of their official lexicon, preferring instead more neutral, more externally-focused language like "Value", "Excellence", "Quality" and yes, "Innovation".

The trouble is, of course, that approach doesn't work as well any more. In this globalized, hyper-linked, internet-enabled world, "Boring" has suddenly become a very expensive luxury.

Do you REALLY think Apple is afraid to use the word, "Creative"? Do you REALLY think Steve Jobs goes around his office yakking on endlessly about "Value, Excellence, Quality and Innovation"? No, of course he doesn't. Apple's UTTERLY AMAZING design, business and marketing prowess comes from the UTTERLY AMAZING creative fire in their collective belly, not the other way around.

I want to make limited-edition prints that somehow, even in a small, indirect way, helps make companies and individuals less afraid, and more willing to be CREATIVE, more willing to embrace the CREATIVITY that they already have.
Because economically and spiritually, that is ultimately where our future lies, even if that idea sometimes terrifies us.

Go Hugh !

Here's a good idea...

Seth Godin comes up with lots of great ideas, usually related to marketing, but sometimes he strays into other areas... such as conference calls.

Seth's idea:
Combining a conference call with an online chat room. This helps overcome the problem of multiple people talking over each other on a conference call and not knowing who is speaking.

Click here for Seth's post.

Do you have a great idea to share with the world?

Blogger Hugh Macleod latest thoughts on Creativity

As Hugh says, "You either get it or you don't. You either feel it in your bones, or you don't. There's nothing to explain."

Here is a link to his blog...

http://www.gapingvoid.com/Moveable_Type/archives/004900.html

Top 5 ways to name your company

As any entrepreneur starting out knows, the name you apply to your business is a critical part of the startup process. Sure, you could change the name later, but you are probably going to invest in business cards, signs and a website based on the name you come up with for your company so you would prefer to do it right the first time.

Here are the top 5 ways to come up with name for your new company (in no particular order)....

1) Brainstorm associated words based on the vision you have for your company. This is a good exercise because it may also help you clarify your vision at the same time. Once you have a list of words associated with your vision of the company, you can brainstorm words associated with those words. The key is to not filter yourself prematurely... let the words flow because a poor word may lead you to a better word which might lead you to the perfect name for your company.

1a) Word combinations sometimes expand the possible name choices but try to stick to two word combinations at the most. Multiple words start to sound like a sentence and while that may make it easier to find a matching website name (longer names are less likely to be taken), it will sound less like a company and more like a tagline.

2) Naming Software is available that can help you generate name options. These are usually based on a powerful thesaurus and maybe even a search function to see if names have been taken. Examples include NameRazor, NameBuilder and others.

3) URL searches now include alternatives to your selected terms and they can offer ideas for alternative names. Since you will want to own the "dot com" web address for your company (and probably some of the variations on the main site's name), it is good to do a quick search based on some of the words you came up with in your brainstorming sessions.

4) Umbrella vs. Specific Names sometimes trip up some companies. An umbrella name may sound "grandiose" or give the impression of a larger company than you really are (e.g. Worldwide Plumbing or Global Cleaners) but you should be careful not to confuse your customers, especially if your business will be local. Specific names can also limit you since they tie you into a specific location or product. If you name a shop "Nuts R Us", it may be difficult to expand into other foods or hardware (depending on what types of nuts you are talking about). In general, I tend to lean toward the larger names as long as they give a good impression of the market you are trying to serve.

5) Focus Groups are another way that you can expand the possible name choices. These can be used to test possible names (if you have time) or they can be done informally to expand the brainstorming process. In any case, be aware that you are probably dealing with a very small subset of your customers or potential customers so there is a real chance that they may not represent the feelings of the majority of your customers. (Especially if your family is part of the group.) Be careful with Focus Groups!

In the end, it is your decision and it is one that you will probably have to live with ... or at least pay for.

Nothing says that you can't change the name of your company or create a new company but the effort that is put into getting a great name from the start makes the whole process of building your business that much more enjoyable.

Create a better world !

d.Mark


Additional Resources:
Trizle.com (http://www.trizle.com/topics/684-how-to-name-your-company)
This site also includes ideas for what to do once you have a name for your company.

Positioning: The Battle for Your Mind, 20th Anniversary Edition by Al Ries

Naming the World: And Other Exercises for the Creative Writer