Having a process also allows you to think of ideas that may not be easily apparent. What's one thing you do to help come up with new ideas? How can you incorporate this into a repeatable framework (for yourself as well as those you collaborate with)?
I listen to my favorite music for a good 5-10 minutes while scrolling through my social media feed. Usually, I find an idea through a friend's post, sponsored post, or even a story or two.
One thing I do to help come up with new ideas is to write the goal of the idea down and then walk away from it for a little while. Sometimes I am not able to focus on the new idea to give a clear and valid response. I like to look at the new idea from several angles listing the pros and cons. I think that it is best to propose the new idea proposition if you know that the discussion ahead of time is to initially share the goal of the new idea to everyone before the gathering to collaborate--that way, when everyone meets that the meeting is more goal minded toward the decision and everyone has had a moment to bring something to the table.
I often research the same topic in different languages, particularly on reputable news sources in these countries. I get so many angles that way. You don't need to be fluent, Google Translator does the trick.
I have a pretty standard process for the industries I work/have worked in (higher ed and healthcare). If I'm given a general topic but no angles, I do some preliminary research/social listening to see both what the latest news on the topic is as well as what the target audience wants to know/may be struggling with. I also look for content gaps -- angles that competitors may not have covered that would be beneficial to the audience. This helps me come up with different angles to approach the topic from.
If I'm not given a topic, I do the same thing, but I start one step further back and use initial the research/social listening stage to see what topics are new/being discussed/in need of content before I then hone in on the angles.
I was wondering if you or anyone on the forum can bring some insights on this topic:
Who is typically involved in the creative process? Do you involve other functions (SEO, Paid, Business Development, Outreach, PMs, etc) or just the copywriters? What are some of the best practices there?
I like to gather lots of information from various sources and then walk away from it to let my brain process it in the "background." I'll often come up with ideas when I'm not trying, especially when I'm doing the dishes or some other mindless activity. Sometimes, I wake up in the morning with the solution. I'm most creative in the morning, so I try not to have meetings during that time unless they are brainstorming sessions. I'm more analytical in the afternoons but less creative, so that's when I edit and do administrative tasks.
Almost all ideas come from my dream, my entertainment channels such as TV shows, movies, music lyrics, read books, etc., and also stories that I listening in daily life from others people. That so I often practice myself in the habit of observing and listening to create a lot of inspiration to built personas. Moreover, I spent time surfing social media to got more ideas during writing.
I set up all of this to become a to-do list every day and take note ideas when it comes from in my brain so I can't do without couple paper + pen or simply Note on the smartphone.
I sit quietly in a room with no distractions and let my mind flow in its own direction. It starts to think about the recent movie I watched or the recent book I read, or even a person I met. my mind digs a little deeper and searches for an inspiration from them. Thats how I generate my content ideas.
