Getting Big Profits Creatively

...aka how to put creative thinking at the heart of your business

Creativity is in our nature

...don’t believe you are creative??

It really is in all of us...

An ordinary spoon, no magic involved...

Take this spoon...

Now in 1 minute think of as many uses for a spoon as you can...

Then congratulations you are creative

Did you get more than...

Still don’t believe me?

Well then whatever you do, do not think of a pink elephant with yellow spots

Seriously do not think of a pink elephant with yellow spots

Ok what did you just imagine?...

...a pink elephant with yellow spots??

Then read on...

We are hard wired for creative thought

Utilising creative thoughteffectively in your business leads to

BIG ideas and BIG profits

Firing creativity within your business is the key to success

A creative campaignproduces twice the

results of a non-creative campaign

(IPA and Thinkbox report)

Have you heard?

How the creative brain works

You are living in a creative world. Surrounded everyday by creative thought and solutions, just take a moment to look

around you...

Everyday in your business you are being creative and are surrounded by creative thinkers

...some of them just don’t think they are

Creating a creative mindset

1. Believe that you are creative – natural state

2. Understanding the types of creative thinking brains:– Convergent – Steady approach, evolution thinking

(over time)– Divergent – Stream of ideas, natural questioner

Traditional Brainstorm...

• Divergent thinkers dominate• Convergent thinkers remain silent or

seemingly don’t “get it”• Formal setting• Often badly facilitated• Part of the working day, lack of preparation

of the creative brain

Guess what...

Stress and anxiety lead to creative blocks

As do...• Frustration• Exhaustion• Negativity• Worry

Overcoming creative block

2 ways to overcome creative blocks...

• A change is as good as a rest– Change your location– Get some fresh air, go for a walk– Do something else completely

• A rest is as good as a change– Nap– Meditate– Close your eyes

3 Stage approach for a successful creative process

1. Opening Up – Open creative thoughts– Creative Games

2. Closing Down– Focus on the goal / outcome– Specific Problem

3. Fresh Perspective– Reverse some of the key ideas– Create “what else?” questions

Opening Up

• Get into the creative mindset– Pause / walk / close eyes– Create a “creative area”

• Start the creative thinking process– Play a creative game– Solve a fictitious problem (not related to anything you’ll be

talking about)

• Laugh / Energetic– Generate laughter– Create excitement

Closing Down

• Present the specific problem / required outcome

• Use your structured creative processes to work through the idea

Fresh Perspective

• Disrupt the thinking on generated ideas

• As “what if?” and “what else?” on the ideas

• Change seats / position / move your ideas board

People Play

Pleasure Process

The 4 P’s essential to creativity in business

People• Team• Roles from across your company• Friends / Family• Ideas from any person

The 4 P’s essential to creativity in business

• Create play time• Group challenges• Quick-fire thinking games• Fun and enjoyable

Play

The 4 P’s essential to creativity in business

Pleasure• Introduce fun and laughter• Focus on fun, energy and team• Encourage crazy ideas• Laugh together

The 4 P’s essential to creativity in business

The 4 P’s essential to creativity in business

Process

• Creative Process• Based on 3 Stage approach

Happiness – The Key, The Secret

Happiness / Pleasure is the key to creative thinking

1. Positive Mindset2. Firing Pleasure Receptor in the brain

The Creative Virtuous Circle

Happy

Creative

Empowered

Turning Creativity in Profits

Embed the 4 P’s of creative thinking into all problem solving tasks

Create “creative thinking” teams working to the 3 key stage process

Emphasise the most creative solution by asking “what else”

Add 5% more creativity to every activity especially your

sales and marketing

You and everyone of your workforce, partners, friends and network are creative people...

Utilise your creative brains and turn a good solution into a great solution

www.happy-creative.co.uk

The home of creative thinkers