Tips for Staying Creative: Idea Management

Staying creative is important in any economy. Here's one way I do it.

Supplies:

Working in the creative world, I usually have no shortage of big ideas (knock on wood), especially when consulting with a client when it comes to branding, marketing or social media.

But, while a lot of excitement can be generated during a meeting, it can seem to disappear by the time I return to my office. What seemed like a balloon full of promise can turn into smelly hot air in less than an hour. (Seriously – have you ever smelled the air when it comes out of a balloon?)

That's why I always take detailed notes during meetings, often filling pages with ideas and feedback, organizing it in a way where I not only remember the content, but also the creative juices behind it.

Then, when it's time to send a follow up with an email or a formal proposal, I look back over what I wrote down and send it along. When I've appropriately followed up, I can put a big X across that page in my notebook.

From time to time, I'll also thumb back through to see if anything needs an additional follow up. That way, I can stay in contact with folks in a relevant way. It also helps me to remember what needs doing.

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