Advanced Brainstorming Tips that Experts Use

We asked Lorene Roberts for her Favourite 2 Brainstorming Tips. She finally decided on these two.

• Starter questions for Brainstorming

• The Magic of the Post it Wall

Starter questions for Brainstorming

The beginning of a brainstorming session is critical to its success. This is particularly true if the participants do not feel completely confident with each other. A skilled facilitator can help. They will use a series of questions. If there are no or few responses they always have the next question ready, reading the group as they go until the first trickle, followed by the flow and then flood of creativity and imagination.

Every contribution from the group is worth writing down. It may appear obscure to some, but you just don’t know where it may lead. Here are our favourite starter questions:

• What is trending now that might continue into the future?
• How would I like to see ….. work?
• What would I like when ……..?
• Look into the future and think about how things might change and what might be needed as time changes.
• What are you passionate about and what are you good at, will this be a good business idea that you could expand?
• What have you learnt that you could turn into a business or others would like to learn too?
• What is your educational background that you could use?
• What do you know that you are good at and know more than anyone else?
• What does our society need?
• How would you like the world to look?
• What would make life easier?

Could these ideas be a great business idea  that you could leverage?  If so this is where you need to expand your brainstorming, breaking the idea down into tangible ideas and steps to come up with a great business plan.

The Magic of the Post-it note wall

The digital world has brought us digital options like Trello and yet the Post It Note Wall is the choice of Brainstorming Facilitators. No matter where you are you can usually find a vertical surface – a wall, a window, even in a bathroom – a mirror,to use as your  blank wall. Really short of space, what about the back of a door, or stand a fold up table on its end! And then the magic begins – different coloured Post It notes. They can be moved, folded, torn, cut into shapes. Versatility plus! All you have to do is get started.

Steps for a post-it note wall.

1. Write each idea you have on a separate post-it note.
2. Have a section for ideas that you will put on hold for a later time and another section for ideas you want to expand.
3. Once you have worked out your direction, place the obsolete post-it notes into the exercise or notebook to use at a later date.
4. Before you move onto the business planning section, ask yourself a few questions first to make sure this is a viable product.
   • Who is this product good for?
   • Who is going to buy this product?
   • Who will be your avatar? Your ideal customer?
   • How often will they purchase from you?
   • Can they become raving fans of your product or service?
5. Place your new business idea or concept idea at the top of the wall, place headings along the next line which you will expand to brainstorm next, such as: logistics, marketing, products, management structure, finance and any other important areas of business.
6. Under each of these areas brainstorm how you can break them down even further into subheadings to be brainstormed even further such as:
   • Logistics – work from home, office space, factory etc.
   • marketing – advertising, website, SEO, social media, brochures etc.
   • management structure – staff, VA’s, leadership, communications, human resources, subcontractors etc.
   • products – customer service, planning, sales, stock, quality control, distribution,
   • Finance – payroll, shares, investments, loans, profit and loss, expenditure etc.
   • Research – new products, competitors, customer experience, trends
   • Business plan – SWOT analyse, mission statement, unique features, expansion
   • Equipment – plant, packaging, computers and software programs

Bring Brainstorming to your business to move you and your people to ideas and goals that previously seems unattainable.  These two brainstorming tips used by Lorene Roberts are part of her broader 14 Techniques to Brainstorm Ideas and Goals.