Uh oh! You’ve got an idea problem.
As a marketer, there’s one thing you don’t want: an idea problem.
A shortage of ideas is brutal, especially when you’re in the idea and creativity business. But what happens if you do run out of ideas?
There are three things you can do: rebuild, reorganize or outsource immediately.
“A shortage of ideas is brutal, especially when you’re in the idea and creativity business.”
Rebuild
Rebuilding is not fun. There’s no guarantee that it’ll work. And you’re going to lose intellectual capital. Also, if you don’t handle the rebuild well you may damage your relationships and reputation in the industry. Word spreads fast in financial services.
Pros:
- Build the team of your dreams
- Effectively restructure roles and responsibilities
Cons:
- The team of your dreams may be a pipe dream
- Assembling the right team may take a long time to implement
Reorganize
This will also take time. Years, really, as you reorganize teams, reorganize relationships and change the way you do everything, from taking vacations to having meetings.
If you take this approach, you need to make creativity the core of everything you do. Do whatever it takes to get the ideas flowing, like brainstorming sessions in the lobby before people get to their desks. If you commit to creativity, the ideas will come.
“If you commit to creativity, the ideas will come.”
Pros:
- Keep your talent
- Test and adapt your team to the new/evolving approach
Cons:
- People may not like their new roles
- If you work at a larger firm, you may face a lot of bureaucracy while making changes
Outsource immediately
We think that bringing in an outside team is the best approach. An overworked team can be refreshed when they work with an marketing agency that’s firing on all cylinders.
And as a third party, the agency may uncover the root cause of the team’s issues, and get them revved up again. This approach can be a good ideas catalyst and, more importantly, the beginning of a truly great partnership.
Pros:
- It’s quick and cost effective
- You can gain insights into what’s happening industry wide
Con:
- Some team members may wonder why you’ve brought in outside help (that’s an easy concern to address – let your agency and team meet and work with one another)
“An overworked team can be refreshed when they work with an agency that’s firing on all cylinders.”
Read this article for more reasons to work with a financial marketing agency.