Brainstorming

Generating many radical, creative ideas

from MindTools

Brainstorming is a popular tool that helps you generate creative solutions to a problem.

It is particularly useful when you want to break out of stale, established patterns of thinking, so that you can develop new ways of looking at things. It also helps you overcome many of the issues that can make group problem-solving a sterile and unsatisfactory process.

Used with your team, it helps you bring the diverse experience of all team members into play during problem solving. This increases the richness of ideas explored, meaning that you can find better solutions to the problems you face.

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Picking brains ... Lighten up ... A Grinch in the making?

Hello. I'm Rob Murphy, chief marketing officer for MC².

When you need new ideas or a new slant on an old subject, brainstorming can help you find the answers you're looking for. But getting people to brainstorm is more complicated than just putting them in a room and asking, "What do you think?" It takes techniques like those in this month's feature article.

Recently, a reader asked how to accurately estimate her exhibit's power requirements when the product people won't tell her what equipment they're bringing to the show. Our readers' responses are enlightening. The holidays are about giving. But is doing the Secret Santa thing necessary, or is it OK to suggest a charitable alternative? An events manager would like to hear your thoughts on the matter.

Respond to this dilemma or take our one-minute survey and we'll enter your name into a drawing for a gift certificate for a dinner for two.

The Challenge ... Wipro Technologies needed a trade show kit having a flexible design to showcase 11 different business units yet present a cohesive look.

The Solution ... A custom ID tower, double-sided workstations, an assortment of hanging sign options for a variety of configurations, beautiful lighting effects and more...

See how Wipro goes to the shows.

by Ed Jones

Measurement Tip #5

Customer and Prospect Feedback May Be Most Important to Your Marketing Events

Although ROI and efficiency measurements are important, customer feedback on the value and effectiveness of your events may be the most valuable information you can get.

Events are communication and engagement tools with the goal of gaining specific, desirable behavior from participants. This behavior only occurs if participants are persuaded and motivated to act. To know how well your event marketing program accomplishes these goals and how you might change future events to be more effective requires insight through the eyes of your customer.

As a reminder, there are three critical success factors for a marketing event:

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Last Issue's Dilemma:

How do I estimate what power I'll need when I'm still in the dark?

What's the best way to estimate power requirements in my exhibit when I only have a rough idea of the equipment my product people are bringing? Sometimes we don't have a final list until weeks before a show, and that can be a problem. The power orders are due way before that, and overestimating my requirements can be costly. Help!

-- Powerless in Peoria        Read more on blog ...

This Issue's Dilemma:

Am I a Grinch if I nix St. Nick?

Each year, we do a secret Santa at work. I'd prefer all of us put the $15 we're allowed to spend on gifts into a fund we could donate to a food bank or charity like Toys for Tots. Would it be OK to make this suggestion? If so, to whom and how?

-- Juanita, Events Manager

Share your experience.
You could win a $200 gift certificate for a dinner for two.

Reduce, Reuse, Rethink
What to do when your exhibit's past its prime
by Candy Adams - EXHIBITOR

QR Codes and You
Streamline your events and improve attendee engagement
by Kate Mulcrone - Successful Meetings

Why Saying "This is not part of my job" Is a Big Career No-No
And ways to not say yes tactfully
by Sonia Acosta - Career Builder

Are You Too Nice?
Eight ways not to be the office doormat
by Megan Malugani - monster.com

Defining What Done and Doing Look Like
And increase your productivity
by Chris Smith - lifehack.org

Career Lessons from Our Kids
It's time to watch and learn
by Deborah Brown-Volkman - Job Journal