26th May 2016 by Lauren Wilden

10 Yetis Insight Blog - How To Best Organise A Creative PR Planning Session

After three years working in PR here at 10 Yetis, one of my favourite aspects of working in a creative agency is still getting the whole team together and brainstorming ideas and creative cross-platforms for our existing clients, as well as those that we are hoping to pitch to and impress.

Having creative input across all areas of the company- PR, social, web development, graphic design, video production and content marketing- allows us to devise a thorough and in-depth plan for all of our clients and their budgetary needs. From individual entrepreneurs and start-up companies all the way through to the national companies we are lucky enough to have partnered with over the years, there is NOTHING like a brainstorm to get the creative juices flowing.

So, for anyone out there currently planning a creative session, or for those of you who have to attend them frequently, here are some top tips on how you can make the most of one.

Preparation is key

Whilst there is some truth in the notion that the best ideas hit you like a lightning bolt, this is definitely not always the case when it comes to a big brainstorm. If you are working with a new client and want to make sure everyone brings their A game with them, be sure to give them prior warning.

Obviously sometimes time isn’t always on your side, but if you can, we would advise that you send round a friendly email or Skype message to each department you want involved in the planning meeting at least two or three days before with a brief of the kind of ideas you and the client are looking to implement for their campaign. The more information each person attending the session has beforehand, the more targeted and on-brand the resulting ideas that you leave with will be.

Build on each other’s ideas

One of the reasons brainstorming is so much more useful than just emailing ideas to one another is as a result of the layering of creative ideas that can occur during the process. Everyone has their own creative strengths, and everyone has their weaknesses. Working as a team, you will be able to pinpoint the best everyone has to offer.

For example, a suggestion that the person from the social media team sat next to you mentioned could work perfectly when combined with one of the ideas you have written down in your notepad. Similarly, you could have an idea for a great PR stunt that could work amazingly well alongside a video project that has just been suggested at the other end of the room, and BOOM you’ve got yourself a cross-platform campaign strategy to pitch to a client.

Speak up, but don’t hog the limelight!

As with any office environment, there will no doubt be a mixture of loud, outgoing individuals who are keen to dominate the session and have all their ideas heard, as well as some quieter more introverted characters who may feel intimidated or not as confident about their creative ideas.

The key is to make sure that EVERYONE has the chance to share their ideas without fear of being mocked or made fun of by anyone else in the room. Consider implementing a ‘one person at a time’ policy so that no one can overshadow others trying to speak. Alternatively, go around the room one by one for each discussion topic of the meeting to ensure that everyone gets an equal amount of time to share their thoughts, as well as to make sure no one ducks out of contributing!

Try new tactics

If you are attending or organising regular brainstorming sessions, it’s important to shake things up and make sure your creative processes don’t go stale for important clients or pitches.

One tactic that we have recently implemented during discussions and planning for some of our niche clients is ‘word association’, which can give new takes or angles on particular campaign themes and have a snowball effect for those within the brainstorm.

Avoid distractions!

As avid tech lovers who are obviously glued to their iPhones 24/7, we hate to say this, but banning mobiles from the table during a brainstorm will only help to ensure everyone remains switched on and fully engaged throughout the length of the meeting.

It is also a wise idea to organise the meeting for a time of the day when people aren’t too manically busy, such as first thing in the morning or at the beginning of the week, or too close to the end of the day, when people are starting to plan their dinner and which route will get them home the fastest that night. We find that about 11am on a Wednesday or Thursday is optimal brainstorming time!

AND FINALLY, BRING SNACKS.

Food = happy creative planning sessions. Simple as.



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