New! Read my Blog, or my Monthly Column Debbi is the owner of Mack Research and Writing, providing articles, reports, case studies, white papers and otherwise assisting businesses and organizations with communications needs. She has also done research for legal and reference publishers and attorneys. A select list of clients and writing samples are available here. Debbi is also a mystery author, whose published work includes a novel, Identity Crisis, a hardboiled mystery featuring lawyer/sleuth Stephanie Ann "Sam" McRae, and a short story in Chesapeake Crimes I, an anthology written and edited by members of the Chesapeake Chapter of Sisters in Crime. Submitted for Your Consideration November 2009 Are You REALLY Thinking Outside the Box? The phrase "thinking outside the box" has become such a shopworn cliché at this point that I feel loathe to use it as the title for this column. But, in a sense, my doing so may illustrate the very point I'm trying to make. The question is: how can you tell when you're really thinking outside the box? Now, that may seem easy to answer. You're thinking outside the box when you take unconventional approaches, right? Well, yes -- but (and here's where I get a bit philosophical on you, but bear with me) do our upbringing, experiences, training and expectations limit what we would consider viable approaches? Or, to put it another way, do we operate based on templates we've created for ourselves that limit the options we're willing to consider seriously? In other words, when you come up with new ideas for your business, career or life in general, are you really thinking outside the box or simply creating a bigger box? Perhaps some business examples would help. At a recent meeting of my networking group, a new member who makes signs was telling us about his various products. He had all sorts of signage to offer, for a variety of purposes. It struck me that you could get very creative with signage. You could, for instance, have a placard made up with a slogan or original poem on it, for a waiting room or office. Let's say you wanted something truly original. Who would write it? The business owner could, but they might prefer to have someone with a creative bent and writing experience do it, such as a freelance writer. Thus, it occurred to me that, simply because most of this sign maker's product displayed content like "Restrooms" or "Enter," that didn't mean he was completely useless as a professional contact. Or that I couldn't be useful to him, too. Now, that particular notion struck me as an example of really thinking outside the box -- almost to the point of being a bit outlandish. But, then again, maybe not. (Freelance writers sometimes write greeting cards. Why not signs?) And even if the likelihood of getting huge amounts of work writing signs is slim at best, sign makers probably have lots of clients with businesses. And, if they're having signage made, those businesses may also need to beef up their marketing. Thus, they could benefit from hiring someone to write or update their marketing materials, press releases, case studies, white papers or articles. They also may need content for their Web sites, newsletters or business blogs (not to mention the possibilities in social media-like ghost-tweeting). A freelance writer can help provide content for any of these needs. So, the sign maker is at least a potential source of referrals. Another example: a member of the group who owns a home improvement business. His partner had noticed lots of bad news in a local paper about residential real estate and the home improvement sector. The partner wrote a letter to the editor, letting them know about his business' recent success stories (apparently, the home improvement business isn't all doom and gloom). This unexpected good news led to an article, in which the partner was interviewed and the business prominently featured. Those of us in the group who work in marketing and communications immediately pointed out that this article was the kind of promotion money can't buy. The home improvement business owner acknowledged this, but hadn't realized it at first (in fact, he almost forgot to tell the group about the article). This led to a discussion of how a freelance writer (such as myself) could write press releases for various local publications on different topics of interest that would keep his home improvement business in the limelight. This was something the business owner had never thought about, simply because it wasn't in his marketing template. It fell completely outside the box of possible approaches he'd considered in promoting his business (such as advertising, door hangars, referrals, yard signs, etc.). So, when you're out of there marketing and networking, whether you're doing it in person or online, keep in mind that there may be many unique ways other people can help your business and provide leads (and vice versa). Naturally, we can't expect to network effectively with everyone in the world. (Although, some folks on Twitter would have you think otherwise. Maybe they're right, for all I know.) However, even though I'm a strong believer in targeted marketing toward groups likely to seek out my products and services, I also like to think of unusual and creative ways to connect with others and find mutual benefits in those connections. If nothing else, I get to meet (online and off) a lot of new people this way. And, frankly, that's just fun. So, don't limit yourself. Don't be quick to dismiss potential options. Embrace the possibilities. And really try to stretch your thinking outside the box. Or, at least, to its farthest corners. October 2009: Found in Translation September 2009: How a Twitter Skeptic Became a Twitter Convert August 2009: Kindle-ing Interest in My Novel July 2009: Morning Rush Hour June 2009: Small Victories May 2009: Balancing Act April 2009: Friends and Followers March 2009: The 4-Hour Workweek: It's All About Tim February 2009: My Friend is Dying January 2009: Spontaneous Combustion December 2008: Support Your Local Bookseller November 2008: In Tough Times, Think Marketing 101 October 2008: First Times September 2008: A Trip to Aqaba August 2008: Little Lies (Or How Weeds and The Sopranos Are Really the Same Show) July 2008: Having the Last Word on Words June 2008: Opportunity Knocks (Even When it Knocks You Down) May 2008: Zen and the Art of Spring Cleaning April 2008: A Virtual Crowd March 2008: Four Great Reasons to Hire a Freelance Writer February 2008: Beyond the Bend January 2008: Green Thoughts December 2007: What Goes Around Comes Around November 2007: Bitten by the Bug