Content marketing is easy to say, hard to do, and even harder to do well. Having run hundreds of content brainstorms over the years for ourselves and our clients, we’ve developed a formula to deliver the best results most consistently.

Below we've broken down this formula into 6 easy steps.

ESTABLISH GUIDE RAILS

It’s important to keep everyone's creative energy focused in the right direction. We do that by establishing guide rails (aka rules) before each brainstorm. For example, only consider ideas that can be executed by X deadline or content tailored for corporate CMOs.

TURN OFF THE MACHINES (IF YOU CAN)

We understand for remote teams this isn’t always possible, but if you can find a way even on a Zoom call to put pen to paper, it’ll bring ideas out of your head and onto the page. However, if you’re able, close the laptops, bring out the whiteboard, grab some big post-its, and get crackin'!

QUANTITY OVER QUALITY

Believe it or not, in a brainstorm, more is better. Set a goal for X number of ideas and don't stop until you’ve hit it. This prevents getting too focused on any single idea until you’ve considered multiple options.

IN YOUR BACK POCKET

It's inevitable that you'll hit a creativity wall along the way. Have a few ideas ready to keep things moving when the block arises.

• Thesaurus search on frequently used words
• Envisioning a specific persona, e.g., What ideas would work for Carl in IT?
• Building off the opposite of good ideas, e.g., Turning 10 great content brainstorming tips into 10 mistakes made during content brainstorms.

BUILD ON SUCCESSFUL IDEAS

Keep a handy list of your team's best content from the last year or so. Prompt for any common traits of ideas that have resonated with your audience previously and pull from your metrics for deeper insights.

YES, AND…

Frame your brainstorm as an improvisation. After the clear guide rails are set, encourage team members to build off each other's ideas instead of downplaying their value. There are no bad ideas.

Next time you gather with your team for a brainstorm, consider giving these well-tested strategies a shot. Take note of the positive outcomes that come from these adjustments – they might just make all the difference!