Try the 'Yes, And' Approach

Quick background: 'Yes, and' is an approach within improvisational comedy to keep the story moving forward. Instead of blocking a partner's idea, you agree to whatever crazy statement you just heard and build on top of it. And so do they.

While the beginner's mind approach should be frequently embraced, 'Yes, and' will help you develop into directions you may have rationally avoided before.

Letting ideas flow beyond their starting point may not always land on something you can package and ship, but it will help you play with a concept and improvise your way to great copy and surprising ideas. Some will only be keepers. Some may turn into your next creative campaign, your next hilarious promo video, or plant a seed for something you'll eventually work toward.

So adding some improv to your marketing process can prove incredibly useful: you never know what will hit, and you never know where great copy will come from. Having an open dialogue that you knowingly embrace, accept, and keep building on will push you out of your comfort zone, force you to hear others out, and hopefully end up being a lot of fun.

Try it in your next brainstorming session. Start with just one line and let it grow, expand, and build into something you couldn't have imagined going in.

Even if your next viral video doesn't come out of it, you'll get your brain and your team moving. That's worth the experiment.