The Perfect Scenario

 “No-limit-thinking”, one of the hallmark brainstorming techniques, puts some practical folks on edge. After all, isn’t it an utter waste of time to write down a list of whacky, impossible ideas? How on earth can that help you come up with a workable, profitable plan for your business?

A very valid question. What’s the purpose of dwelling on impossibilities?

As a professional brainstormer, I come across this hesitation frequently. But I want to assure you that the Perfect Scenario remains my #1, never-fail-to-foster-workable-ideas technique.

Sure, initially you may feel like you’re wasting your time thinking of the most perfect scenario in a situation, especially when you know that it’s entirely unfeasible and impossible. But concentrating on what your market would find to be the ultimate product or service gives you insight into what they really want, and what they’re likely to pay you for.

The ultimate internet marketer service for me would be a way to take my business with me anywhere I go. Not on a laptop that I have to hook up somewhere. No, I’d love something I could slip into my pocket and pull out anytime to see what my customers need or what they’ve bought. Talk to them right then and there about their needs/issues. No wires, no fees. My business in my pocket at no cost.

If I’m waiting in a long, slow-moving line at the grocery store, I could pull this baby out and answer some customer emails. That would give my business a superior reputation for customer service – my quick responses to their needs.

Dream on, right?

Well, what this little thought exercise has revealed is my desire to instantly tap into my business database. Why would I want to do that? Because I want to take care of my customers immediately when they have a question or problem.

So the real issue here is “how to provide my customer with quick responses”. And while I don’t have the knowledge or capital to invest in my ultimate dream, I can use some at-hand techniques to meet my customers’ needs.

How about a talking FAQ page? Each question comes with its own personality-filled audio answer as well as a written one. Or I could use streaming video to answer the questions. That would make my website more personal and appealing to my customers, too.

Now this one idea came from my just sitting here at the keyboard imagining what my “perfect business” would look like. The initial idea may have been impossible, but it led to a very feasible one to make my business more personal and appealing to my customers.

A few minutes in “dreamland” offers the brainstormer insights into real problems. A blank sheet of paper quickly fills up with workable solutions as you probe deeper.

If you need a great idea, my suggestion would be to start with the “Perfect Scenario” method. You just may find yourself coming up with the perfect way to supercharge your business profits!

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Written by Lisa Preston, author of The Complete Brainstorming Lab in a Box. Imagine! In Less Than 45 Minutes, You'll Be Able To Brainstorm More Profitable Product and Business Ideas Than You Can Cram Into One Bank Account!  TheCompleteBrainstormingLab