Creative strategy generation : using passion and creativity to compose business strategies that inspire action and growth Bob Caporale

Includes bibliographical references and index.

Successful strategies must have one key element to produce spectacular results for your business-- originality. However, pure ingenuity can be hard to produce in the noise of derivative ideas and worn out processes drowning out fresh progress--which is why you need Creative Strategy Generation to help guide you through tried-and-true business practices in a fresh, new, and exciting way.</p> <p>The author's diverse talents as an executive leader and a musical performer, composer, and songwriter shine through in a pitch-perfect mix of mind expanding theory and practical techniques to help you unlock the artistic strategist inside you. Whether you work in a B2B or B2C company, this proven approach can boost your strategic influence and track record, as it has for the author and the many companies he has worked with. Grounded in accessible explanations, this practical guide explores the connections between the strategic and creative processes, and it demystifies the complexities of developing a strategic plan by revealing how to:</p> <p>* Develop the four proficiencies of Analysis, Recollection, Intuition, and Artistry (ARIA) that are needed to creatively generate business strategies</p> <p>* Clear your mind for new ideas by condensing and organizing your existing business knowledge, data, and beliefs</p> <p>* Find your strategic inspiration and turn it into the vision, goals, and objectives that will ultimately drive your plan</p> <p>* Deeply understand your target customers and formulate strategies that uniquely address their needs and wants</p> <p>* Use storytelling to synthesize key messages, generate interest, create excitement, and establish emotional connections to get buy-in for your strategic plan</p> <p>* Build a team that is fully invested, trained, and ready to play their respective parts as soon as your plan gets the green light</p> <p>* Execute your strategy by fully supporting your team as a problem solver, ongoing influencer, and unflinching promoter</p> <p>Put the fun and excitement back into your business planning process by using Creative Strategy Generation to compose your company's next strategic masterpiece!

Foreword ix Introduction xi PART 1: PROFICIENCIES 1 Chapter 1: ARIA 7 PART 2: PROCESS 27 Chapter 2: Preparation 31 Chapter 3: Inspiration 59 Chapter 4: Genre 83 Chapter 5: Ideation 107 Chapter 6: Arrangement 139 Chapter 7: Orchestration 167 Chapter 8: Production 189 Chapter 9: Coda 209 PART 3: TOOLS 211 Appendix A: Quick Reference Guide 213 Appendix B: The Strategic Presentation 225 Appendix C: Tidbits of Wisdom 233 Notes 235 Resources 239 Index 243