Climbing out of the box

I don't know about you, but the silver lining for me during this economic crisis has been surprising and quite enjoyable - I'm getting more creative. That may not mean much, but anyone who knows me would not describe me as creative. I'm an organizer to the max - linear, analytical, methodical. I live in the box, not outside it!

Not that I can't - or don't - come up with creative solutions for my clients in my business. But you wouldn't call me when you need to come up with an amazing color to paint your living room or ask me where to hang your incredible piece of art. Lately, though I've been blessed with some very creative aha moments both professionally and personally, which I believe have been stimulated by the relatively tougher times we're experiencing economically.

If you subscribe to any e-newsletters at all, you know what I mean. Effective marketing right now means thinking way out of the box - it's more than just cutting prices. To survive in this economy you have to not only be affordable but unique, relevant, and valuable.

When things are going well, we tend to take that fact for granted and we do what we do. We're focused on results, as we should be. But it's easy to lose sight of the bigger picture. Recently a friend who owns her own home management business told me she's spending more time finding creative ways to give her customers incredible value.

Maybe it's a little bit of not missing the water until the well runs dry, and that's not always a bad thing. Confucious said, "Consider the uses of adversity." What amazing idea could these tough times birth for you?