---
title: Reconsider an Old Cliché -- Inbound Marketing
description: “Think outside the box,” but if you are in inbound marketing how do you apply this?
image: https://blog.broadvisionmarketing.com/hs-fs/file-18504410-png/images/inside_the_box.png
---
# Reconsider an Old Cliché -- Inbound Marketing
By [**Jaco Grobbelaar**](https://blog.broadvisionmarketing.com/author/jaco-grobbelaar) on Thu, Jul 19, 2012 @ 09:20 AM
“Think outside the box,” says everyone. But if you are an[ inbound marketer](https://www.broadvisionmarketing.com/category/marketing-principles/), how do you apply this? After all, the computer, tablet or smart phone is your box. The trick is to figure out how to [think outside the box,](http://www.kunocreative.com/blog/bid/20740/To-Become-a-Marketing-Designer-Superhero-You-Must-Know-the-Box) in other words, break out of your preconceived ideas, in order to achieve inbound marketing success.
Here are four fast steps that can help you break out of your box, or set views, to find that innovative new idea.
**Step 1:** Understand the box. What are your set ideas? Think about your perceptions of what inbound marketing is supposed to be. This is where you will begin to see the box you have created for yourself.
**Step 2:** Know the box. Learn all about the rules and your preconceived limits. This is the beginning to being able to recognize the box and use that information to see beyond it.
**Step 3:** Transform the box. Now that you understand what you think inbound marketing is supposed to be and you know the rules and limitations you have set up, pretend none of this exists. To do this you are going to need to do some brainstorming, preferable with a team, but you can do it yourself. There are some [brainstorming rules ](http://www.brainstorming.co.uk/tutorials/brainstormingrules.html)you need to remember from that webinar or class you dozed through a few years back.
** Rule 1**: Criticism is not allowed at the beginning stage of the brainstorming session. You need to be able to look at any and all creative ideas without trying to see why they might not work. You will get to that stage later. Now, just let those creative ideas flow.
**Rule 2**: Allow all ideas. The crazier the ideas, the better they might be. Sometimes the impractical concepts might spark a useable breakthrough that might not have occurred if you had nixed some crazy idea earlier.
**Rule 3**: The more ideas the better. Studies have shown that the more ideas that a brainstorming session generates, the more likely there will be some good original ideas.
**Rule 4**: Combine ideas if possible. If you see that one idea works with another one, it is fine to create a new idea of the two. Don't let your internal traffic cop stop you from crashing two ideas into a new one.
**Step 4:** Be cautious when you evaluate. Take some time off after the brainstorming session to evaluate all those ideas. Human nature is such that someone is bound to say the business tried some idea before and it failed. Too much negativity at the front end can destroy an emerging great idea.
It is important to [evaluate your ideas](http://www.innovationexcellence.com/blog/2010/05/03/evaluating-ideas/), but don’t squelch one before you give it enough time to develop. And there you are, [thinking outside the box](https://www.broadvisionmarketing.com/category/marketing-principles/), and on your way to an entirely new inbound marketing idea.
How are you doing on "thinking outside the box"?
For more information:
- [To Become a Marketing Designer Superhero, You Must “Know the Box”](http://www.kunocreative.com/blog/bid/20740/To-Become-a-Marketing-Designer-Superhero-You-Must-Know-the-Box): kunocreative
- ["Think outside the box"](http://www.phrases.org.uk/meanings/think-outside-the-box.html): The Phrase Finder
Jaco Grobbelaar is the owner of [BroadVision Marketing](https://www.broadvisionmarketing.com/). BroadVision Marketing works with business owners to put in place inbound and outbound marketing strategies that consistently secure new clients. The BroadVision Marketing Training Center is located in Petaluma, CA and primarily serves companies in the San Francisco Bay area.
Jaco can be reached at [jaco@broadvisionmarketing.com](mailto:jaco@broadvisionmarketing.com) or [707.766.9778](http://707.766.9778/) or connect with Jaco on Facebook - [www.facebook.com/broadvisionmarketing](http://www.facebook.com/broadvisionmarketing) - and LinkedIn - [www.linkedin.com/in/JacoGrobbelaar](http://www.linkedin.com/in/JacoGrobbelaar).
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