Mark Twain used to call it "getting stuck." You need a fresh, effective marketing idea to give your product, service, or organization a boost. But your mind keeps falling back on old ideas.   You're tired of them. You want a marketing approach that is exciting and full of life. 

I got some real insight into fresh marketing recently when my wife gave birth to a baby boy. As I stood in the delivery room, looking at my new son for the first time, I did what most parents do. I looked for familiar features. Yup. He had my wife's hands. My forehead (poor child!).  Some features seemed to be a blending of things I'd seen in other family members. Other features seemed entirely new. 

Nature is no dummy. We can learn a lot by looking at the way nature does things. We can jump ahead by bringing those lessons to business. 

I once worked with a promising young media executive (now the president of a network)  who advised me to become rich and famous by borrowing other people's good ideas.  There's a lot of truth to the old adage that "there's nothing new under the sun."

Many of the best ideas you will come across have been used by other's in your business again and again. They wouldn't keep using them if the marketing ideas didn't work. 

Sometimes great good ideas  become neglected. Are there old marketing techniques from the 80's, 70s, or 1960s that might work well today? How about great marketing ideas widely used in another city that haven't been tried yet in your town? Network, borrow, and steal those good ideas. Remember, people can't copyright an idea, only the specific words used to express it. 

Experts on creativity advise us to mix ideas to come up with something new. Think of two commonly done marketing tactics. Can they be combined into something that is fresh, but has the successful elements of the tried and true? 

Self-publishing guru Dan Poynter says that most books only contain 5% new material. The remaining 95% is lifted from other books and articles. Taking the information and writing it in your own way is called "research." The publishing industry depends upon it. 

Psychologists also remind us that most people don't like things that are totally new. When prospects tell you they want something new, they really may be telling you that they want a product or service that is familiar, but packaged with a fresh twist. 

So keep these three methods of creativity in mind as you plan your marketing campaigns in the weeks ahead.

1. Borrow great ideas from other people.

2. Look for ways to combine two or more good ideas into something that appears fresh and new.

3. Look for good marketing ideas that are used in other places. Bring them to your industry or city. 

The key to coming up with great new marketing ideas is, more often than not, based on looking for familiar friends that can be used in a slightly innovative way. I look forward to hearing from you about your fresh marketing ideas. 

Kevin Nunley provides marketing advice and copy writing for businesses and organizations. Read all his money-saving marketing tips at http://DrNunley.com/ . Reach him at kevin@drnunley.com  or (801)-253-4536.