As you know, sending out well-crafted press releases to the media can be an effective way to promote your talents. The widespread use of e-mail makes the process easier than ever.

People who say "It's better to give than to receive" are flat out lying. It's always better to be on the receiving end of any transaction (unless you're receiving insults or incoming fire). Keep that sentiment in mind as you build relationships in your area of the creativity business.

Let me explain.

Several years ago, I took a phone call from a local artist named Mickie. She asked if I had a need for banners to display at music events to promote the newspaper I published at the time. She wanted to give me the banners for free in exchange for some free ads in the music magazine I published at the time, to promote an upcoming exhibit of her artwork.

I told her I wasn't sure if I could do it, but I'd be happy to discuss it. Before we hung up, she set a time to stop by my office.

Mickie arrived on time for her appointment and immediately pulled out a sketch pad and started asking me questions about the type of banners I might need. I had never given it much thought, really. She talked about the different shapes, sizes and uses: banners that hang over a stage, banners that hang from the front of a stage, banners that hang in front of tables at trade shows, banners that hang from the wall during sponsored events.

We talked about banner lengths, colors, logos ... Mickie even helped me craft a short, catchy slogan to go under my logo. She sketched out possible designs. I began to visualize how these banners would look. After 10 or 15 minutes of this I was excited about the many ways I could use them to promote my business. Best of all, it wouldn't cost me a dime. I was psyched!

As Mickie was gathering her things, almost as if it were an afterthought, she pulled out a small envelope and handed it to me. "Oh, here's a camera-ready ad for my exhibit," she said. "It's sized for your paper and ready to go. If you could run this in the next couple of issues, I'd really appreciate it."

"Absolutely!" I said.

After she left, I felt good about the transaction. I soon realized that I'd been manipulated by a pro -- but I didn’t feel used or taken advantage of. Mickie had gone to great lengths to keep my needs in mind and make sure I felt I was getting value out of our relationship. She knew that, by doing this, she would ultimately get what she wanted: a free ad in my paper.

A more close-minded marketer would have approached me by focusing on the exhibit and why the artist deserved exposure ... and might have even asked, "What would I have to do to get a free ad in your paper?" That would have put me in the awkward position of having to figure out how to give this person what he/she wants while satisfying my own needs.

Which method would take you further in your business relationships?

Think back to a situation in which someone made a great effort to give you something you wanted (keep it clean). How did it make you feel? What effect did it have on your opinion of that person?

Keep that happy state in mind, because it's your job to dole out a heapin' helpin' of that feeling to as many people as you can.

So now that you realize it's better to receive than give, from this day forward, make sure people receive a lot more from you. By doing so, you’ll end up getting a lot more in return.

"What a waste!"

That thought always went through my mind whenever I came across a box of 500-plus business cards with an outdated phone number or address. As much as I wanted to find a way to put them to good use, even the pack rat in me couldn't justify hanging onto them. Into the trash they went.

But not anymore.

Now I realize that even though the front side may be obsolete ... the clear, virgin territory on the back side is ripe for productivity. Here's a list of four possible ways you could recycle those useless hunks of cardstock and turn them into creative brain tools:

1) Use them for short to-do lists.

Who needs a Palm Pilot or journal, when you can just as easily use a business card to jot down a short list of things that need to be done today? Most people's planners are overflowing with goals, aspirations and action steps. The best way to get things done is to narrow your important activities down to the top five or six items. If you can't fit your to-do list on the back of a small card, you're taking on more than you will likely accomplish.

2) Prioritize goals.

Knowing where to start is half the battle in getting things done. Write your major goals, one each on the back of your old cards using one or two key words. Spread them out on a desk in front of you. Now arrange the goals in order from most important to least. Being able to physically move the pieces of your goal puzzle around will give you a perspective that a simple list on paper may not supply.

3) Project steps.

Now take one of your goals and break it down into the many steps it will take to accomplish it. Again, write one or two key words for each step on the back of each card. Then line them up in the order in which they need to be completed. Next, ask yourself, "What's missing?" and "Are any steps here unnecessary?" Subtract and add project steps until you're satisfied. Then you can transfer it to a more formal written plan.

4) Mix-and-match idea stimulators.

Here's a good way to jog your brain when you're hunting for new ideas. Let's say you're brainstorming on fresh ways to promote your new book of cat poetry. Take a stack of business cards and write key words that pertain to your book, such as: Verse, Rhyme, Catnip, Yarn, Fuzzy, etc. Then randomly pick words and phrases that have nothing to do with your book, as in: Tofu, Parka, Zebra, Hillbilly and so on.

Once you have a dozen or more cards with one word each, shuffle them and arbitrarily select two cards from the pile. Look for connections and write down any ideas that are sparked by combining the two words (don't tell me that Fuzzy and Tofu wouldn't bring a few thoughts to mind).

Then pick two different cards and see what concepts pop up. And two more after that, etc. Sure, most of these ideas will be silly, but one of them will very likely trigger a new association or idea you wouldn't have thought of otherwise.

It's your brain ... have some fun with it!

Creative people have different ways of coming up with promotional strategies. Many artists take a look at how their favorite successful artist is promoting... then borrow some of those tactics to apply to their own marketing campaign. Writers find out how other writers are getting work. Musicians borrow ideas from best-selling bands.

There's nothing wrong with that. It's perfectly acceptable to model the steps others have taken to move up the ladder.

However, you do run the risk of blending in with the mass of creative people trying to get ahead.

To stand out, you must take a fresh approach and do something different from what everyone else is doing. But you don't have to reinvent the wheel. In fact, I suggest that you still borrow successful marketing techniques -- only you borrow them from unrelated fields. Good ideas are everywhere. Sometimes, the best ones are not in the obvious places.

Here's an example. Enterprise Rent-A-Car is one of the biggest and most successful rental car companies. Enterprise became successful because it catered to a specific niche within the industry -- insurance replacement vehicles. If you're involved in an accident or your car goes into the shop, you need a rental car to drive until yours is fixed. And that's the type of rental upon which Enterprise built its empire.

So what high-tech marketing technique do you think Enterprise uses to get that business? The answer: donuts. That's right, employees from local branches regularly visit repair shops in their area and bring free donuts for the shop workers. It's simple, it's cheap and it keeps Enterprise at the top of the list when repair shop customers need rental cars.

Could you borrow this tactic to promote your talents? How much would you be appreciated if you took free donuts (or pizza, candy, etc.) to your favorite radio station, TV channel or local newspaper? What if you delivered some type of goodie to that elusive gallery manager, editor, booking agent, director or artist rep?... You know, the one you haven't been able to connect with through other means.

From now on, be on the lookout for marketing ideas from any and all sources -- hair salons, dentists, dance troupes, fast food joints, plumbers, you name it.

Looking at the your specific field for new ideas is fine. But don't overlook the wealth of ideas you can borrow from other industries as well.