“But I’m not creative…”
Ever sat at your desk, knowing your business needs fresh ideas but feeling stuck in the same old, same old…?
Perhaps it’s because margins are squeezed (I feel you), or your marketing messages aren’t resonating like they used to.
Or you’re just busy (busy-ness does tend to drive out creativity… )
In the 15 years or so I’ve been in the industry, I’ve watched agents stick to what they know, making tiny adjustments to their services or simply copying what seems to work for others.
The result? A market where everyone looks the same, sounds the same, and offers the same thing.
But here’s the thing – creativity isn’t some magical gift bestowed upon a select few.
It’s a structured process, and with the right tools (hello, AI!), anyone can generate fresh ideas that make their business stand out.
Enter the SCAMPER Technique
The story of SCAMPER starts back in the mid-20th century and is all about creative thinking and problem-solving—two things we’ve all had our moments with.
Here’s how it all unfolded:
Where It All Began: Brainstorming
SCAMPER begins with Alex Osborn, often called the “Father of Brainstorming.”
Back in 1953, Osborn wrote a book called Applied Imagination and introduced a whole bunch of questions designed to shake up how people approached creative thinking.
These questions, it turns out, were the foundation of what SCAMPER would eventually become.
Bob Eberle Steps In
While Osborn set the stage, it was Bob Eberle who really made SCAMPER a “thing.”
In 1971, Eberle—who worked in education—took Osborn’s scattered questions and organised them into what we now know as the SCAMPER technique.
He introduced it in his book SCAMPER: Games for Imagination Development.
It was initially geared toward kids, which makes sense since kids are basically creativity machines.
Growing Up and Branching Out
Since then, SCAMPER has had its glow-up: It’s no longer just a classroom tool for kids but has found its way into boardrooms, workshops, and brainstorming sessions across industries.
Whether working on a new product, tweaking a business strategy, or just stuck in a bit of a rut, SCAMPER can be the go-to for shaking things up.
SCAMPER consists of seven prompts designed to help you look at a problem or idea from different angles.
- S: Substitute
- C: Combine
- A: Adapt
- M: Modify (or Magnify)
- P: Put to another use
- E: Eliminate
- R: Reverse (or Rearrange)
Each prompt invites you to challenge the status quo and identify opportunities for innovation.
By systematically working through these steps, SCAMPER allows you to think critically about existing processes, services, or ideas.
Applying SCAMPER to Real Estate Problems with ChatGPT
So – you can use SCAMPER old school (pen, paper and human brain), or you can look at integrating tools like ChatGPT to deliver additional creativity.
For a step-by-step guide on how to apply SCAMPER to common real estate challenges ….
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*This article was originally published by AI Powered Agents and can be read in full here.
