The 3 “How To’s” of Internal Marketing

1. How to Market Like a Politician

Back when Ehlers ran for election, he went door-to-door to gave away 3000 spruce seedlings with simple instructions: “place on a sunny window sill and plant in November.”

He knew that every day until election day, those seedlings would sit above the kitchen sink. Whenever somebody washed his or her dishes, he or she would see his name.
He won.

Many of us know that in order for a message to stick, we need to remind our audience again and again. How can we do that creatively?

2. How to NOT Give Away a Million Dollars

In some organizations, incentives work. Maybe it’s free lunch for everyone who attends. Or maybe it’s a chance to win an iPod.

I heard this tip somewhere, and it stuck. The tip was to avoid giving out cash prizes, because anyone can give out a cash prize. Instead, try to give out something that’s distinctively yours. Something that sets you apart and is worth talking about. Sure, a million dollars could be worth giving out and is distinctively yours, but for those of us who don’t have the budget for that, maybe there’s a different approach.

We’re heading to SXSW, the conference where Twitter and foursquare got their start, and we’ll be handing out a NASCAR fanny pack, a Bon Jovi cassette, AC/DC air fresheners, a million dollars in Jimi Hendrix money, and a Smart car. Toy car.

3. How to Supercharge Your Poster Campaign

If you want to convey a lot of information through a poster, your initial goal is to make somebody stop and pay attention. Some people use bold colors, huge fonts, odd-shaped paper, etc. That could work.

How about placing the poster someplace where people are already stopping, such as on the inside of a bathroom door, above the urinal, on the mirrors above the sink, or tucked into every car’s windshield wiper?