One morning, you woke up and realized that you were creating an online marketing bonanza, and that by some miracle a group of people were following along with the plan. Not bad, for an ordinary human! But then just when you were getting comfortable with the idea, you found out that you still have to work for the respect. Suddenly a handful of your followers dropped out of the cheering section just like that... and still others began resisting your suggestions to move the agenda forward. So what do you do when morale is at an all-time low and the support network has begun to unravel and separate like so many lost sheep?
You've got to rally the team and fuel the plan with some high-octane morale-boosters and incentives to keep the momentum alive.
1. Manifest the Group Destiny. One prosperity teacher who I know discourages her students from saying what they don't wish to happen. I emphasize: start declaring what you'd like to happen, and it will come true. You don't have to spew your affirmations directly at people, many find that a turnoff. But there are "indirect" ways to put a positive message out into the great beyond that will come back around with proof positive that your plan is going to take off and soar. Your team is listening and they will "catch" those good vibrations and naturally become a part of the story as you tell it. End result: cooperation, enthusiasm, success!
2. Match the Function with the Ability. If you know that one of your group supporters is wildly creative but somewhat chaotic, then don't assign her the task of managing the email drip campaign, save that for your Power Planner instead. Give your Creative One her moment of glory by having her write some articles or dream up a clever advertising pitch to alert your audience of the upcoming promotional extravaganza. Your team player will shine like the sun when you give her spirit a chance to dance in the limelight doing what she was meant to do.
3. Remember the Little Details. Which teammate said what at the last meeting of the minds? To whom do you owe extra credit? Someone went the extra mile and told a few friends about your upcoming bonanza, who was that and how can you thank them? A good group leader has the ability to see both trees and forest - that means taking everyone into consideration, thinking holistically "for the good of the group," yet remembering those little details that differentiate your participants and make them unique in the ways they can give to the cause.
4. Show Your Gratitude. At certain points in your online promotional effort, you may find yourself drowning in work and generally feeling maxed out and taken for granted. Instead of directing the frustration at your support team, strive to be that bigger person. You don't need someone to pat you and hand you a cookie because you're a grown adult... and you answer to nobody but yourself. You own this dream plan, and miraculously, other people are following your star! Your participants have put aside their own priorities to make your vision their own. Nobody told them to do this, they did it because they believe in you... so remember to thank them profusely for the things both large and small that they bring to the table.
5. Don't Have a Petty Party. When tension is high, teammates may display subtle forms of resistance, and you may find this highly frustrating. Rather than dwell in another person's passive aggression, attack the problem with an Insta-Fix and move ahead. That fix might just be "reinforcing your team member's effectiveness" by reminding him of what he does best and then asking pleasantly if he can help you. Because ultimately, you need his help. Most people want to feel appreciated and needed. So if you genuinely value their contribution, then you should have no trouble clearing the static in your communication channel and propelling things along.
The power in numbers is clear when you sit back and survey the results of your group effort. Could you have made nearly as great a splash as a lone maverick? My guess is no. So fuel the group on, to the tune of a higher idealism, and then smile as your dreams are brought to life.
Want to witness event planning live in action? Please join me and my marketing friends for the First Annual Web Content Awareness Day, scheduled to launch on February 9, 2006 at http://WebContentAwarenessDay.com.
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Copyright 2006 Dina Giolitto. All rights reserved.
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