Few projects are on time and under budget. These failures can be devastating to the individual, costly for companies and damaging to morale. Why do so many
projects fall short of their initial expectations? There is a huge difference between who has a plan and hits the ground running, but maybe as important is making an impact or creating a burning imperative to get it done accomplishes more than any plan could ever do.
Who is best at creating a burning imperative than your marketing department? Is it not their job? Do you include them in your internal communications and projects? Are you ever forced to sell an internal project? Would it help if your marketing department was part of it? On the next important initiative work with marketing to sell the project within the organization! Marketing needs to play as important role in your internal communication as they do in your external communication.
Internal Marketing Suggestions:
1. Give it a name? So many times the office will call it a Company name and the shop will call it by the work order number. We cause a division between the office and the shop before it ever goes to the floor.
2. Next, work with marketing on the key milestones and the critical points of the project. Create an event on that day or reward. Plan celebrations based on the importance of the event.
3. A good project has completion criteria and save the biggest celebration for that. Have marketing recognize key contributors during the project and people that go above and beyond their normal duties to get something done.
4. The customer, did we forget him? Include them in your communication. Maybe even ask him to participate in certain celebrations or be seen during the process. Personalizing a project will always add more strength to a project.
Now, can you generate a few of your own ideas about how best to create a burning desire to complete the project?