How do you create promotional materials that activate? 🗞️

Perhaps your vitality initiative has just started or you have the idea of starting a new one. In both cases, you are probably asking yourself: How do I enthuse employees to participate in a fun and effective way? And how do I motivate them to participate? You could walk the corridors with a megaphone. We can only support that! But... there are also other ways to boost your communication and enthuse employees. Based on our experience, we share three insights for creating motivating promotional material so that the applications flow in.

Time to read: 5 minutes

How do you create promotional materials that activate? 🗞️

Be present everywhere and stand out! 📣

There's no getting around it: the European Championship has started. Everywhere you see advertising, advertisements, streamers and flags. That's the power of good promotion! What if you could have the same effect on your next vitality initiative? You want your promotional material to be found in all places and your employees to be reminded to join or start at multiple times. Hang your promotional material in prominent places and make sure your message can be found on every communication platform.

Consider introducing a new workplace home policy. Posters can be hung all over the office highlighting the benefits of working from home, such as less travel time and a better work-life balance. You can also post visual reminders on the intranet and send weekly newsletters with success stories of employees already benefiting from working from home. Using colourful and attractive visuals ensures that the message sticks and employees feel involved in the changes. By having a consistent and striking presence, you create an environment where the new policy is easily accepted and appreciated.

Turning interest into action 💥

You have captured the attention, fantastic! Your colleagues look curiously at the eye-catching promotional materials. And now what? It's up to you as HR manager to let them know what is expected of them and how everyone can join the initiative. Who can they turn to? Describe this as specifically and directly as possible. For example, state at the end of each e-mail: "Sign up today at PLACE X for our monthly walking challenge!" or state on each poster: "Join and win a free massage!" This way, an enthusiastic employee can also start right away. Add, for example, a link to a registration form or a contact's e-mail. This makes the threshold to sign up lower.

When launching a new training programme, you can use the same approach. Make sure all communication makes clear how employees can register and where they can find more information. In your internal newsletter, you can add a section with a direct link to the registration form and a short profile of the instructors who will deliver the training courses. In addition, you can put a poster on the notice boards with a QR code leading to the registration page. By making it as easy as possible for employees to sign up, you increase the likelihood that they will actually participate and benefit from the training programme.

"What's in it for me?" Explain the benefits ☑️

While many employees are eager to get started, a small group may remain critical. Even with a free BBQ, not everyone will join right away. To take this group by the hand and show how much fun it is to participate, it is important to clearly explain the various benefits. For this message, use humour and light-heartedness, and emphasise the benefits in terms of personal development, productivity and team dynamics rather than just focusing on health. Emphasise team spirit, for example, with the message: "Join your team and collect as many points together as possible."

If you are introducing a new wellbeing app that helps employees manage their stress levels, you can take the same approach. Don't just tell how the app works, emphasise the benefits employees will experience, such as reduced stress, better sleep and increased productivity. Create a fun video demonstrating the app and showing employees how simple and useful it is. Distribute this video via e-mail and internal communication systems, and place posters with catchy slogans such as "Reduce your stress, increase your success!" By presenting the benefits in a positive and appealing way, you make it more attractive for employees to try the app and experience the benefits for themselves.

Key insights

Make sure your promotional material stands out and can be seen everywhere by using eye-catching visuals and multiple communication channels. Give employees clear instructions and specific steps to participate in the initiative. Use humour and emphasise the benefits of personal development, productivity and team dynamics to convince critical employees. By following this approach, you will slowly but surely build a culture of vitality and commitment within your organisation. Any vitality initiative requires patience, perseverance and a good dose of positivity. With this approach, you are well on your way to overcoming resistance and inspiring your employees to a healthier and more vital lifestyle.

When implementing a new feedback system, you can also apply these strategies. Make sure your promotional material stands out by using colourful visuals and sharing success stories of teams that have already seen improvements thanks to the feedback system. Provide clear instructions on how and where feedback can be given, for example via a simple online platform. Use humour and highlight benefits such as improved communication and cooperation within teams. This way, you create an environment where everyone feels heard and contributes to a positive working atmosphere, which ultimately leads to a more successful implementation of the feedback system and a more engaged and satisfied workforce.