Token

I collect name badges from the conferences I attend and hang them on the walls of my cubicle. They remind me of the conferences I have attended, the many friends I have met, and the things I have learned.

To keep a new idea alive in a person’s memory, hand out tokens that can be identified with the topic being introduced.

You are a Dedicated Champion(129) trying to get people interested in a new idea. You have limited resources.

People may be enthusiastic about a topic when they first hear about it, but the enthusiasm quickly wanes as they forget tomorrow what excited them today.

Our brains can only hold so much; today’s information will be quickly replaced by tomorrow’s information. Individuals need reminders. A physical object associated with a particular topic can nudge their memories. It can help people reconnect with a new idea even after their thoughts have moved on to something else or with an event long after it has taken place.

Sociologists have observed that in all cultures, the receipt of even a small gift obligates the receiver, even if the gift was not highly valued. Free samples are given away in supermarkets and by salespeople in a variety of settings because the value of the return has been shown to be more than the cost.

Therefore:

Hand out small tokens that will remind people of the new idea.

Examples of tokens are magnets, buttons, coasters, cups, pencils, or a set of bound notes, a “quick reference” printed on special paper, or copies of articles. Be creative in finding or constructing items that will form a link with the event. The monetary value need not be high.

Don’t get carried away and distribute too many tokens—it reduces the effect. There is no need to be disappointed if some people dispose of them; not everyone will appreciate them. Those who don’t “get” the topic will be less inclined to keep them around. We know what it’s like to have another thing around that just takes up space. Most will get cleaned out over time, and this is all right.

= = = = = = = = =

This pattern creates a reminder of the new idea. People who identify with the topic will keep their token, often prominently displayed, as a memento. Initially, this identifies the group of people to each other, helping to create a critical mass and establish a Group Identity(155). Over time, the token serves as a reminder to the individual to revisit the topic.

But it might be difficult to convince your organization to fund tokens. In this case, think about spending some of your own money. It doesn’t have to take a lot of cash, but your colleagues and your management will be impressed that you believe in the new idea enough to support it.

At our poster session at a conference, we gave “Good Job!” stickers for participants’ badges if they drew a picture of any pattern we had displayed on our poster. The sticker was just a token but it got their attention. Many who said they couldn’t draw were convinced by the ridiculously small sticker, even though it meant they had to read every pattern, looking for one that spoke to them.

Craig Tidal, President and CEO of Net Solve Inc., teaches customer interaction to new employees, from receptionists to senior managers. He rewards correct answers with a crisp two-dollar bill. “It’s just a token, but if somebody puts one in their wallet, it will remind them of the event,” he says of the gimmick.