Promotion Ideas
Ideas for Promoting Biking to Work in Your Organization
Hang Bike Month Posters in Visible Places
Have fun hanging bike month posters wherever possible -- hallways, lunch, rooms, elevators, bathroom doors -- wherever people tend to congregate or walk by. Make a game of it by asking others to hang a poster in an unlikely, but useful place.
Get the Word Out
Display a Bike Month t-shirt with bike map, balloons, etc.; include articles about bicycle commuting in your company newsletter; make presentations at staff meetings; encourage participation through memos, e-mail, phone messages and announcements.
Make It Easy To Participate
- Identify secure bike parking options.
- Get management involved - recruit top-level individuals to ride and encourage others.
- Encourage co-workers to register and participate. Provide low-cost incentives to participants
Commuter Convoys or Bike Buddies
Encourage the development of "commuter partners" - riders to pair up and commute together on their bikes (these can be paired by experience, route, location, or whatever other designation you choose). List partners and routes on company intranet or bulletin boards so others can participate.
Technology Talks
E-mails are a great way to distribute quick and timely information. Use some of the Bike to Work tips included on your CD to attract attention, or dream up your own. Give people reminders for events, lunches, activities you plan or hear about. Help people remember to register for Bike Month.
Create various challenges in your workplace such as
- Older employees vs. younger
- Management vs. staff
- Department vs. department
- Collect a small dollar amount or prize from each department or participant. The winners get to split the pot. Other prize versions could be time off, lunch served by the department or individuals with the least number of days; a donated prize from a local restaurant or store, etc.
Create fun and easy awards for special achievements
- Riding every day of the week
- Riding the longest distance
- Riding the shortest distance
- Always wearing a helmet
- Rider with best decorated bicycle
- Distribute "I biked to work today" stickers
Start the Day Right
Host a morning "pit-stop". Energize your employees as they arrive to work with fresh coffee, bagels, fruit or juice. Keep it simple.
Finish the Day with Ease
Invite riders to an after work/before commute snack of juice, cheese and crackers.
Drawings for Prizes
Solicit local businesses for give-away rewards (restaurant certificates, movie passes, ice cream cone certificates). For everyone who bicycle commutes, put their names in a hat and draw daily or weekly prizes. You can also solicit staff members to provide prizes such as a plate of home cooked brownies, running an errand, making the morning coffee for a week, etc.
Use the Lunch Hour
Develop brown-bag lunches during the month to discuss bicycle commuting tips. Share this time to watch a bike maintenance video, or review a book. Ask one of your experienced riders to help present information on subjects such as:
- What to wear
- How to select a route
- How to freshen up at the work place
- What to do with "helmet hair"
- Bike maintenance
Commuters of the Year
Nominate outstanding users of alternative transportation and encourage co-workers to vote for the Commuter of the Year. Develop categories such as
- Longest commute
- Most consistent commuter
- Commuter to ride in the worst weather
- Rookie commuter, etc.
Promote Family Biking
Host a bicycle rodeo for co-workers' children. Rodeos are fun to present and a great way for kids to learn the rules of the road, balance and other important riding skills.
Bicycle Fashion Show
Ask people to wear their craziest biking outfit, then judge the winners for a prize. Instead of the craziest outfit, select a theme of your own choosing -- warmest bike outfit, coolest, most colorful, safest, most layered outfit, etc.
Helmet Decorating Contest
Ask co-workers to bring in their old helmets and decorate them for a prize. Provide simple craft materials such as glue, crepe paper, sparkles, pipe cleaners, etc. Display the winning helmet in a prominent location.
