Getting The Word Out About Mars One

So I made it to Round 2 of the Mars One selections, what do I do now? In the email I got, Norbert Kraft mentioned that it would be very important that I help to get the word out about Mars One. Okay. I had already had a vague idea that, if I made it past the first cut, I would start doing interviews. So within the next day or two, I did a Skype interview with Mars Pirate Radio and started sending emails to local newspapers and TV stations. Only, I think those emails got ignored or not seen at all. Hm. That just means I have to go to Plan B. Start doing events, and let the media come to me.

Where should I start? Local libraries might be good. There’s one in Peoria and one in Bloomington that might work. So I contacted them. The one in Peoria turned me down flat and I’m still waiting to hear back from Bloomington. Back to the drawing board.

It’s a problem, really it is. I’m not being very effective here. I think I’ll need to pounce on a few people I know. Max out my connections. Brownnosing isn’t always a bad thing if it’s done for a good cause even though I’ve been teased for it. If I can bring in a lot of people who want to get involved with Mars One, it might actually generate enough attention to make that Indiegogo campaign a success.

There’s some good ideas floating around out there. Leila suggested doing science fiction conventions. Somebody else is about to do a presentation in front of 600 people. I started a Thunderclap campaign in a not-entirely-selfless attempt to get people to share my blog so people who might not otherwise pay attention can learn a little bit about the inner workings of a Mars One candidate. So we’re working on it even if some people seem to be having more success at it than I am.

I’ve got some leg work to do, so it might be a bit before I make my next blog entry. I’ll be busy trying to figure out how to get myself in front of an audience even if I have to get a reputation for brown-nosing. As I like to say, it’s not about me. It’s about letting people know that something is happening that is bigger than any one person. And if I become a local celebrity because of it, well, maybe you’ll see me on a Mars-themed float in a local parade at some point in the next year. I’ll be sure to post lots of pictures on Facebook so you can see the ridiculous face I made when somebody ambushed me with a camera.

Seriously, Mars One is just taking the same kind of tack that NASA has taken with its astronauts, especially the early ones. It’s getting the candidates to put the word out there so the average person know that something big is happening. And that’s cool with me once I actually start getting some positive responses from local media.

Event Marketing at Relevant Venues

Some of the tips in these books could apply to us as Mars One candidates. It’s all going to be a matter of getting the word out with event marketing.