Internal Energy Test
Use the team's genuine excitement as a pre-launch signal of audience resonance.
- Difficulty
- Starter
- Time to result
- ~days to results
- Steps
- 5
- Confidence
- 90%
Before releasing an important piece of marketing, assess the emotional energy surrounding its creation. When collaborators eagerly exchange ideas, refine details, and cannot wait to publish, that energy can signal a strong concept likely to transfer to the audience. When the team is merely completing a process, assumes someone else wants the work, or feels indifferent about the outcome, pause before investing further. Diagnose whether the idea lacks relevance, novelty, craft, or ownership, then reshape or replace it. The rule is a proxy rather than proof: excitement must still align with audience insight, strategy, and execution quality. Used carefully, it helps resource-constrained teams avoid spending major campaign capacity on work they already suspect is forgettable.
Origin
Extracted from Marketing Against the Grain when Kipp Bodnar described a recurring correlation he had observed between internal creative energy and external campaign performance.
Core principles
- 01Creative energy often transfers from makers to audiences.
- 02Excitement reveals when a team has found an idea worth refining.
- 03Obligation-driven work commonly produces forgettable output.
- 04The test should guide major bets, not excuse poor execution.
How to run it
- 1
Observe the making process
Notice whether collaborators voluntarily build on ideas, debate details, and show curiosity about audience response. Distinguish real momentum from scheduled enthusiasm.
Pro tip Pay attention to spontaneous follow-up ideas after formal meetings end.
Watch out A charismatic leader can create apparent excitement that others do not genuinely share.
- 2
Ask the publish question
Ask whether the team is truly eager for the audience to see the work. Require an honest answer before approving a major bet.
Pro tip Have contributors answer independently before discussing as a group.
Watch out Do not punish candor, or the signal will become useless.
- 3
Diagnose low energy
If the work feels obligatory, identify whether the problem is the insight, creative idea, format, audience relevance, or execution. Decide whether to revise, replace, or reduce the investment.
Pro tip Return to the audience tension the work is supposed to address.
Watch out Do not add superficial polish to an idea that nobody believes matters.
- 4
Check strategic reality
Confirm that internal excitement reflects meaningful audience value rather than novelty for the team alone. Compare the idea with customer evidence and campaign goals.
Pro tip Show an early version to a small set of representative audience members.
Watch out Teams can become excited by clever work their audience does not understand.
- 5
Commit or redirect
Back the work strongly when energy, audience relevance, and execution quality align. Otherwise redirect resources before the full launch cost is incurred.
Pro tip Reserve the test for consequential creative bets where discretionary effort affects quality.
Watch out Routine but necessary work should not be discarded merely because it is unexciting.
In the wild
A team preparing a product launch continually improves the central idea, shares new variations without prompting, and eagerly anticipates customer reactions. A small audience test confirms that the message is clear and relevant, so the team increases its commitment to the campaign.
→ Internal energy combines with external validation to justify a larger launch bet.
A marketing team prepares a social post only because the calendar requires one. Nobody can explain why the audience would care, and the creator is eager merely to mark the task complete. The team pauses publication and replaces it with a response to a current customer conversation.
→ The company avoids publishing forgettable content and redirects effort toward something relevant.
Common mistakes
Confusing hype with audience value
A team may love an inside joke, new technology, or elaborate production that means little externally. Pair energy with audience evidence.
Forcing performative enthusiasm
If people fear admitting doubt, the test measures hierarchy rather than conviction. Make honest dissent safe.
Applying the test to every task
Some necessary work is routine and will never feel exciting. Use the rule for discretionary creative bets, not all operations.
Is it for you?
Best for
It is best for selecting and refining creative campaigns, launches, and social content before publication.
Not ideal for
It is not ideal as the sole test for mandatory communications, regulated content, or routine operational work.
From the transcript
“the internal energy is a proxy for like the external virality”
“if you've got no energy internally as you're working on it it's going to have no energy out in the world”
“especially for your big bets the things that you're really counting on working you need that high level of of energy and excitement internally”
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