4 Tips to Market Your Incentive Program
Incentive programs have long used travel to motivate employees. The Incentive Research Foundation (IRF) reports that nearly 40% of US businesses use incentive travel to reward and recognize top employees and salespeople as well as channel partners.
So we can safely assume that the word is out: incentive programs can be used to drive profit and performance.
Not only is it important to create an exciting and engaging program, it is equally important to create a marketing strategy to drive return on investment (ROI). Or, to use an emerging term, ‘return on experience.’ Investing in an incentive marketing campaign is a surefire way to not only generate excitement, but to engage employees early and often. And maybe even their families as well.
Marketing Incentive Programs
- Help them see the incentive
We live in a society where Instagram, Snapchat and more have made visuals the preferred way to engage an audience. Create a video or innovative slideshow that shows the destination, hotel, activities, and any other pieces related to the incentive.Consider creating this as a series. The first one should be the kickoff—if possible, featuring the previous year’s destination and group. FOMO (fear of missing out) can be a powerful motivator! The second one could launch the coming year’s incentive travel program. - Keep it in the forefront of their minds
We’ve all been part of something that seemed exciting at first. And then it fizzled out, or people slowly forgot about it, and the communication was lackluster overall.Don’t let that happen with this. Within your campaign, design communications to go out weekly or bimonthly about the destination. The golf course. The spa. The complimentary features. Include a broad range of the possible experiences to capture every imagination.And you don’t have to stop at just emailing to the organization. Sending destination collateral to the homes of your teams can generate excitement at home as well. - Create competition
Let people know where they stand throughout the incentive period. Whether this takes the form of monthly stats, weekly infographics, or some other format that would work for your business, allow employees to know just what they need to do to achieve the incentive.To keep it interesting, consider offering smaller prizes for early achievers of milestones, or options for early registration if it fits with your incentive program design. - Share resources
Turn what could be frustrating for some into an educational experience. While releasing monthly stats or the like, include tips for sales or increased productivity to give all employees something to help them improve.
Start Planning Today
One of the most powerful ways to market your incentive program is to utilize past attendees and company influencers. Bring these people into your planning sessions, and use their experiences to help create a strategic campaign.
While we’re talking about leveraging experience, Carrousel has decades of experience in helping plan group incentive travel. While you focus on marketing your incentive program, we’ll focus on creating an experience that your employees won’t forget. Contact us today or sign up for our newsletter!