I recently had the opportunity to work with a large financial institution and was put to task to create a “feel good” event as part of their overall sales incentive. As more businesses begin to focus on philanthropy, they are also seeking a more intimate forum (through communities, nonprofits and other associations) where their employees can see, feel, touch and experience what it means to give back. The plans they are putting in are often coupled with teamwork, resulting (ideally) in an intrinsic, often emotional and completely satisfying conclusion, while also helping employees learn valuable skills they can bring back to the office.
Our event was designed around a sales incentive that we were running in Arizona. Of the many partnership opportunities available for our “feel good event”, we collectively decided upon working with Build a Bike. This largely nonprofit group specializes not only in the logistical side of pulling off an event with 300 participants, but also is an incredible company that seeks to provide under-privileged children with bikes that they normally would have to go without . The concept was rather simple – teams would be formed, captains selected, materials to build a bike given, and the rest was up to us.
Upon completion there was a palpable buzz in the auditorium where this was staged. With little fanfare, children of all ages came out of the wings and went to collect their bikes and meet their bike builders. Seeing the joy and gratitude on their faces was unforgettable, and everyone involved not only gained valuable team-building experience, they also had a sense of accomplishment and were proud of the work they had done.
In the debrief with our client, we learned that it was reported back that the experience was so profound for some that they have since pursued additional avenues to volunteer. The same employees that have pursued other volunteer opportunities also reported the highest levels of company satisfaction, admiration of fellow employees that they bonded with during the event, and most interestingly the desire to achieve the same level of status that earned them the trip in the first place. We’re confident that in the future, sales will climb not just because of the incentive experience the participants enjoyed, but by the simple task of giving back.
Soft adventure is a term that’s been coined and promoted by marketing experts in the travel industry. It refers to the type of adventure tourism that could be considered medium-risk but requires little to no experience. Examples include white water rafting, surfing, off-road driving, and zip-line experiences. The popularity of the genre has grown in recent years, particularly in regard to incentive group travel, and this is not a mere coincidence, since soft adventure tourism fits perfectly into the general strategy of group travel, which seeks to satisfy the dual interests and expectations of client and participant. On one hand, it offers exciting opportunities that also happen to be fairly low-risk. On the other, a soft adventure also provides unique and interesting experiences that may not be possible in one’s day-to-day life.
Another factor that contributes to soft adventure’s growing popularity is that it does not require any specialized knowledge or training in order to be enjoyable, and although it may not be overly demanding from a physical standpoint, the experience is still likely to be active and engaging. Contributing to the exhilaration that comes with soft adventure is the sense of accomplishment of participating and completing the challenge.
The soft adventure tourism industry has produced steady growth over the past decade at about 10-15% per year. Destinations that in the past have been exclusively reserved for “fun-in-the-sun” programs such as the Caribbean and Hawaii are now experiencing a shift in the way they are being marketed. The number of soft adventure options is also rising, with new and exciting opportunities popping up all over the globe. Whether it’s bungee jumping in New Zealand or zip-lining through the tree tops in Costa Rica, the preponderance of soft adventure tourism in incentive group travel will continue to be a factor in the coming years.
I was at a function recently and there was a person there who brought up the difficulties associated with channel programs. As she explained to the group of us, she really wants to roll out a channel incentive program, but the channels she would be rolling it out to don’t want to support it. The problem in her particular case is that the channel’s principals do not want their partnering manufacturers to offer channel incentive program to their employees, which she believes would be favoritism. After explaining her difficulties she asked me “what do I do when the principals don’t want to participate?”
This is a tough question as a program’s success is largely dependent on the principals embracing it. I thought long and hard about this question and the solution I offered to her was simple: demonstrate to them the value of the program by showing them how it relates to them and how it will help them grow their business. Providing hard data can really help channel partners understand in black and white terms how a program could take their business to a new level. For Dealers or VARs, embracing a manufacturer incentive program is another optional perk for working with that company.
The moral of the story here is that any vendor who is successful at running channel programs should have this type of solution on hand to help rally both internal and external support.
Some economists would have us believe that the economy is improving and the recession is over. Though many companies are still struggling to make ends meet, at some point the recession will be over and it will be business as usual again – but not without a few changes.
For some industries, there are now fewer competitors, but those remaining have grown in size and strength. Once the economy experiences a sustained improvement (convincing everyone that the recession is behind us), the focus will move from survival to growth mode. Businesses that survived the recession will start paying more attention to attracting and retaining customers, channel partners, and employees. A performance improvement strategy that incorporates a points program and/or group incentive travel program targeted specifically to each of those groups (and in some cases subgroups) could be very effective in implementing that strategy.
Businesses that start implementing strategies focused on improving relationships with customers, channel partners, and employees now will be ahead of the curve and will find themselves with an advantage over competitors once the economy has “officially” recovered. Don’t miss out on this opportunity! Take a look at your performance improvement strategies now to find out how you can improve them and take advantage of the economic recovery that has either already started or will soon.
Though I have spent nearly 40 years organizing and attending group travel events, I continue to be amazed at the long lasting relationships that are formed during a short 4-7 day trip experience. Whether it’s cruising down the Rhine, dining inside the Rock of Gibraltar, enjoying cocktails on a catamaran in Tahiti, or feasting at a banquet in a medieval Irish castle, there is no end to the opportunities for unique bonds to be created. It’s easy for me to speak of the financial benefits that group incentive travel brings, but when I consider some of my most valued friendships, I often find myself thinking of the many people I have met in some faraway place on an incentive trip.
As a result of these relationships, I have been privileged to get to know their spouses, rejoice in their children’s accomplishments, toast the birth of their grandchildren, and experience many other joys. I’ve visited their homes, and they’ve visited mine. When I reconnect after one year or twenty years, warm laughs are exchanged, stories are retold, and hopes for the future are rekindled. It seems silly to think that such a strong friendship can be formed in the span of four days, but there is an incredible value that comes from traveling the world and experiencing a special moment with a client or co-worker.
On group incentive trips sales people become friends with CEOs, competitors see each other in a new light, and customers find themselves forming lifelong ties to the people they once considered acquaintances. How does one quantify these group travel experiences? Most people would justify a trip by measuring sales, production, or customer growth from one year to the next. I would be foolish to argue that money doesn’t matter, but when I consider my own experience, I choose to measure them by the accumulation of friendships that last a lifetime.
One of the biggest challenges that companies face today is the fact that many people only stay at their current jobs/roles for less than five years. As someone who has been in the incentives industry for many years, I know firsthand what a high turnover rate can do to incentive and loyalty programs. Once I establish a relationship with a new client and help them create an incentive program, I encourage them to follow a few of the best practices I have observed over the years when it comes to ensuring the success of a rewards program.
One of the necessary elements in maintaining long term incentive programs is having multiple contacts inside an organization. It is extremely important to have all people who “touch” the program involved in the decision making process and beyond. If people feel they are part of the program development, they will feel a sense of ownership, regardless of their position in the company. Not only can stronger results can be expected when people have a stake in the effort, it also establishes multiple points of contact within the organization, which helps to ensure a seamless transition if someone on the team leaves.
When it comes to incentive programs, the hope is that there will be great leadership, outstanding results, and long-term success, but internal changes can pose some serious challenges to implementation and success. However, by bringing together thought leadership and engagement at all levels for a rewards program, even the unexpected can be managed easily with limited impact on participants.
As someone that sells incentive programs, I often share concrete examples of how non-cash incentives provide a differentiator from the competition. The stories keep coming as more and more people realize the fact that ROI for non-cash incentives far outweighs the ROI potential of cash incentives. To use one example, I heard recently about a particular dealer who had never purchased a certain product category from my client before who is now shifting his business to earn points. The client projects that this will probably equate to $50-60k in new business, and it's a double win because not only does it mean more sales, but the sales are in a higher margin product category. That story is just one of many examples of new business being generated through a rewards program, but there are other benefits as well. Consider the following story of a current customer:
Situation: 4 competitors were bidding on the same job. My client's price was $56k (not the highest but not the lowest either). When the salesman made the offer, he reminded his dealer customer that he would also receive points if he went with them (and could redeem them for thousands of merchandise items, individual travel, or event tickets). As it turned out, the incentive program was already top of mind for the dealer, and he had even visited the rewards website prior to the salesperson's visit to determine how many points he would earn on the deal.
Results: The other night, the rep received a call from the dealer informing him that another competitor was $600 lower in price. However, the dealer continued, "We're going to let you have the sale because we like those points." Not only did my client save money on the deal by giving points away instead of margin, he was able to gain a new piece of business that he probably would not have had otherwise.
Both examples above illustrate the fact that incentive programs can and do help companies differentiate themselves from the competition and avoid pricing wars. Incentives are a great sales tool that can help give reps something other than price and product to talk about with their customers.
Posted by
Linda Shea on Fri, Apr 20, 2012 @ 09:05 AM
Individual Travel Awards are becoming increasingly popular as an essential part of a points based reward program. Travel award options can include everything from spa vacations to ski weekends to luxury cruises to weeklong stays in Europe. Considering the fact that more and more people are redeeming for individual incentive travel awards, having an exciting array of travel options is crucial for your program’s success.
Though there are many factors that go into a successful individual travel program, flexibility is one of the most important because it allows participants to earn points with the goal of a dream vacation. By allowing a participant to choose when and where they want to go, they won’t be locked into an itinerary that doesn’t interest them. One of the biggest mistakes that can be made when offering individual travel incentives is to offer people the chance to redeem for only a few destinations, or to lock them into a trip that doesn’t suit their schedule. When the options are limitless, participants in the rewards program will be more motivated to earn as many points as possible so they will be able to have the best trip possible.
The key to any incentive program that offers individual travel options is balancing the needs of the client with the desires of the participants. With any rewards program, increasing sales and ROI is important, and a program that encourages participants to earn more by selling more not only provides greater award options to them, but helps your company meet and exceed its goals as well.
Group incentive travel and points based programs are the bread and butter of the incentive industry, but what many people don’t realize is that meetings and events can be educational, rewarding, and exciting all at the same time. With the right combination of speakers, vendor and supplier participation, and entertainment, national sales meetings and corporate events can be transformed from “boring” requirements into a great opportunity to interact with colleagues and experience once in a lifetime opportunities.
A few months ago, HMI planned a meeting that brought together about 1600 people for training, education, and the opportunity to interact with some of the vendors that service their industry. Though the purpose of the meeting was professional, the budget (and creativity of the client) allowed for a few surprises that tied some of the important aspects of the company’s core values into a hilarious and inspirational presentation by Richard Simmons.
On the second day of the trainings, one of the general sessions focused on healthy habits and highlighted the incredible weight loss that some employees had accomplished over the past year. Attendees had prepared themselves for an hour of instruction on how to make healthier choices in their lives, when all of a sudden the music started blasting and Richard Simmons ran onto the stage dancing in his traditionally skimpy workout suit. The entire auditorium jumped to its feet, cell phones snapping pictures, and danced along with Richard as he pulled people on stage.
Over the course of the next few days, we received feedback from dozens of people who told us how exciting it was for them to see and meet Richard Simmons in person, but what really made a difference for our client was hearing how inspired people were to make positive changes in their lives. In addition to dancing and “sweating to the oldies,” Simmons also addressed the audience, telling them about his own struggles with weight loss and encouraging them to exercise and eat healthy not just for them, but for their families as well.
Everyone has gone to a meeting that seemed to last forever, but by adding exciting entertainment or motivational speakers to an event, attendees can leave with great memories and the inspiration to make positive changes in their lives. You don’t necessarily need to sweat it out at your next conference to be successful, but with the right planning, your next meeting or event can be an exciting opportunity to leave a lasting impression.
Just recently, HMI brought an incentive group to exquisite Maui in the Hawaiian Islands. After working hard to achieve aggressive goals, these attendees were looking forward to unwinding on beautiful, sun-drenched beaches. However, Mother Nature had a different idea.
From the start, the weather was not the perfect postcard you envision when thinking of Hawaii. High winds, torrential rain, and flooding produced numerous flight delays and cancellations. Many of our guests who chose to travel in advance of the scheduled trip experienced this inclement weather first-hand. However, being an experienced incentive travel company, HMI was able to assist them in getting to Maui safely and in time to join their fellow co-workers.
On the second evening we had scheduled a luau out on the lawn, with a magnificent sunset view overlooking the ocean. But threatened with rain, we made an executive decision to transfer the luau indoors. The downside of the move was obvious, but nonetheless we did everything in our power to make the experience just as memorable. We added tropical flowers to the entrance and tables, and uplighting in shades of pink and amber to mimic the feel of a Hawaiian sunset. We were amazed at how it all came together and how our guests responded. They eventually did go outdoors for the fire show, which was a delight!
On the last full day we had planned a catamaran trip to Molokini Crater, one of the best snorkel locations in Maui. The weather had seemingly turned for the better, and our guests were thrilled to finally be out in the sun! But we apparently forgot to knock on wood, because when we arrived at the crater the wind had increased considerably. Our guests were informed that, due to the wind, we would not be able to snorkel at Molokini. Although we were all disappointed, our staff was able to arrange an alternate activity. The crew agreed to set up a big inflatable slide they had on board, and before you knew it our attendees were sliding playfully off the boat and into the Pacific Ocean. With plenty of sunshine, good company, positive attitudes (and a few drinks), terrific times were had by all!
Although weather can certainly throw you a curve ball, it’s how you handle that curve ball that makes all the difference. The past experience of so many successful programs enables HMI to think ahead and prepare for anything that might come our way. Our ability to think on our feet, in addition to receiving cooperation from partner vendors and suppliers, helps us to achieve the realistic expectations we set for ourselves and our trips. This allows us to convert potential catastrophes into wonderful memories for our attendees. We never compromise our client’s goals and requests; we simply adjust in accordance with the issue and move on to the next important task. So, although there could have been situations in Maui that resulted in disappointment or client dissatisfaction, we nonetheless succeeded in providing a wonderful, unforgettable program. As one of the attendees said at the end of the trip: “What could I possibly be upset about? I’m in Hawaii!” Our thoughts exactly.
To learn more about planning a group incentive trip, download the free guide below.
