What Is The Most Effective Way To Run An Incentive Marketing Program?

Many think that they need a gimmick to get them to their incentive programs. But, it is not the case. What actually works best in marketing incentive programs is to focus on long term goals for all groups in the company. There are several ways to go about this.

The first step in the process of deciding how to run your incentive program is to have a defined list of your goals and then ask yourself what you are trying to accomplish with this program. Perhaps you will be giving some bonuses or incentive payouts to people that help with your bottom line. Maybe you will be looking at other resources, such as improving the reliability of a machine or getting the security system to perform better at night. Other ways to consider is to use the incentives to help people who really do contribute to the performance of your company or to get other members of your team to do more to help your business.

Once you have a clear picture of what you want to accomplish, you can start to narrow down your selection of companies or programs and start developing specific programs that are appropriate for the organization. When it comes to incentive marketing, you can target different segments within your business. For example, your family or employee appreciation program can target children and employees; the business leader incentive program can target leadership employees, managers and everyone else; and the top performers program may be designed to reward the top performers at the company.

Once you have narrowed down your list of incentive programs, you should always look for people who are leaders or are in leadership positions. If they are not part of your team, chances are they are willing to help you make your incentive program successful. Often you will find that some of your competitors may have someone that you can tap into who can help you get a program designed specifically for your organization.

Some organizations look at the effectiveness of an incentive program in terms of cost. A program that costs a lot, such as the keychains or the jacket, can really hurt the bottom line. Programs that do not involve money, such as the coffee mug or the gift certificate can have the same affect. You also have to think about how long you want the program to last.

It is often not possible to give everyone in your organization the same incentive, and you will have to plan for this. For example, if you are giving out a coffee mug, you need to figure out how you will determine who will get one. It may be based on company rank, company recognition or some other criteria.

You also need to consider the level of commitment that each person needs to participate in the program. Are some people going to need to give up their regular jobs? You will need to set up a system that allows those who are truly interested in being involved in the program to do so without disrupting their day-to-day activities.