Incentive - February 2008 - (Page 26)

PRIMER Planning a Sporting Incentive By Robert Tuchman Incenti ves a t t he Ga m e • Choose the right event • Work with an expert • It’s all about the tickets (& hotel) • Add speakers, games of your own • Special touches mean a lot • Memorabilia = memories • Prepare like a coach Y ou know you want to incorporate sports into your company’s incentive program. You could just theme the contest using whatever major event is current—a Super Bowl theme for a program in January or February, for example. But if you want to go beyond that, to do something that will really attract attention and get your team’s sports fans in the zone, try making it a bit more real: Bring a star athlete to them, or if your budget allows, bring them to a major playoff game or other sporting event. Of course, as with any other incentive program, there are things to keep in mind when turning to sports. have a set audience, you could bring in a lesser-known talent who performs well. You can have both, but it’s important to know your priority, since budget will ultimately determine your choice. I have generally found that people walk away with a better overall experience with a lesser-known speaker who interacts better with the crowd. The budget picks the speaker Bringing in an Athlete Determine your main objective You should know exactly what you want the athlete speaking at your event to do for you. Do you need a keynote speaker to motivate your sales team, or are you trying to spice up a cocktail party? Some athletes, like former Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback and broadcaster Terry Bradshaw, and 1980 U.S. Olympic hockey team captain Mike Eruzione, are great at delivering a fiery motivational speech. Others, such as Chad Pennington of the New York Jets and Bill Walton, the NBA All-Star, can work a room exceptionally well. As with an actual game, when it comes to using athletes, you learn their performance varies in different types of situations. Robert Tuchman is president of celebrity marketing firm TSE Sports & Entertainment (www.tseworld.com). Contact (877) 621-5243 Know your audience It’s important to know the demographics of your attendees. People tend to love speakers they can relate to. Childhood idols are always a great pick. While Archie Manning is a good selection for men and women in their 50s, his son, N.Y. Giants quarterback Eli Manning, is a much better fit for those in their 30s. If you are catering to an all-female crowd, there are some terrific speakers, like tennis star Billie Jean King and Olympic skater Peggy Fleming. We would all like Tiger Woods and Michael Jordan to show up at our event, but their prices are prohibitive for many budgets. But a lot of well-polished athletes are willing to appear at events for a reasonable amount. Fees usually range from $2,500 to $75,000. Appearances are generally priced in two-hour segments, with longer times negotiable. You’ll be surprised at some of the talent you can hire for a relatively small amount. To ensure you get the right speaker for your needs, work with a talent agency where the focus is on corporations looking for talent, not the athlete. Tell the athlete your objectives Big name or big performer? If your objective is to attract people to your event, you want someone with brand recognition, such as seven-time Tour de France winner Lance Armstrong. If you They are jocks, but many are extremely well versed in the world of business meetings and events. Most athletes are able to customize their speaking to specific topics relevant to your industry. Some of the best at this include tennis champion Lindsay Davenport and former Denver Broncos captain Karl Mecklenburg, who played in six Pro Bowls and three Super Bowls. 26 | Incentive | February 2008 | incentivemag.com http://www.tseworld.com http://www.incentivemag.com

Table of Contents Feed for the Digital Edition of Incentive - February 2008

Incentive Magazine - February 2008 Editor’s Note: Archie and the Boys In The News Cover Story: On The Ball Incentives Incentive Primer: How to Use Sporting Events Incentive Interview: Jim Avery on Doing the Right Thing Employee Empowerment Motivates and Pays Dividends Hospitals, Nurses Win With Flexible Scheduling Legal Ease: Safety Programs and Unions Case Study: The Weitz Company Retains Its Boomers Potentials: Here and Now Star Power in the Kitchen Awards: Gift Card Trends for the New Year Travel News The Manhattanization of Las Vegas Classics Renewed: Monaco and France Advertiser Index Off The Cuff: Tumi’s Mike Landry

Incentive - February 2008

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