Incentive - April 2008 - (Page 56) THE INCENTIVE MERCHANDISE BUYER’S HANDBOOK CHAPTER 4 creating buzz for the program o matter how brilliant the strategy and how fabulous the merchandise awards, an incentive program will fail without a strong promotional campaign. It stands to reason that participants must be aware of the program in order for it to succeed. Beyond even awareness, you need to make the program a priority for all involved. Start with a central, cohesive theme. This, too, involves brainstorming with colleagues, management, and the writers and graphic designers working on the communication pieces. Get creative with the theme and keep it engaging, tying it in to the goal and/or the PLANNING WISE selected awards. A clever slogan or acronym can go a long way to keeping a program top • Allocate between 10 to 20 percent of mind. Use short sentences of the budget to communication. and action verbs. N Online-only communications can be budget friendly, but you may want to mix it up with print materials for across-the-board exposure. • The Teaser—This letter or e-mail tells your audience that something important is on the horizon. It can be straight-ahead informational or more fancy and interactive like a riddle or computer game. Accompany it with a small theme-related promotional product/premium. A “Grow Your Territory” themed sales contest, for instance, might lend itself to a seed kit. Talk It Up • The Official Announcement—Clearly outline the program’s objectives, rules, measurement and reporting systems, timing, tax implications, and, of course, the awards. • The Kickoff—Support the program’s initial promotion with various platforms: posters, videos, special informational kiosks in employee common areas, use of the company Intranet, e-mails, CDs/DVDs, messages from higher-ups, informal rallies. You want to reach as many participants as you can, and people respond to different methods of communication in today’s workplace, especially those who telecommute. • Participant Enrollment—Sign up interested individuals. Make sure their information is accurate so all incentive-related materials and the awards are delivered in a timely manner. Enrollment and accurate tracking of participants’ progress during the program’s duration fall under administration. Determine whether you will handle these and other administrative tasks inhouse or turn to an outside company for help with managing the program (see Chapter 5, “Finding the Right Partner”). • The shorter the program, the more frequent the communications should be. With a qualification period of three months, send a mailer once every two weeks. Year-long programs require monthly mailings. • Personalize incentive-related communications with signatures from top executives. Recognition from upper management reinforces employees’ hard work. • Share incentive winner’s accomplishments with their colleagues by highlighting their contributions in a company newsletter, memo, or gettogether—it need not be formal. GETTING THE WORD OUT Launch tools include teasers, official announcements, and kickoff materials. Pique your participants’ interest in the program. Make sure they understand what is expected of them under the rules and what awards are being dangled as motivational carrots. Let them know that their individual efforts also benefit something larger than themselves such as the organization’s mission. 56 | April 2008 SPECIAL SECTION
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