How to Plan a Successful Incentive Program

When The Light Group becomes your incentive marketing partner, we use the best incentive practices to ensure a successful program. We'll go through a process together that is a series of one-to-one questions that will give us the data we need to create an incentive program that will work best for your company. The strategy will include questions such as these:

• Who is your target audience?
  
• What are the dates of the incentive program? (A cut off date is vital even though the program may be ongoing. This date can always be extended but it limits the company's liability just in case the program needs to be ended sooner than planned).
  
• What are the goals of the program? What must participants must do to "win?" (Make sure the goals represent a significant relationship with the objectives but at the same time are obtainable and fair).
  
• What is the incentive award structure? How much can you afford to award based on an ROI projection. (TLG can consult with you to set up an award structure that ensures that you only reward for increases and therefore only if you have made a profit).
  
• Do you desire a reward vehicle that includes merchandise, travel or maybe a combination? We'll advise which will work best based on the program structure and budget.
  
• Should you incorporate an educational overlay? Perhaps as an enrollment tool: design an educational piece with space for questions and answers about the various aspects of products and services the company offers. Reward with points for participation. This works well for sales incentive programs.
  
• How are you going to track and measure based on the goals of the campaign?
  
• What should the theme and logo look like? What will motivate your audience?
  
• How are you going to promote and communicate the program so that all participants know it exists and remains excited about earning the reward ?
  
• What is the correct time line for the program, its conception, creation, implementation and closeout?

An incentive marketing program is a serious investment for a company. A properly administered program should accomplish your goals whether they increase sales, improve customer service, increase your market share or increase your profits.