Resource Library

This paper explores the different types of consumer, dealer, and aftermarket incentives used in the automotive industry. It also looks at how advertising agencies view incentives. It examines traditional incentive strategies and concludes with advice on program implementation.... [ read more ]

With the increase of postal rates over the past several years and dwindling advertising and promotional budgets, many companies are tempted to reduce or eliminate investments into pre-show mailings with promotional products in tradeshow settings. Is this a wise choice? The results of a 2004 study by Georgia Southern University indicates the answer is NO.... [ read more ]

‘Repeat business or behavior can be bribed. Loyalty has to be earned’ - Janet Robinson While Ms. Robinson may have been referring to brand loyalty or product loyalty as opposed to customer loyalty programs in the above quote, her words illustrate a very important concept. Incentive programs don’t start with built-in loyalty and customer buy-in. Without question, incentive programs need to generate loyalty – not only from senior management, but also from the customers they’re trying to entice. An effective program will excel for both management and customers when it is built with a foundation that provides a clear vision for success. In fact, many established programs have been assembled using five critical building blocks that inspire brand loyalty among customers. ... [ read more ]

This study analyzed attempts by a dozen diverse companies to integrate their external and internal marketing practices.... [ read more ]

ICSA is a non-profit association led by customer service professionals for customer service professionals. These are people who have walked in your shoes and understand your challenges and motivation. Organized in 1981 by a group of 59 customer service management professionals, today's ICSA has come a long way! Globally, our membership tops 700 and we offer a full range of programs that provide members with a forum for sharing knowledge and experience, searching for solutions and networking with other customer service management professionals. ... [ read more ]

Founded in 1973, Society of Incentive and Travel Executives (SITE) is the only international, not-for-profit, professional association devoted to the pursuit of excellence in incentives, a multi-billion dollar global industry. SITE provides educational seminars and information services to those who design, develop, promote, sell, administer, and operate motivational programs as an incentive to increase productivity in business. Currently SITE has over 2,100 members in 87 countries, with 35 local and regional chapters. Members represent corporate executives, incentive companies, destination management companies, travel & event planners, official tourist organizations, transportation companies, hotels and resorts, cruise lines, trade publications, and supporting organizations such as restaurants and visitors attractions. ... [ read more ]

International Special Events Society (ISES), founded in 1987 is a not-for-profit organization. It is the only international organization representing professionals in all disciplines of the special events industry. It sponsors an annual educational conference and offers an online information service, a fax on-demand service, and a membership directory. ISES strives to educate, advance and promote the special events industry and its network of professionals along with related industries.... [ read more ]

To create a better synergy between those who choose suppliers (a dealer's parts department) and those who specify the product (the service department), the Aftermarket Division developed the "After Market Achievers" incentive program in conjunction with MotivAction, the Minneapolis-based full-service marketing company. The campaign rewarded parts and service managers, dealership employees, and field representatives for achieving specific goals. ... [ read more ]

The contest gave 19 kids (10 from the U.S.) the opportunity to fly to an undisclosed destination to join forces and execute a secret mission. Additional prizes included "QuestWorld Adventure" gear, including backpack, flashlight/siren, travel journal, pen, glow sticks, and T-shirt. The network's Latin American and Asian divisions also participated in the promotion. ... [ read more ]

To meet Verizon’s mission of deepening their relationship with this key customer segment, the La Plaza program needed to deliver more targeted, creative offerings than typical loyalty programs that award customers points based on purchases. MotivAction kicked off the effort by conducting extensive research within the Hispanic marketplace to identify the core needs and interests of the community. Rooted in primary research, including valuable focus group feedback, La Plaza was structured to ensure that all incentives and communications were built around the core values of interest: education, job enrichment and standard of living, and personal safety and security. ... [ read more ]

A media blitz kicked off the campaign. Before issuing press releases, Coach sent editors of nonautomotive publications a Coach classic key fob featuring a model of a Lexus. Accompanying the key chain was a notice that said, "It Takes Two to Build a Masterpiece—the 1997 Lexus LS400 Coach Edition. Details to come." ... [ read more ]

LJ Hooker Financial Services was established in December 2003 to provide a mortgage broking service to real estate vendors and customers. LJ Hooker had informal relationships with 5000 agents and associated staff in Australia and another 1200 in New Zealand. Across the industry, the relationship between mortgage brokers and their referral contacts was largely based on cash transactions and varied widely in terms of process and value. Cash offers were vulnerable to competitive offers and ad hoc and different cash commission structures meant working with multiple managers and administrators without the benefit of a cohesive strategy or transparent management overview. LJ Hooker required a more structured platform to deploy their strategy to align real estate and finance broking to maximum effect.... [ read more ]

Manufacturers are sometimes cautious about the use of their brands in special markets. Obviously they want to maintain their brand integrity and avoid any impact consumer sales channels. This white paper from the Incentive Marketing Association (IMA), however, suggests that with basic safeguards in place, special markets like the incentive industry are “a win for the supplier, a win for the company, and a win for the employee.”... [ read more ]

The Marketing Agencies Association (MAA) provides members, primarily executives at promotion marketing agencies, with professional support, management development, research, and a forum for the exchange of ideas. The MAA website also provides a search function for marketers looking for a professional marketing agency.... [ read more ]

Results from the study Awards Selection: Insights from Managers, conducted by the Forum for People Performance Management and Measurement, sheds light on the efficacy of 12 distinct motivational tactics used by HR and marketing managers across many industries to achieve 10 specific organizational objectives.... [ read more ]

There’s a reason for the old adage: “You can’t manage what you don’t measure.” Anyone who has ever tried to run a business knows that’s true. But it is also true that you can’t manage what you measure only once each year. When it comes to employee and customer engagement, most of us collect information through annual surveys, analyze the results, share them in a high-level report and perhaps devote part of an executive meeting to discuss the implications. Like performance reviews, this is usually done once a year – if at all. ... [ read more ]

Participants could enter the sweepstakes by sending four nonwinning tickets in an envelope with their name, address, and phone number. ... [ read more ]

The program was built around a point system. Wholesaler showroom personnel earned one point for every two sales; counterpersons received a point for every six sales. Points were redeemable for merchandise from an "MVP Awards Extravaganza" catalog. ... [ read more ]

National City Bank’s Bravo! recognition program was designed to motivate 12,000 customer service representatives and customer service leaders to generate a 25% increase in referral volume.... [ read more ]

A new book, The Challenger Customer: Selling to the Hidden Influencer Who Can Multiply Your Results, provides a perspective on the current B2B selling environment that’s essential reading to anyone interested in sales force and customer engagement. We put this book in the "wow" category for ... [ read more ]

The John Jermain Memorial Library partnered with the The New York State Library's Statewide Summer Reading Program which distributes a programming kit to all 1,200 public library branches and reading center locations in the state. The program's theme is "2001: A Reading Odyssey." ... [ read more ]

Capturing the fervor of football season and the unrelenting passion an NFL fan has for his or her team, Coca-Cola together with Riddell, Inc. offered consumers a mini NFL replica helmet. This helmet fit onto a 20-ounce Coca-Cola bottle. With the purchase of two 20 ounce Coca-Cola products, consumers received a free pocket pro helmet (valued at $2.99). The promotion was initiated in January, peak football season, creating a chase aspect. The challenge for the consumer was to collect all 31 NFL teams, and they were urged to do so through visually dramatic POS products. Store Manager Incentive Contests were implemented in some stores, with the prize being a 36 unit mini-helmet case to display all 31 NFL team helmets. ... [ read more ]

The online sweepstakes, which was used to encourage people to visit the Web site, featured a grand prize trip to Tarrytown, New York, to tour the real Sleepy Hollow. A 30-second spot aired on the network to promote the Web site and sweepstakes. Odyssey's main Web site also carried a banner ad to drive traffic to the film's site. ... [ read more ]

Fred Parker, CEO of Bluegrass Promotional Marketing (UPIC: BLUEGRAS) in Charlotte, North Carolina is a football fan—especially since his company has been named the preferred promotional marketing agency for the Carolina Panthers for the 2006 season.... [ read more ]

Close observers of the Stakeholder Capitalism movement will note that there is much talk, but little apparent action beyond public pronouncements and donations. ... [ read more ]