Resource Library

‘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 ]

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

Founded in 1962, the International Society for Performance Improvement (ISPI) is the leading international association dedicated to improving productivity and performance in the workplace. ISPI represents more than 10,000 international and chapter members throughout the United States, Canada, and 40 other countries. ISPI's mission is to develop and recognize the proficiency of our members and advocate the use of Human Performance Technology. Assembling an Annual Conference & Expo and other educational events like the Institute, publishing books and periodicals, and supporting research are some of the ways ISPI works toward achieving this mission. ... [ 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 ]

Given that the Incentive Research Foundation (IRF) is charged with advancing the science of incentives, it surveyed industry professionals to obtain their opinions about the more salient trends affecting the industry during 2009 and leading into 2010. The IRF asked these professionals questions on trends with regard to incentive travel programs, merchandise non-cash programs, and budget changes forecast for 2010. Findings indicate that the trends are stabilizing for each of the core issues since March 2009. However, the trends remain significantly lower than in 2008. Survey participants expect more domestic than international destinations, "slightly smaller" budgets, and shorter stays for incentive travel in 2010. A majority of participants also expected decreased award values on the merchandise side. ... [ read more ]

Yvette Widdicombe, vice president of distributor Jack Nadel, Inc. (UPIC: NADELINC) in Palo Alto, California wanted to pamper her employees with a unique gift. After much thought, she decided on lounge pants with an accompanying spa bag and shirt.... [ 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 ]

This white paper delves into the mechanics of sales incentive programs, providing managers with useful information to design successful sales initiatives at their own companies and providing their corporate decision makers with hard evidence.... [ 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 ]

Measurement is a key element in any performance improvement effort and particularly to the development of any incentive or recognition plan. The intent of this paper, published in October 2010, is twofold: First, it updates a performance measurement methodology originally published in 1992 called the “Master Measurement Model of Employee Performance”; second, it addresses how to measure the short and long-term impact and ROI of incentive and recognition plans. This paper is targeted primarily at professionals who design incentive and reward programs, whether they are organizational staff or external consultants, as well as for those that support and implement the programs, whether they conduct training, deliver the rewards and incentives themselves, or manage the programs. ... [ read more ]

This report presents a series of cases involving companies that implemented sales incentive programs. It makes a case for the use of post-hoc or post-program measurement of ROI to demonstrate the impact of the programs on sales performance.... [ read more ]

Meeting Professionals International (MPI) the world's largest association of meeting planners, and meeting-industry suppliers, makes articles, books, and other research materials available through the MPI Resource Center. The resource center serves as a clearinghouse of information related to the meetings industry, and for a fee, depending on the nature of the research. MPI can offer information and articles on meeting planning companies, or rent lists of MPI members who provide professional meeting planning services. MPI publishes a monthly magazine, The Meeting Professional. MPI's publishing lineup also includes an annual membership directory that capsulizes late-breaking industry news. MPI has five special-interest groups, including one dedicated to sales and marketing. MPI maintains a "special interest group" for independent meeting planning companies. This group is currently the organization's fastest growing membership segment. MPI also publishes a monthly magazine, The Meeting Manager, which members receive free. MPI operates an online communications system, MPINet through CompuServe, which, as a networking and information resource for meeting planners and suppliers, allows meeting professionals to communicate with each other in a "private forum.” ... [ read more ]

A study on employee motivation and performance in the hospitality industry that looks at strategies for reducing employee turnover. ... [ 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 ]

Federal legislators in 2002 enacted the Sarbanes-Oxley Act (SOX), which was designed to improve the accountability of corporate managers to shareholders and to improve public confidence in publicly traded companies. This white paper is an outline of the potential impact of SOX on the use of performance improvement and incentive programs. ... [ read more ]

This white paper discusses the range of "zero-based performance improvement strategies" that can be developed with the help of full-service incentive and performance improvement companies. It also includes contact information on members of the Incentive Marketing Association's Performance Improvement Council, made up of a dozen organizations dedicated to offering companies solutions-based incentive and performance improvement programs.... [ read more ]

This paper summarizes two basic ROI measurement methodologies using case studies from companies that have implemented measurable sales incentive programs in the past, and offers insights into understanding the data requirements relative to these two methodologies. It explains that Post-Hoc Measurement is essentially the use of field experimentation using historical data, while Outcome-Based Measures considers such areas as accounts receivable and inventory levels that can be affected by sales improvements.... [ read more ]

PROMAX/BDA is a nonprofit, member-owned association of over 2,000 companies and individuals in 43 countries. Members are promotion and marketing professionals in the electronic media. The association's mission is to advance the role of electronic media in increasing the effectiveness of promotion and marketing within the industry, related industries, and the academic community. Membership includes a weekly promotion and marketing newsletter and Image Magazine, published once a year, which features members and their ideas about concepts and opportunities on building businesses in the promotion and marketing industries. Benefits of membership also include a member directory, and discounts on events and videotapes.... [ read more ]

Marketers need not rely on their salespeople to elicit new leads for business. Existing customers are a gold mine for getting referrals—when they are asked! Through direct mail offers of promotional product incentives, marketers can leverage customer satisfaction and secure more valuable referrals. These findings are from a 2005 customer "referencing" study done by an advertising faculty at Louisiana State University and Glenrich Business Studies. *... [ read more ]

The Promotional Products Association International (PPAI) is the promotional product industry’s only international not-for-profit trade association. It offers education, trade shows, business products and services, mentoring, technology and legislative support to its more than 7,500 global member companies. Promotional products are an $18 billion industry, and include wearables, writing instruments, calendars, drinkware and many other items, usually imprinted with a company’s name, logo or message. Since its founding in 1903, PPAI has worked to expand the market, establish standards, enhance the professionalism of the industry and support the growth of member companies. ... [ read more ]

An experiment conducted by Georgia Southern University shows that recipients of promotional products have a significantly more positive image of a company than consumers who do not receive promotional products.... [ read more ]

Once again we see statistically how well promotional products can help market business, thanks to a 2004 study by L.J. Market Research.... [ read more ]