When it comes to incentive campaigns, the adage, “if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it,” may not serve you well.
Regular assessment of incentive efforts is critical, experts say, and it can be wise to change things up from one campaign to the next even when you have enjoyed success.
Scott Russell, vice president of engagement strategies at C.A. Short, carefully selects the non-cash incentives he incorporates into his point-based sales incentive campaigns, and he switches them up as often as every quarter. Russell explains that not only does this increase the likelihood that the incentives will appeal to his diverse team of reps, it keeps them motivated from one quarter to the next.
“By creating rewards that go in and out, you drive people differently. What if this quarter’s incentive has an individual travel component but next quarter’s doesn’t? The reps understand they may only have 90 days to get a certain reward,” he said.
A caveat: While it may make sense to inject different awards and add new goals, you want to be sure participants don’t feel as if you’re drastically moving the goalposts from one campaign to the next. There is a difference.
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