I just returned from chilly (yes, chilly – it was in the 50s) San Diego where I attended the Incentive Manufacturers & Representatives Alliance conference. IMRA is a group of suppliers and salespeople in the incentive merchandise industry. Although the weather wasn’t that warm, there were many hot topics discussed which affect all of us who buy incentive merchandise and promotional products. Among the hottest:
- Traditional advertising isn’t reaching an important segment of the marketplace: Recent research by Microsoft and Starcom indicate that the 17-35 demographic doesn’t like traditional advertising. What do they respond to? Promotional products and incentive merchandise, especially when they’re tied to another medium, such as online advertising. If you’re looking to target men or women in this group, it’s time to come up with some innovative promotions. Think online sweepstakes or games with the newest logoed merchandise as prizes. Ask your promotional products distributor for the hottest ideas.
- America’s workforce is more diverse than ever. This is the first time in history there are four generations in the workplace. This means those designing employee recognition and incentive programs better be on their toes. These groups all want to be rewarded differently. Our advice? Get lots of feedback from employees before launching a new program, and make sure your program includes different choices. One-size-fits-all incentives won’t cut it anymore.
- More and more companies are viewing employee incentives as an investment rather than a cost center. In fact, 77% of companies with sales over $100 million view incentive merchandise as an investment. While that’s good news for those marketers and HR executives who need to justify their incentive programs to top management, that doesn’t mean that you can hit the snooze button when it comes to program design. If you want to maximize your return on investment on an employee incentive, there are some key elements you’ll want to incorporate in the program’s design. In this month’s cover story, “Master Motivators,” you’ll learn how top dogs like Apple’s Steve Jobs design winning incentive campaigns. One hot tip: Incorporate all employees – not just salespeople – in an incentive. That’s what Jobs has done and the move has paid off big for Apple.
While you’re perusing this month’s issue, be sure to check out our new regular feature, “Pump Up This Promo” on page 41, in which we analyze a recent promotion and suggest ways it could be even more effective. If you’d like us to pump up a promotion you’re currently working on, send me an e-mail at mligos@asicentral.com. We’d love to give you some fresh ideas.
Melinda Ligos
mligos@asicentral.com. |
