Customized Incentive Program Supplements-Get your Audience's Attention!
Incentive program communication serves many purposes: announcing the launch of a new program, keeping employees engaged and informed on the program, promoting the goals of the program, enticing participation, spreading information about the impact and success of the program and publicizing new goals or ways employees can earn points. Depending on the needs, budget and demographics of your organization, you can pick and choose the communication tools that are the best fit for your company.
Complimentary, Unlimited Emails
Emails are one of the most versatile tools to communicate an online incentive program and thus the most common means of communication. Electronic messages can be sent at the kickoff of a program, anytime employees earn points, when new goals are introduced or when milestones have been achieved. Emails can feature a mix of plain text, links and photos. Links in emails can be directed to online videos that can be used to promote participation in the incentive program. Electronic mail might be a good fit if most of your incentive program users have email addresses listed in their accounts.
Company Newsletters
If you already have a regular newsletter being emailed or mailed out to employees, it might be easy for the editor of the newsletter to add a new section about your incentive program. Your company newsletter can shed light on what the most popular awards of the program are, what employees have done recently to earn points and also provide regular updates on the impact of the incentive program.
Posters
Posters are generally used as promotion devices-they feature popular awards that can be earned by participating in an incentive program, include goals of program and tell employees how to access more program information. Posters are large enough, usually 12" by 18", to be eye-catching and work best if you have common areas such as break rooms or locker areas so posters can be prominently displayed.
Flyers
This communication tool is also used to promote an incentive program but on a smaller scale than a poster, usually 8.5" by 11". Letters or flyers can be mailed to individual homes, included in welcome packages for new hires or kept in a break room/general area such as an HR office. You can even include flyers with pay stubs to announce a promotion or contest.
Statements
Statements are generally the same size as flyers but include personalized information such as personal log in information and point balances for each participant. These can be mailed to individual homes or distributed by managers at work. Statements can also serve as an order form that can be mailed or faxed in for award redemption. If your employees would prefer a paper-based method to receive updates and place orders, then this communication tool might be a good fit for your organization.
Award Catalogs
Award catalogs and/or single award collections include all of the items that employees can redeem with the points they earn. Quick facts about the incentive program are often found on the inside cover of the award catalog and can include the incentive program website and where to find more information about the program. You can keep award catalogs or single booklets in common areas for people to browse through while on break or lunch and can help to get people interested in learning more about what they need to do in order to earn the rewards featured in the catalog.
Greeting Cards and Postcards
Greeting cards and postcards often serve as a reminder to participants. These can be mailed to work locations or home addresses to remind participants to log into the incentive program website, participate in the program and even remind employees of an upcoming deadline to use their points. If you have employees all over the map, greeting cards and postcards are a great way to keep in touch with participants and encourage participation.
Announcement Letters
These letters can be any size but the most common size is 8.5" by 11". Announcement letters are used to generate excitement and buzz around the kickoff of a new incentive program. They often feature the start date of the program, images of the awards that can be earned and the website address to access the program. Your Account Manager can email announcement letters to managers who can personally hand out the letters to their employees at each location.
Award Cards
Award Cards are plastic and the size of a credit card so they easily fit in a purse or wallet. These cards are designed to attract the eye and provide management with a way to recognize employees regularly and spontaneously. When a manager observes a desired behavior, he or she can load the points into the employee's online incentive account and then immediately present the award card to the employee. This card has high trophy value and often numerous designs are used so an employee can work to earn all of the available designs and then display the cards at a work station or desk. You can pre-order award cards and keep them on hand to distribute as good behavior is observed.
By taking several approaches to get people talking about and engaged by your incentive program, you are ensuring the continued success of an incentive program and therefore your organization.
