What Should Your Reward Program Communication Plans Have in Common With the Swine Flu?

I started in the "incentive industry" way back in the 80's.  At that time it was pretty common - if not axiomatic - that all incentive programs had a communication package that consisted of one "announcement" and 12 "follow up" mailers.  The announcement was typically the most expensive piece in the package - 4-color, die-cut, spot varnishes, wonderful shots of the awards.  The monthly mailers we typically less lavish - and in fact most of the time we went to great lengths to find a way to do them as inexpensively as possible.  We'd gang run the shells for imprinting later - print a big poster and then cut them into individual mailings with copy imprinted on the back.

Ah... those were the days.

But today we have so many options available to us.  Email, twitter, blogs, voice mail blasts, you name it - it exists.

But the reality is most incentive programs still have the 1and 12 mentality.  Just a year or so ago I was seeing incentive communications plans with an announcement and 12 mailers designed with the same constraints mentioned above.  It's time to retire that old saw.

Communications is THE Critical Factor in Your Incentive Activity

I once had a boss who said that he could get the same results with a great communications program and no awards as most incentive programs get with the standard communications package and awards.  I believe him.  Communications is probably the most cost effective element in any reward and recognition activity.  And it will go a long way to overcome something called the Availability Heuristic.

Availability Heuristic and Program Success - Swine Flu and Program Communications

I was reminded of this affect the other day in a blog post on "Of Two Minds."  The post highlighted the rather remote possibility that you will contract Swine Flu - yet we think it is more prevalent than it is.  To steal some content shamelessly from their post...

Which is the more common cause of death in the USA?

1.  A) Asthma or B) Meningitis

2.  A) Breast Cancer or B) Stomach Cancer

3.  A) Lung Cancer or B) Motor Vehicle Accidents

4.  A) Influenza (the flu) or B) Stomach Ulcer

 

In the spirit of reciprocity, I'll make you link over to their site for the answers.

Suffice it to say that your answers were probably different than the reality.  In many cases this can be attributed to the "availability heuristic."  A heuristic is a sort of a short cut we use to make decisions - rules so to speak - that let us makes decisions faster.  In the case of the availability heuristic when we don't have a definitive answer to a situation we rely on the "available" information - and if there is a preponderance of information available say - on swine flu - we think that is more likely than other options.

The same thing happens in your incentive and reward program.  Your participants are inundated with information about the company, the economy, your competitors, pessimistic employees, etc.  Yet they are only seeing information on your reward activity 12 times a year.  What do you think will be easier to pull into their "working memory"?  Your program or the other information they are exposed to?

Communication Should be Unexpected and Pervasive

One way to avoid this heuristic and keep your program top-of-mind is to use a different communications approach. 

If you were to graph the typical 1/12 communications schedule for an annual program it might look like this...

 

Yawn...

Here's what I'd recommend (or some variation of this...)

What a difference! 

In today's world with cheap and efficient communications options there is no reason to go with a 1 and 12 option.  Don't let your incentive company take the easy, no-brainer route.  Make them work a little harder on the communications and see better results!

Just think about the amount of information on the Swine Flu lately - isn't that top of mind?  Even though the possibility of getting it is remote - you are more aware of it and have probably adjusted your behaviors... it's no different with your incentive and reward programs.

Communicate, Communicate, Communicate!