Communications – Why It’s More Than An “Announcement”

I've posted more than once (at least twice – here, and here) on the importance and value of communicating an incentive and reward program.  Your audience is inundated with communications – from their boss, from their company HR department – from their vendors and suppliers – from their family.

We are not lacking for communication in this world.

What we are lacking in is understanding.  

Communications campaigns are designed to transfer information.  For incentive and reward programs the goals are:

• Communicate the reason “why” the company is running the program
• Communicating the “how” the program will impact the sponsor and the participant
• Communicate the “what” the program will bring to the participant if they sign up, enroll, play the game.
• Communicate the “when” the program opportunities are and when the qualification and measurement periods are

Communication is 2-Way

What we miss most of the time is a verification step.  

In my experience companies do a pretty good job of announcing the program, the rules and the awards.  I’d even say many companies do an adequate job of following up with the audience to tell them their progress and their earnings and any additional information about the program.

What few if any companies do is verify the information made it through the din of the other communication noise we deal with every day.

Real Life Example…

Axe Rise Shower Gell has a series of commercials running that communicate this point very well.   

The commercials are shot from the point of view of a guy engaged in a conversation – one with a waitress where she tells him about a party that night and another where he is introduced to about four different women.  The commercial runs and near the end a question comes up on the screen. 

See how you do before I give it away. 

The Invitation

 

Circle of Friends

 

So how'd you do?  Did you answer the questions correctly the first time through the videos?  A good number of you didn't.  Those that did get it right - I'll wager the fact that I told you there was a question at the end forced you to pay a little more attention than normal.  

Trust But Verify

Famously said by President Ronald Regan about nuclear arms treaties (and said over and over again) – the point is that don’t assume you’ve done a great job communicating – ask.

Send out a quick questionnaire about the program (paper or web-based) and provide a bonus of some sort for filling it out.  Check to see if your audience really understands the purpose, design and opportunities your program offers.

Your reward and incentive programs represent a substantial investment – take the time to make sure your audience is in the loop.

Quick question – how many times did I say I posted on communications within incentive programs at the beginning of this post?

Yeah – thought so.