Engagement Strategies e-News - December 2010

EEA Engagement Curriculum Added to Marcus Evans' Offerings.
Aberdeen Report Looks at Social Media ROI.
Site Index Evaluates Motivational Program Design.
Incentive Legislation Campaign Advocates Wellness Incentives.
Fortune 500 Experts Available to Solve Your Business Problems.
Engagement Event Returns $2 for Every Dollar Spent.
'Don't Ever Underestimate the Power of People'.
Novo Nordisk Launch Engages Younger Salespeople.
Travel Incentives Boost Performance, Retention.
About Selling Communications Inc.

News Briefs

EEA Engagement Curriculum Added to Marcus Evans' Offerings

Marcus Evans, Inc., one of the world's premier providers and promoters of global summits strategic conferences, professional training and business-to-business congresses, will introduce a formal curriculum on the emerging field of Enterprise Engagement in partnership with the Enterprise Engagement Alliance, a consortium of companies and associations supporting research, education and outreach that makes the connection between engaging people in business and long-term financial performance. The education program, to be incorporated into select Marcus Evans events, provides training and certification for executives and managers seeking formal systems and measures for maximizing performance by engaging key organizational audiences, including customers, channel partners, salespeople, administrative and operations employees, vendors and communities. Under its agreement with the Enterprise Engagement Alliance, Marcus Evans will have exclusive rights to offer the curriculum at up to 2,000 events held by the company worldwide, which attract tens of thousands of attendees from the world's top 1,000 companies. Marcus Evans will also hold professional training programs based on the EEA program for professionals interested in becoming certified to provide training in Enterprise Engagement or to help organizations achieve certifications based on their business practices. For more info, go to @@http://www.enterpriseengagement.org/

[ return to top ]

Aberdeen Report Looks at Social Media ROI

Between July and August 2010, the Aberdeen Group surveyed 65 retailers regarding their use of social media marketing to interact with customers. Results indicate that 85% of these organizations have an initiative in place to help manage brand reputation and encourage revenue-building consumer interactivity. Despite its pervasiveness, however, significant challenges remain to achieve a full return on investment (ROI) from social media adoption. Just over half (56%) of retailers have indicated that they are unable to quantify the effect of social media. The purpose of this Analyst Insight was to assess the different motivational factors and corresponding actions inherent in a social media marketing initiative, and the strategies retailers are taking to yield ROI benefits from these initiatives. For a copy of the report, go to @@http://www.aberdeen.com/aberdeen-library/6398/RA-social-media-marketing.aspx

[ return to top ]

Site Index Evaluates Motivational Program Design

Site International Foundation recently released its Site Index: Annual Survey results. This annual analysis and forecast for the motivational events industry provides a broader data set of trends and reveals priorities placed on significant topics, such as the strength of motivational tools (travel experiences, cash, merchandise, gift cards), ROI, buyer decisions, cruise products, green incentives and more. The study reinforces the concept that motivational travel incentives as extrinsic motivators continue to be more desirable than other forms of rewards directly linked to measurable business results. Some highlights: A majority of respondents (62%) expect an increase in motivational travel use in the next six to 12 months, with 84% predicting improvement in a one- to three-year timeframe. These findings continue to demonstrate a high expectation that the requirement for measurement will increase in both the short and long term. Complete survey results are available at @@http://www.siteglobal.com/

[ return to top ]

Incentive Legislation Campaign Advocates Wellness Incentives

Representatives of the Incentive Legislation Campaign (ILC) traveled to Capitol Hill on November 10th to meet face-to-face with staff advisors of targeted members of Congress as part of the ILC's effort to institutionalize the power of wellness incentives as a way to encourage a healthy American workforce. Seeking to amend the Internal Revenue Code by including employer deductions and employee tax exemptions for wellness incentives, ILC representatives met with the Senate Finance Committee senior benefits counsel for Senator Baucus, tax advisors for Senators Hatch and Enzi, health care policy advisor for Senator Harkin and a legislative aide for Senator Cornyn. Incentive Federation Executive Director George Delta, who worked with ILC Legislative Counsel Jim Miller to organize the meetings, explained that upcoming tax reform and health care issues on the horizon for the 112th Congress that begins in January could provide a workable venue to promote the use of incentives as a means to reduce health care costs. Delta explained that ILC members will continue to gather data and case studies that can be brought to Capitol Hill early next year once the 112th Congress has established its legislative calendar and agenda. For more information, go to @@http://www.incentivefederation.org/

[ return to top ]

Fortune 500 Experts Available to Solve Your Business Problems

Synectics Open Solutions (SOS), LLC recently announced the collaboration of 16 business experts to create innovative solutions to business issues. These business experts hail from a variety of Fortune 500 companies as C-Level executives or are successful entrepreneurs and businesspeople in their own right. They include:

Jerry Bower – Marketing Expert previously with Apple Computer
Mark Chellis – Marketing Expert previously with Hewlett-Packard (Compaq) & currently with Motorola
James Feldman – Chief Innovation Expert and previous consultant for Eastman Kodak, Department of Defense, Toyota and much more
Karen Gordon – Event Marketing Expert and Incentive Industry leader
Prof. Chuck Hamburg – Restaurant & Hospitality Expert and professor
Dan Leong – Operations & Finance Expert and Chief Operating Officer at USMotivation
Dr. Joon Moon – Capital Deployment Expert and consultant for DuPont and Celanese Corporations
Mike Parrottino – Channel Distribution Expert and executive with Hewlett-Packard
Christopher C. Perks – Event & Hospitality Expert and world-renowned travel and hospitality leader
Jaynie Smith – Competitive Differentiation Expert and business management consultant for CEOs and high level executives
Dan Siedman – Sales Training Expert and top U.S. speaker, trainer and coach
Paul Spitzberg – Marketing & Sales Management Expert and former executive at Coach, American Express and Incentive Marketing Association
Steve Sturm – Marketing & Media Expert and current executive at Toyota Motor Sales
Ron Weinstock – Opportunity Expert and former consultant for Pizza Hut, Perkins, Jiffy Lube and much more.

Synectics Open Solutions approaches problem-solving in a unique way. Each business expert will not be assigned to your account, they are giving general information and then decide to work on your project because they're excited about finding a solution. These experts will be fully engaged in your project for the duration. This dynamic creates a team of experts that more effectively collaborates and completes projects faster, as well as cutting costs and shortening meeting and production time. For more information, contact Alicia Eisenbise at 312-527-9111.

[ return to top ]

Insights from ESM e-News

Engagement Event Returns $2 for Every Dollar Spent

The Enterprise Engagement Alliance (EEA) recently announced that research measuring the return on investment (ROI) of an annual meeting of healthcare insurance brokers that stressed training, relationship-building and networking opportunities found the sponsoring company enjoyed a return of almost $2 for every $1 invested in the program. Initial results reported in March revealed that the program had a profound impact on the way brokers thought and felt about the company, its products and its people. Part 1 of the report, The 'ROI in Channel Partner' Conferences – A Case Study, noted that the annual gathering translated into higher sales, performance and engagement among those who attended. Part 2 of the report examines the actual change in sales of Allsante, Inc.* products among program participants, summarizing the ROI the company achieved from the event. EEA analysis of the methodologies and findings reveals that Allsante earned significant ROI from its annual event. "After all variables were accounted for, a highly credible and conservative estimate of 190% ROI was arrived at," says Allan Schweyer, Chairman of the EEA. "In other words, the company enjoyed a return of almost $2 for every $1 it invested in the first six months following the event, and our researchers say it's likely that the returns, if calculated after another six months have passed, will be even greater." Parts 1 and 2 of the study, The 'ROI in Channel Partner' Conferences – A Case Study, can be downloaded at @@http://www.enterpriseengagement.org/

* The company in this report is referred to as "Allsante, Inc." at the firm's request, due to competitive reasons.

[ return to top ]

In The Next Issue of Engagement Strategies Magazine

The November/December issue of Engagement Strategies Magazine is in the mail! Here's a look at what you'll find inside:

'Don't Ever Underestimate the Power of People'

In this revealing Q&A, White Castle owner Dave Rife talks about how his experience on the TV show Undercover Boss helped him discover how the old truths about engagement still apply. To make sure you get your copy of Engagement Strategies Magazine, go to @@http://www.enterpriseengagement.org/account/login/ and update your subscription today!

[ return to top ]

Novo Nordisk Launch Engages Younger Salespeople

"It's a totally different environment from when I sold back in the 1990s," says Jamie Jones, Novo Nordisk Sales Director. "So we wanted to pay attention to those Generation X and Generation Y salespeople to make sure we had a program that encouraged behavior and offered rewards consistent with how those people think. Read more in the next issue of Engagement Strategies Magazine.

[ return to top ]

News From Selling Communications Inc.

Travel Incentives Boost Performance, Retention

Results from a recently conducted analysis of one company's long-standing use of travel awards as a motivational tool show that such incentives have a clear, measurable and positive impact on employee performance and retention. The Incentive Research Foundation conducted the study to document the "anatomy" of an incentive travel program (ITP) and provide a better understanding of the broad reach of a successful ITP. One key measurement of program success was its relationship to retention and performance. Examining the tenure and performance ratings of 105 employees who earned the incentive trip at the company, researchers found that the largest group had a performance rating of 1 (1 being the highest level of performance and 4 the lowest level of performance) and tenure of 4 years or more, while the second largest group had a performance rating of 2 and tenure of 4 years or more. Together, these two groups accounted for 55% of incentive travel earners, showing a very real correlation between incentives, longevity and quality – in other words, ITP participants tend to perform better and stay with the company longer than other employees. Overall, 88.5% of incentive travel earners had a performance level of 1 or 2 compared to 31.2% of the population of active critical employees with those same performance ratings. For a copy of the white paper, Anatomy of a Successful Incentive Travel Program, go to: @@http://www.TheIrf.org

[ return to top ]

About Selling Communications Inc.

Selling Communications, Inc. is a fully integrated, target marketing, media and technology agency that improves results for clients by focusing on the people who matter most. We can help your business grow and save you money by targeting key prospects, getting their permission and strategically integrating your marketing and sales communications with the specific audiences most likely to affect your business performance.

Take advantage of these SCI services to improve your business development: