In the 2nd part of this series, we suggested that before embarking on any type of Incentive Travel, it’s hugely important to ask the right questions to help deliver a personal travel experience. Having done so, we can now build an effective programme to deliver the ultimate experience in Incentive Travel.
In the example given, having identified 3 types of personas, The Free-Wheeling Pathfinder, The Zen Seeker, and The Social Jetsetter, keep building the knowledge while communicating to your audience.
Tailor your communications
Divide the journey into pre-trip, on-site and post-trip segments and choose the appropriate real-life experiences to match each persona. Then create personalised pre-trip communications to ensure participants are engaged, informed and excited about the upcoming trip. Start with personalised communications and a gift that appeals to each attendee individually.
The Free-Wheeling Pathfinder: “I want to know about the variety of options the accommodation offers – activities, amenities and what I can explore on my own. I would appreciate a gift tailored to an on-site activity.”
The Zen Seeker: “Tell me about the local environment and how the accommodation cares for its natural habitat. I’d love a gift that supports my desire to unwind.”
The Social Jetsetter: “I’d like to hear about the exclusive features of the accommodation – butler service, high-end amenities and five-star dining. Surprise me with a high-quality item that I can use on site.”
Find the best methodology for your audience & objectives
By using data creatively, you can connect emotionally with your participants and make them feel valued and known. From a business perspective, if you understand what makes them tick then your marketing programme can adapt over time and become even more effective and efficient.
Don’t forget: Every interaction you have with a participant is a potential data point that can be used to inform your next engagement with them, and to achieve your business outcomes.
How do you collect that data? Here are two methods
1. Direct & Easy
Ask them for it! Use your event registration site to keep it simple and easy for participants to give feedback on their preferences. You’ve already got them on your site to register, so why not ask for a little bit more information?
What is their favourite colour, snack and drink? Do they have a preferred temperature for their hotel room to be set when they arrive? These kinds of questions may seem small, but if you act on their responses and provide personal custom touches it can have a big impact on your participant’s overall experience.
2. Subtle & Fun
Quizzes are a fun, unobtrusive way to get participants engaged pre-trip and collect valuable data. They do require more planning ahead of time to determine what experiences you will be able to customise and what information you will need to collect in order to categorise people accordingly.
It’s worth the effort
While it may seem like Buzzfeed-style quizzes are fun but silly fluff, don’t forget that there is real power in using data creatively. If you understand what motivates your participants, then your incentive programme can be customised over time to keep challenging your team and inspiring growth.
And don’t discount the impact on your business of knowing your audience. This type of data collection and analysis can be an outside-the-box way to interact with and get to know your top performers in a more personal way. It may take some more effort at the beginning, but the payoff in enhanced loyalty and engagement is worth it.
Next time, in Part 4, we’ll highlight some of the dos and don’ts in selecting your incentive travel destination …
ITA Group helps organisations captivate, motivate and celebrate employees, their partners and their clients through engagement, performance, incentive and event solutions. For further info: https://www.itagroup.com/
