Beyond that, there are the logistical questions about how you should build, roll out and manage multiple promotions for a number of different target groups. Keep digging, and you’ll find you need to analyze and track how participants interact with and use your marketing and sales content.
Ultimately, channel incentive programs can be complicated. And while you might know how to effectively design an incentive program, efficiently managing such a program can overwhelm even the most organized company.
It Might Be Time to Upgrade
Properly managing multiple relationships and rewards programs requires the right kind of software to streamline this otherwise complicated process. Nonetheless, you’ve probably been in a situation where you’ve experienced the following:
- The spreadsheets you’ve created for each task have multiplied to the point where you need spreadsheets…to keep track of spreadsheets.
- You have a mountain of gift cards in your desk that you need to manually send out.
- You need to reach individual sales reps, but you can only communicate with those in charge of the distribution channel.
- You blindly send out marketing and sales material.
- Each year, you face the nightmare of compiling rewards information for tax purposes.
- You have no idea how effective your contests or promotions are until they are over.
- You regularly take on the task of manual data entry.
If you’ve been in these situations, your indirect channel incentive program could benefit — and benefit tremendously — from a better platform.
A Better Distribution Strategy
Switching to a cloud-based platform can drastically change how you manage your incentive programs. Most importantly, it can help you untangle some of those organizational and logistical complications that seem to bog down even the most diligent managers.
That’s a huge help for you, but what about for your sales? Ultimately, that’s where you want to see your money work. Here are a few areas where you can see some serious ROI:
The most difficult part of the sales process is the final part, the last three feet as many have called it. The right software allows you to easily set up targeted communications (including incentive-based contests) with reps so that product details stay at the top of their mind at this pivotal juncture.
A centralized, cloud-based platform allows you to host all marketing and sales assets in one location. From here you can communicate with reps and easily send them pertinent information they need. With tools that allow you to measure engagement, you can offer incentives to reps who complete educational modules and learn more about your product.
- Segment your contests and promotions.
Only the reps in a region or channel should have access to these contest and promotions. This also allows you to give precise attention to specific markets.
There are many different moving parts that go into a channel incentive program. Managing all this in an efficient and effective manner can be daunting. It’s easy to see why many companies have incentive programs that don’t offer much more than handing out cash and gift cards based on performance, which grossly undercuts the potential of such programs.
The right software does more than just ease the management of your programs. It can lead to increased sales, build relationships and allow you to get the most out of your incentive program. If you have questions or want to discuss a new incentive program for your business, reach out to the Incentive & Engagement Solution Providers today!
Keywords: channel incentive program software, incentive programs, online channel incentives, incentives ROI, channel incentive systems, incentive strategies, effective management