If you’re a company, then you have revenue goals. And that usually means you have a team that is helping you achieve them. When you have a crew that is helping you smash your sales goals, it’s important to reward them. Enter the incentive trip! A well-planned incentive trip is an excellent way to show your appreciation, while also solidifying company commitment. But do it wrong and all your hard work will be a flop. So, how do you ensure you are creating a great experience? We’ll tell you all the questions to ask before planning an incentive trip.
First things first…what is an incentive trip?
What is an Incentive Trip?
An incentive trip is a program that is arranged as a reward for employees. It is typically a trip reserved for those that hit targeted goals over a predetermined amount of time. In most cases, it doubles as a vacation for the recipient, and usually includes a spouse or significant other. A recent study by the Incentive Research Foundation showed that 74% of companies are using some form these experiences to reward their audiences. Which means, if you haven’t planned one yet, you probably should start thinking about it.
But before you dive right in, let’s start with the questions to ask yourself before planning your incentive trip.
Why Should You Plan an Incentive Trip?
The question is…why shouldn’t you plan an incentive trip?! The reasons to do one are countless! From a company perspective, the extra push your employees give towards striving to their goal helps your bottom line. But the bigger picture is that your employees are rewarded with an experience that reinforces their focus, commitment, and confidence. Celebrating the success of your team members is essential for positive culture. They are a memorable way to thank your team for a job well done. And, if they are done well, they have the power to influence and motivate teams beyond the trip itself. The photos and folklore of an incredible incentive experience tend to create a hype ripple that extends to new hires, competitors, and next year candidates.
If you’re considering planning an incentive trip, as yourself a few questions about your company and team? Do I need to motivate my staff? Would I like to reinforce my company culture? Do I want to exceed my sales goals for the next year? Am I willing to invest in my company brand?
If you see a pattern in the responses to those questions, it may be the right time to start planning that incentive trip after all. So, where do you want to take them?
Where Should You Go For Your Incentive Trip?
A well-planned incentive trip starts with a thoughtful destination. Your location needs to be a place that people would want to go on their own. It needs to have an enticing appeal that creates excitement from the moment it’s announced. Choosing the right destination is one of the most important steps in the incentive trip planning process.
And it isn’t simply about the pizazz of the location. It needs to make logistical sense when it comes to getting there. Your incentive trip destination needs to have ease of access. It’s important that your trip has accessibility in direct or connecting flights. And when you land, you need to know how much time you’re willing to spend to get them to their final stop.
Ask yourself the following questions: How far am I willing to have the group travel by air? And how much time do I want them to travel by bus upon arrival to get to their hotel? Am I willing to invest more time in an experience if it’s truly unique? Or would I prefer to get them there faster, even if it means a more common option? These questions will help you determine where to put the pin on the map for your group.
But does that mean you’ve found the ideal spot once you’ve answered those? Not exactly. There are a few more questions to ask yourself before you start booking the airfare.
How Active Is Your Group?
Dissecting the group’s demographics will be important to your incentive trip decision making. If your group leans slightly older, with some mobility issues, choosing an adventure-based destination may not be the best fit. If your group is more outgoing and loves action, selecting quiet cabins away from it all may not go over well either. Ensuring that your group’s personalities line up with the target location is paramount to a successful incentive trip. You should ask yourself: What are my team’s personalities? Do they enjoy being in the pulse of the fun? Or are they more likely to prefer a quaint getaway? Understanding who you’re planning for will be critical to creating a memorable event.
Once you know who you’re doing it for, is it time to sign off? Not yet! Next, you need to determine how much of the time you want to devote to scheduled camaraderie. Here are a few more questions to ask yourself before you jump into the incentive trip planning.
How Much Bonding Do You Want to Do On Your Incentive Trip?
You’ve found the place. You know your crowd. Now it’s time to build the framework for a memorable incentive trip.
A well-planned incentive experience is a mix between structure and leisure. How much the scale tips in either direction will be based on the goals for the event. When you get to this stage of incentive trip planning, you need to ask yourself a few deep questions. What emotional take-away am I trying to provide for my team? Do I want to encourage additional bonding between coworkers? Or do I want to provide an outlet for them to escape it all? Are there any meeting moments and messaging that need to occur?
Understanding your additional motivations for the experience will help you build the itinerary. These few days will be an incredible opportunity to unite your people under the banner of your brand. Being deliberate with schedule will help you create an exceptional incentive experience.
While seemingly simple, the answers to all of the above questions can have a significant impact to your experience and bottom line. Incentive trips aren’t cheap. And company culture is priceless. Doing it wrong can be both costly and ineffective.
Do I Need a Planner to Help Me?
The answer to this will always be “yes”. For an investment of this kind, you need to turn to the professionals who do this every day. Using an experienced incentive trip planner to help guide you can be the difference between legend or lame. Having a partner that understands your company objectives and the incentive industry will help you navigate these dicey waters.
But What About an All-Inclusive?
You need support, even with an all-inclusive. It’s easy to think that an all-inclusive or a cruise can solve all your planning problems, with no questions asked. But even if you’re selecting one of these options, there are still a litany of things to ask yourself before selecting something that appears turnkey. You need someone educated on the inside that can help guide you to an all-inclusive that suits your circle and circumstances.
The reality is, when you’re planning an incentive trip, the very first question you should ask yourself is: who can I call to help me? Lucky for you, we know someone!
Reach out to us today and let us ask you the right questions to help you plan an incentive trip of a lifetime.
