CNBAM Best Sales Incentive Every fall semester The Daily Vidette produces and distributes a Dining & Entertainment guide. With a poor economy and advertising down this past year, the advertising manager decided the time had come to motivate the sales staff with an incentive program. The programs purpose was to increase sales of the Dining & Entertainment guide and engage the staff in friendly team competitions. The program involved monitoring how much each of the four teams grossed by displaying four pizza pans and filling them up with pizza slices, as well as monitoring individual and staff successes. The program was designed to be easy to understand and offered various rewards to engage every member of the staff. The program offered four different rewards: the team with the most restaurant advertisements split $100, the individual who grossed the most financially won $20, the individual who sold the most online directories won $20, and if the entire staff reached quota the next sales staff meeting would be held at Gill Street Sports Bar & Grill. There were different methods to monitor the progress of each individual, team, and the staff as a whole. Each team had a pizza pan to represent their portion of the quota. Pizza slices represented $292.00 and as they sold ads, their pizza would fill up. Teams continued to perform so well that pizza cutters, breadsticks, and parmesan cheese shakers were added to show their success. Each team leader also had their picture eating different foods near the pizza pan to humor the staff. At the end of the contest, the team who grossed the highest amount won the reward of $20 per person. To monitor the individual successes, a sheet of paper was posted for the consultants to write down their sold advertisements. This made it clear for everyone in the office to see who was performing well and who could use some additional help. E-mails were also sent out a couple times a week with Dining & Entertainment guide updates. Each individual performed so well that the staff was searching for more businesses to join the guide. A list of new accounts was created to add to the incentive program. If these clients participated in the guide, then the individual received an additional 20 points toward their weekly activity points. The staff responded exceptionally well to this incentive program. As their pizza pans were filling up, they were excited to know what creative items would be added past the pizza slices. The bonus of having a sales staff meeting at Gill Street Sports Bar & Grill also generated a lot of excitement throughout the office. With our quota set at $7,000 the staff ended with a gross of $9,145.85. The team who won had eight restaurant advertisements, the individual who grossed the most was Ryan Lajiness with $2,035, and the entire staff was able to enjoy a meal at Gill Street Sports Bar & Grill. The guide had an increase of 185% from the 2008 Dining & Entertainment guide. Overall the program encouraged team bonding, created friendly competition, increased sales, and generated excitement around the office. This type of incentive has set an example of how successful the staff can be and The Daily Vidette plans on creating more programs to mimic the results.
4. a. Best Sales Incentive Program
POPOPOLY Choose “rewards” to act as incentives. The rewards typically used might be a Slim Jim, a small pack of gum, a single package of microwave popcorn, a packet of gourmet hot chocolate, a snack-sized candy bar, etc. Basically, they’re items you can buy in bulk and separate for multiple rewards thus making it more cost effective. Write description of each reward on a slip of paper, fold, slide inside a colored balloon, and inflate. Tie balloons on colored ribbons we save from our Housing Fair event , and hang from ceiling on throughout sales room. (see attached photo). Set up system for what sales accomplishment leads to a rep being able to pop a balloon and earn their reward. -
Upsell color to a current client Upsell frequency to a current client Upgrade a current contract Close any kind of paid deal with a prospect Sell a client into a special publication (premium price) for the first time Sell a client on a product they’ve never tried before (posters, inserts, etc.) Managers discretion – for outstanding sales efforts that go above and beyond
Once any of the above accomplishments are achieved, the rep provides evidence, pops a balloon and receives their reward – IMMEDIATE REWARD & INSTANT GRATIFICATION! The IDS gives tiered bonuses for going a certain percentage over monthly sales quota, which helps the reps stay motivated. Popopoly goes one step further and creates a fun, highly charged atmosphere where everyone wants to get in on the fun and start popping on a day-to-day basis. Sometimes a rep will save their pops and do them all at once. It creates quite a stir when you get to pop four balloons in a row with everyone watching. Reps know who is popping and who isn’t. It creates the right kind of peer pressure. As balloons are popped, they get replaced with new ones. Make sure to have the exact number of slips of paper with the exact/corresponding number of each kind of item. The system changes slightly from year to year, and spring semester 2009 (see attached) we added some grand prizes. Every time you achieved a slightly bigger goal you got entered into a drawing for a big prize. We also added timelines to some of the accomplishments. Though the Ad Directors don’t get to participate, even we enjoy this incentive program!
Popopoly Rules to Win 1. 2. 3. 4. 5.
Sell a week of puzzles through May 8 to a new client. Upsell a client a spot of color…not one of the color specials. Sell a Little 500 ad as a Friday repeat. Sell a client an online ad (different from #8 below). Get a new client to run in Freshman Edition or Orienter. A client that did not run in last year’s editions. 6. Upsell a current client a bigger ad in Freshman Edition or Orienter. 7. No ad problems (scheduling errors, late copy, late payment, late proof request, late proof response) for two days in a row. 8. Show up at least 5 minutes early for each shift in a day. 9. New Online Housing Guide ad. 10. Sell a new client on posters and/or brochures through May 8.
How to qualify for the top prizes (enter drawing often)… - Sell larger than a quarter page or cover ad into any publication through Graduation Weekend Edition. - Get a prospect to run -Get a commitment for any ad for next year. -Sign contract client to same level for next year by May 1.
How to get the Ludacris tickets (enter drawing often)… -Reach 90% of your goal by Wednesday, April 22 -Upsell contract clients for next school year by April 22.
Spring semester 2009
Business Card Roundup Gather up your client’s cards folks and get some cash for your pockets! We will be collecting all of your business cards in the bin throughout the Fall semester. Put your name on the back and throw it on in. Every card will be worth $1 at the end of the semester. Weekly drawings will bring you cash on the spot!
Kent State 4A – Best Sales Incentive Program Round’em up! A new incentive program that we did for our staff was the Business Card Round Up. Times are tough, and a sales call can no longer be on the phone. So we encouraged our staff to get out and about to visit their clients and prospective clients in person. The Contest • Collect business cards from your client/prospect • Write your name on the back and put it in the round up box • Cards will be tallied at the end of the semester; for every card, that rep gets $1 • Every Friday at the team sales meeting, 1 card will be drawn from the box. That rep gets $10 cash on the spot. The Rules • Card must be from in-person visit with client or prospect • No duplicate clients per rep • Write the date of the visit on the back of the card • No limit to how many cards you collect The Results This incentive led the way to over 60 in-person visits that normally would have taken place on the phone. Of those in-person visits, a quarter of them were new clients to our paper. Another quarter of the clients signed contracts with the paper. Overall Every single card collected resulted in business for the paper. The staff loved it (who does not love cash?) and the clients loved the personal attention. The incentive also created some healthy competition amongst the staff. Everyone wanted to win the $10 per week to buy lunch after the staff meeting. Needless to say, we will be doing the contest again next semester.
Best Sales Incentive Program Our sales efforts for the 2009 Living Expo exceeded the previous sales record for this event. 2009 brought in sales of $21,750, 62% over 2008 sales of $13,500. We met with the sales b h l f$ % l f$ h h l team often, discussing ideas on how their clients could participate in the expo, helping them discover different ways to sell it to potential clients. Then we brainstormed with the sales team on incentives they wanted to see as reward for meeting sales goals. The sales team chose the incentives, and the sales managers put together a thermometer of The sales team chose the incentives and the sales managers put together a thermometer of achievement, so everyone could visually track our progress towards team rewards. This motivated the team to be competitive with one another. To further enhance the competitive spirit, whenever anyone in the office makes a sale worth more than $500, they get to ring our “BIG SALE” bell in the office, and everyone shouts, “Show me the money!” Reps strive to have the opportunity to ring the sales bell, because they like to be cheered on and have that sense of accomplishment. Something so simple, yet truly motivational itself! Here is a recap of 2008 vs. 2009 sales: 2008 Living Expo
2009 Living Expo ACC - U. Crescent/Burbank Commons
$5,000.00
Sterling Northgate
$2,000.00
Tiger Manor
$ $2,000.00
Tiger Manor Tiger Manor
$3,500.00
Sterling Northgate
$2,000.00
RW Day COLLEGE PARK: Burbank Commons/U. Crescent
$2,000.00
Capital One
$2,000.00
$1,000.00
RW Day
$2,000.00
The Gates at Citiplace
$1,000.00
Campus Advantage
$1,000.00
Belle of Baton Rouge Casino
$1,000.00
Park Place/River Palms
$1,000.00
RW Day RW Day
$500.00
Place du Plantier Apts
$350.00
Fairway View
$350.00
All State: The Burke Agency
$350.00
Campus Crossings: Brightside
$350.00
Campus Crossings: Highland
$350.00
Campus Crossings: The Venue
$350.00
Laser Tag of BR
$350.00
Beau Chen
$350.00
Biomat USA
$350.00
Dominoes
$350.00 $13,500.00
RW Day
$500.00
Campus Advantage
$375.00
Campus Crossings: Brightside
$375.00
Campus Crossings: Highland
$375.00
p g Campus Crossings: The Venue
$375.00 $
Louisiana Culinary Institute
$375.00
Tiki Tubing
$375.00
Planned Parenthood
$375.00
Dominoes
$375.00
Regions Bank
$375.00
Don Carter'ss All Star Lanes Don Carter All Star Lanes
$375 00 $375.00
Mellow Mushroom
$375.00
Beau Chene Condominiums
$375.00
Bridal Boutique
$375.00
Residential Life
$375.00
$21,750.00
Best Sales Incentive Program The “BIG SALE” bell – reps get to ring it anytime a sale is made worth more than $500, and the office shouts back “Show the office shouts back, Show me the money! me the money!”
Best Sales Incentive Program Living Expo Sales 2009 – Highest Sales Ever 62% increase in sales over 2008
Thermometer Posted in Office with running total Thermometer Posted in Office with running total
Sales Incentive Plan Fall 2009 2009 has been an exciting time to work at The State News. Our paper celebrated its th 100 birthday and our staff was more excited than ever to be a part of this celebration. As a tribute to the paper, our account executives competed in Operation: Happy Birthday State News to earn points and show our gratitude towards the paper! This sales incentive plan was one that focused around two major concepts. First was to add a level of fun and excitement to selling for a promotion and the other was to motivate the account executives and spike revenue. Building of the cakes Five teams of five worked together with their team leaders to design and create a birthday themed team name that would represent them throughout the competition. The teams were: The Donkey Tails, The Ribbon Dancers, The Birthday Cake Dancers, Team FunFetti, and Team Birthday Suits. The team names were posted on the bulletin board so progress could be closely tracked week to week. Lighting of the candles Every Monday morning each team leader would total up their team points and place their paper candles on the board. Points were earned for selling for two of our promotions, Housing Guide and Pre‐Game. Points were awarded for the following achievements: 5 points for selling a black and white ad 10 points for a sale with color 15 points for a new advertiser 25 points for a premium page The first team to reach 100 candles/points would win an actual cake on the final day of the competition. Results After a month of pitching and selling, our teams sold more than 100 points worth of candles, which is a good forecast for future birthdays for The State News. When space deadline arrived, the competitive nature in our office shined through, account executives were running around the office, on the phone making last minute sales and furiously adding up their team point totals. At the end of the day, Team Birthday Suits were victorious earning more than 300 candle points. I awarded them with a homemade green frosted cake with white writing that read “Happy 100th Birthday State News!” along with a surprise prize of one office hour off for each of them since they went so above and beyond. The friendly spirit of competition helped to increase our numbers for both promotions by $3,000 of additional revenue each, $6,000 of additional revenue overall. The staff is ready to take on another competition in hopes of another “sweet” prize.
OPERATION: HAPPY BIRTHDAY STATE NEWS Housing G uide & Pre-G ame 5 pts any b/w sale 10 pts any sale with color 15 pts for any NEW advertiser 25 pts for a premium page
Bulletin Board Here is a shot of our team bulletin board with two of the creative team names and their candle points. Points were updated each Monday.
January 6, 2010 Best Incentive Program UNC Charlotte
Incentive programs are a must in our office when it comes to building excitement and
raising sales through friendly competition. We use them to keep account executives motivated and so that they know where they stand. Having such a small sales team, we find that having incentive programs builds that spirit of competition, especially when older executives see that a new executive is out selling them. Our incentive programs usually involve a game board with pieces that represent each account executive. This year, with the addition of some new technology in our office, we decided to get a little more advanced.
Our graphics designer thought up an idea of having an incentive program that is all on
the computer. This was great because now we could do so much more with it than you can do with some cardboard and game pieces. First we titled the incentive program “Leaving for LA”. This incentive program winner was the account executive who both made their goal and sold the highest dollar amount of advertising; the winner was to win a free trip to CNBAM in LA. This was great motivation for the staff. The month that our program was in place was one of our best months.
The program was made with the goal of each account executive having to get from
Charlotte to LA. Each different major city and state was placed throughout the game as the account executive traveled along a computerized map of the US. Each distance had a set dollar
amount to reach it. We used a spreadsheet to monitor the sales numbers and used the information to move the account executives through the computerized map of the US. Each account executive was represented by her face on an old‐school video game background. The account executives also got to choose what kind of car they would ride in across the country. There will also little tasks along the way that could advance account executives further if they were completed, for instance, on the fifth day of the month everyone’s car broke down and whoever made the most sales calls that day would have earned enough money to get it fixed and could advance to the next city.
All of our account executives enjoyed this program because it was interactive. They
could access it whenever they wanted through their office computers, since it was updated weekly. It was also a key tool for our management staff in our weekly sales meetings. We did fun stuff such as trivia about the marketing department so that account executives could earn bonus items. One such item was a friend in their car, so you they not have to make the trip alone. The winner of this program also got something more than extra money on their pay check ‐ they got a free trip to LA.
Overall this program was the best program we have ever had. It was not just a “look and
see” where you are on a game board, you got to go into the game and virtually see where you were. It was something that was new for us, but isdefinitely the way we are going to do all of our programs in the future.
University of Texas The Daily Texan
Points Program-Sales Incentive Category 4 A
In summer of 2009 Texas Student Media advertising department implemented their first ever points program as an incentive program for the student staff. The purpose of the points program is to motivate account executives on several aspects surrounding the sales office. With ten different ways to score points, account executives are motivated by abstract points instead of other costly incentives. How the program works: Account executives are given a list of ten ways they can score points, from going over their meeting quota to receiving points for extra participation in the office. During the month they must log their point on an excel sheet we have on the server. This excel sheet not only adds up the account executives individual points, but also displays all of the other account executives points to date. Now to prove things, such as using an advertiser, the account executive would have to turn in a receipt from the location to the student director in order for their points to be accepted. At the end of the month the top two point earners would receive an award with their name and a bonus. Also, the points program is used as scale to measure outside of raw numbers of how hard an account executive is working. Only the top 6 point earners are eligible to receive the Sales Super Star bonus, which is voted on my the professional staff and given to the hardest worker that month. The action of using an account executives advertiser helps to get our advertiser the results they expect. By simply seeing more college students in their place of business makes the advertisers value the college market, which is who we serve. With our advertisers seeing this they are more prone to utilizing Texas Student Media to reach out to the college market. Although we are from the advertising department, the business is still receiving our hard earned cash. Many times throughout the semester account executives will check the paper or the master account before they venture out to lunch or decide on where to get their oil changed to make sure they get points. Other categories such as meeting overages, power hour, meetings with others, and outdoor days give account executives an extra motive to reach out to new clients. Every month each account executive is required to go on 15 meetings, when they go on more than necessary, this increases their chances of a sale. Power hour is a speed calling session that is predetermined one per week. Account executives typically create a list of new clients to call and set up meetings with, the person with the most calls receives the points. As for going out on meetings with others, account executives are encouraged to work as teams which not only increases morale but also the chances of closing the sale. Usually when only one account executive goes on a sales call they are limited to their own specific idea of what to pitch a client, and can become baffled when they do not know the answer. When a second account executive is thrown into the mix an alternative opinion or an answer to the baffling question could sway the client into advertising. Now, it would be ideal for account executives to team up on their own, yet when only one is receiving the commission, this additional meeting could be a waste of time for the second rep. With the points system playing a factor, more account executives volunteer to go on extra meetings because of the additional points they receive. In correlation with this, an
University of Texas The Daily Texan
Points Program-Sales Incentive Category 4 A
extra encouragement for account executives to take that step and go on in person cold call meetings is aided by the extra 25 points they receive that month. Lastly, as an effort to increase sales across medias extra account executives are also awarded points for making what we call “creative sales�. This means the advertiser not only purchases print, but also radio, TV or online advertising. The points program has created an air of healthy competition in the office by doing more things that aid the sales process and our existing clients. Since each account executive is able to access the points tracker from their own computer and all the points are compared on the first page make it easy for all account executives to see where they stand in the competition. Aside from checking the points tracker, points are announced at meetings at least once per week. With the points system in place, Texas Student Media has been able to cut cost by replacing what would be out of pocket expenses or trade for incentives with points. The system has given account executives an extra incentive to go above and beyond their minimum duties. The account executives extra effort is what gives TSM a competitive edge over other news outlets in our area.
Points System Points
Action
Qualification
5
Meeting Overage
Points for every meeting you go on that is over the 10 required meetings.
5
Achieving over Quota
Receive points for every 10% you go over your quota
10
Using an AEs Advertiser
15
WED Game Points
15
Surprise points
15
Meetings
20
20
25
25
Bring a receipt of your purchase. Earn additional point for taking a friend along with you, bring in their receipt as well. Points that will be awarded as the prize for winning the weekly sales game. Point will be given out at the end of the week upon Student Manager and Students Director’s disgression of the hardest worker that week. Going out on meetings with other AEs. You will only receive the max amount of points for the first meeting you go on with that person for that day, and an additional 10 points for every meeting there after.
Creative Sales
Any sales that are sold in a packaged deal, meaning print with TV, Radio, or Online. If 3 products at packaged additional points will be rewarded.
Power Hour
Power hours will be held 2-3 times a week. The AE with the most amount of calls will receive the points.
Outdoor Days
For every cold call meeting you go on, you will receive points. Must produce a copy of the business card to Student ad Mgr/Director.
Supplement Games
Supplement Manager will award these points accordingly with approval from Student Manager/ Student Director
Points are awarded out only with final approval by the Student Director. Points will be displayed in the office for AEs to see. Points will be tallied at the end of each month. The top two point winners will each receive a bonus. The top 6 point winners will be considered for the Sales Superstar Bonus.
September 2009 Rep 32 Lauren 32a Jordan 52 Natasha 52a Ryan 53 Ashley 53a Anu 54a Taylor 301 Tommy 301a Kathryn 302 Megan 302a Jen
Total Points Total Points 190 155 540 110 440 105 190 215 215 190 110
*Do not change. Wll update automatically
At the Kansan, in addition to the weekly paper, the summer semester is in large part characterized by one thing: the Back to School issue & special section. Back to School is distributed to University of Kansas students during the first week of school and is by far the largest special section we turn out. It is available to students the week leading up to our first day of classes, wrapped by the largest broadsheet edition of the newspaper that the Kansan produces throughout the entire year. It is important for this section to be as big and as successful as possible as it bridges the summer and fall staffs. It marks the beginning of the fall semester and, provided it is successful, acts as a springboard and gauge to how our fall semester will start from a revenue standpoint. Given the undeniable success of the previous summer semester, with a best of category award for the issue under our preverbal belt in addition to recordsetting revenue topping $60,000 for the issue, our staff had a tough goal to attain and the hurdles of the downward economic trend paired with an extremely young staff—none of whom had experience selling our summer products-- to overcome. A healthy dose of competition was just the trick. Having surpassed our summer edition quota with time to spare, we turned our full attention to Back to School in an effort to uphold its prior success and ensure our staff’s stability entering into the fall semester. We certainly wanted the sales incentive to be creative and stress the importance of Back to School, or BTS, given that August’s revenue goal of the fall semester depends on it. Because classes and the newspaper distribution begin in the middle of the month, the amount of papers is about half the number we distribute in other months. We still have to make up that revenue, but must do it in limited days. The more ad revenue we sell into the Back to School section eases the pressure of our August quota. We knew the section needed to be big and complete, and by implementation of an innovative sales incentive, we wanted to make sure our 2009 fall semester got off on the right foot. These goals birthed the concept of the BTS Challenge. Each account executive and senior account executive was challenged to a race for points, allotted based off an outlined point system. The objectives necessary to earn points were tailored to the needs of the staff with our BTS goals in mind. Points were granted in one, three, five and ten point increments based on the difficulty of the task and its contribution to attaining our revenue goals and long-term success of each representative and the Kansan.
Considerably, the most unique aspect of the challenge, and certainly the most attractive to the competitors, was the prize structure. Each of the six competitors had the opportunity to place first, second or third with a specified reward for each. Third place offered a $100 winning; second place, $150; and first place, $250 as well as a full page, full color ad in the Back to School issue centered around the champion. The response from the staff was extremely enthused, stimulating the office in the weeks leading up to BTS deadline. The current standing of each representative in the BTS Challenge was tracked on a large board. Each competitor’s picture was posted on the board and assigned a color to represent them. As points were earned, they collected dots in their color, filling the board with an assortment of colorful dots as the representatives completed objectives and strived to surpass quota. To keep each player motivated, a broadsheet hung on the board with a 6x10 space blanked out reading “Whose face here?� The picture of the representative in the lead each day was moved into the position with paper dollar bills representing their potential winnings. The outcome of the BTS Challenge incentive resulted in a $8,500 surplus of revenue over goal, setting BTS at 118% to goal, and a record-setting summer semester. First-semester account executive, Joe Garvey hailed as the winner and received $250 in excess commissions as well as the 6x10 full color ad in Back to School. As a management staff, we were extremely pleased with how the reps stepped up as well as the overall moral in the office. We saw an increase in competitive spirit and office hours and, as importantly, we witnessed an increase in effective advertising campaigns as a result of their consultative sales strategy. The BTS Challenge proved successful for the account executives, their clients, and the University Daily Kansan as a whole.
BTS CHALLENGE point syste m
POINTS
Complete BTS revenue tracker with zone manager Have a one-on-one with Todd or Cassie Present zone manager with challenge client & brainstorm sales strategy Contact 3 new businesses IO BTS product before July 22 Sell a student organization into BTS Sell an ad including “drink responsibly� mention
POINTS
Up sell a client Sell a new business into a BTS product Take a manager on a client call Close a sale with a manager present Sell color Collaborate with a creative to design ad around strategic message Sell a client in menu guide
POINTS
10
POINT
1 3 5
IO a BTS product Be the first person in the office Attend all your office hours for the week Clean the office Sign up an apartment complex for BTS distribution Brainstorm with another AE on an ad Sign-in for an empty classy hour
Sell one client into 3 BTS products Sell your challenge client into a BTS product Sell 10 clients into BTS Broadsheet and/or Tabloid Sell 3 clients on the football posterfull color advertisement run Shown above: half page, Take Jon on atoclient callspecial section included in 1st in the Back School
Shown to the right, the first-place award for the BTS Challenge. The winner, Joe Garvey, was able to utilize the ad space as he pleased and chose to feature a picture of himself along with his record-breaking sales zone in celebration of, not only his own, but their collective success. To the left, a view of the ad as it ran in the issue of Back to School.