Closer to dog trainers than incentive agents

Many colleagues in the incentive industry have lost track of what lies at the heart of our business. We are lucky that new economy businesses need to employ human motivation just as much as old economy businesses. However, to grow market share we need to articulate what drives our business. Newcomers who have jumped on the motivation bandwagon, courtesy of CRM, (Customer Relationship Management) are carving out a business which many readers may wish to lay some claim to. Motivation and behaviour modification driven by well-structured incentive programmes are the core of our industry, not just the rewards. Love, fear, fame and fortune are all motivators. Sometimes these instinctive motivators need a helping hand; this is where incentive programmes do their job. Our task is to rejuvenate the natural instinct that forms part of people's motivational makeup. We all understand and respond to a "do this - get that" proposition, in fact so do domesticated animals. This concept is at the core of every incentive programme and the desired outcome is consistent motivation to perform through modified behaviour. Brand loyalty, increased sales, improved customer service and product knowledge are common incentive programme objectives. If designing an incentive programme is not your game, but you are a great incentive travel reward provider, then form a partnership with someone who can. Growing everyone's business will occur by introducing new customers to a well-structured incentive programme. Your competitor may then be the supplier of other forms of marketing, not just another incentive travel reward supplier. Mr Nigel Gaunt is the managing director of Mint Motivation Email: nigel.gaunt@mintorg.com.au