PPB May 2017

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Want To Improve
Your Client’s
Corporate Training
Program? Start With
These Questions
1 What are the
client’s pain points?
What are they not achieving that
the training program is put in
place to achieve?
2 What is it about
the solution that will
excite the trainee?
What rewards would compel
participants to remain attentive
and produce desired results?
3 What types of
rewards define or
reflect the importance
of those results?
Always have a clearly defined
statistical measurement
(increased scores, better
attendance, more people
getting vaccinated against flu)
that defines the success of the
use of the incentive.
training and development goals. Sean
Roark, CPIM, co-owner and executive vice
president of Spring, Texas-based distributor
Promopros/Incentpros, and president of
the Incentive Marketing Association, says
incentives are the key ingredient to making
a corporate training program better.
“Incentives give someone a point
to hang their hat on,” says Roark, who
designs programs for his clients to help
improve participation and performance
in their workplace training efforts. “If I
can get someone to take fewer sick days
because they’re working to get a Cuisinart,
that’s still fewer days they’re not at work.
Once a habit of taking unnecessary
days off changes, the new best practice
becomes its own habit, and equally hard
to break. I like to say that I get people to do
the right thing for the ‘wrong’ reasons.”
However, says Roark, providing incentives
for corporate training does more than
just inspire immediate action; once
employees are rewarded for participating,
or recognized for their efforts, they start to
look for things to do right. “The long-term
positive effects that are created by that
attachment remain with the employee
after the program stops,” he says.
When helping clients select items
that will convey the right message,
it’s important to make the distinction
between promotional products and
incentives, Roark adds. “A promotional
product is a vehicle for communicating
a brand or a message. Incentives
are vehicles for communicating
appreciation and gratitude from the giver.
Understanding that subtle difference is
something I recommend people have the
best grasp of before presenting a program
to a prospective client.”
QUICK TIP
Studious employees will appreciate a memo
tape dispenser that lets them create the
right size sticky memo every time, from
10 meters of tape. Customize it with a large
britePix imprint.
BIC Graphic USA / PPAI 114187
Slip employees this RFID blocker sleeve
made of special paper that includes a
metal alloy to protect debit and credit
cards from skimming.
Fields Manufacturing / PPAI 111951
Give a sweet reward with gift boxes
containing premium chocolates or
fresh-roasted nuts. Choose from five
colors and more than 15 treats.
Maple Ridge Farms, Inc. / PPAI 114165
| MAY 2017 | 51
GROW
Supplement continuing education and corporate
training programs with products like these