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Most companies have one or more formal reward programs in place for recognizing employee performance. Although most programs typically recognize only a small number of employees, for those employees the experience is significant and motivating… and the public acknowledgment can help to shape the future aspirations of other employees as well.

One way to build anticipation and momentum in obtaining certain desired behaviors is to create an employee reward program through a contest of some sort. The desired behavior is typically described along with other requirements, and the rewards are made explicit. Keys to a successful employee contest include:

• Promoting the program and its purpose.
• Setting realistic, achievable and measurable goals.
• Limiting the contest to a short period.
• Keeping contest rules uncomplicated.
• Ensuring that prizes are desirable to employees.
• Linking rewards directly to performance.
• Giving rewards and recognition promptly.

Prizes to crown an employee reward program should meet most of the following criteria:

• Have lasting value.
• Reflect the effort and quality of the recipient’s performance.
• Inspire pride of ownership.
• Be useful.
• Suit the personal taste of the recipient.
• Reflect the best image of the company.

While the details referenced here are primarily focused on employee reward programs, variations can also work well with independent contractor, vendors, and even customers and clients.  Motivation is a powerful tool and when used properly can help you get the results you desire.

About The Author:

Sally Liddicoat is a Wife, Mother, Speaker and the Founder & CEO of AttaBoy! Solutions. Her goal is to help businesses increase sales, generate ongoing referrals, strengthen relationships and create loyal customers and employees through appreciation marketing. Throughout this blog you can sign up for updates, news, special offers, discounts and more. So take a look around, leave a comment or two and enjoy.

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As your appreciation grows for those you do business with, you are probably thinking, “I do a lot of business with whom ever. “What should I get them to show my appreciation?”

Your first thought is probably to get him or her something expensive and flamboyant, to make sure they know how much you appreciate them. Get that thought out of your head.  You should never give an expensive gift just to try to win points.  If you had a sale or wrote a contract for several  thousand or millions of dollars, sure an expensive gift would be great but that’s the only time.

Here are a couple great rules you can gift by:

• Check the policy of the company. For some companies it is totally a no-no to give their employees gifts. If that’s the case, respect their company’s rules. Send them a card or hand written thank you, it will mean a lot to them.

• Even if the company allows gifts, don’t go crazy. Expensive gifts make company representatives nervous. Many think that accepting a high-priced gift obligates them to continue doing business with you. There are many inexpensive yet very nice gifts that say “Thank You” without making them nervous.
• DO NOT send gifts with corporate logos (pens, coffee mugs, Post-It notes). They will remember who the gift is from without your company name screaming at them.

The best thing you can do is put some thought behind what you give. Give something you wouldn’t mind getting your self.  Don’t just grab any old thing and though you don’t want to spend a fortune, don’t be cheap either.  The quality of the gift you give says a lot about you and your company.  A good quality gift that you put thought into will say “We appreciate your business”.  Also, be sure you attach a nice card with it.
Following some simple, common sense guidelines for gift giving will take you a long way in both business and personal situations that call for gifts.
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About The Author:

	Mike Liddicoat is a Husband, Father, Speaker and the Sales & Marketing Director of AttaBoy! Solutions. His goal is to help businesses maintain relationships, ensure future business and acquire new referrals through appreciation marketing. Throughout this blog you can sign up for updates, news, special offers, discounts and more. So take a look around, leave a comment or two and enjoy.
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is the sound of my name. Oh wait! That’s not how it goes…

The most beautiful sound in the world to someone is the sound of their own name.

People really do like to hear the sound of their own name. Not only does it personalize a conversation, it let’s them know you are paying attention and shows that you think they are important. This is especially important when dealing with employees. You can put all the business gifts and reward programs in place, but if you don’t treat your employees with respect and your words don’t match your actions – you are dropping the ball.

Below are a few simple suggestions that can reap huge rewards:

• A good way to personalize any reinforcer is to use the person’s first name when delivering the comment. Tell him or her why the behavior or result is important to you.

• Greet employees by name when you pass their desks or pass them in the hall.

• When discussing an employee’s or a group’s ideas with other people, peers, or higher management, make sure you give credit.

• Acknowledge individual achievements by using employees’ names when preparing status reports.

• Name a continuing recognition award after an outstanding employee.

On a side note, remember not to over-use a persons name. This runs the risk of actually becoming annoying and offensive. Similarly, when using someone’s name, be genuine. It’s great to dole out compliments, but when the sincerity is lacking your employees will see right through you.

As mentioned previously, these are very simple suggestions. Any one can do them. It takes no special skills, no detailed planning. Just a willingness to look around, pay attention to the people around you, and then let them know what they are doing right.
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About The Author:

Sally Liddicoat is a Wife, Mother, Speaker and the Founder & CEO of AttaBoy! Solutions. Her goal is to help businesses increase sales, generate ongoing referrals, strengthen relationships and create loyal customers and employees through appreciation marketing. Throughout this blog you can sign up for updates, news, special offers, discounts and more. So take a look around, leave a comment or two and enjoy.

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Do you know the difference? Many businesses cross the line between the two as if there wasn’t a line.

Here’s my story:
I was working in the corporate world, loved my job, loved my boss and co-workers. I really had no complaints at all. I was compensated well and was provided with a lot of opportunities for growth and advancement. At one point, I actually thought I might retire with 20 years of service. Then one day at one of our regularly scheduled mandatory meetings, I heard some comments amongst my coworkers that I hadn’t ever noticed before. Someone was being awarded “Employee of the Quarter” and I heard the side chatter, the whispering at the back of the room, the snickering and what was said struck a nerve. “I bet their gonna get IBM Merchandise.” Wow! How ungrateful, but then again… it made sense. Here was someone that had out-performed everyone else in the office, someone that had excelled in their job. IBM Merchandise – really???

Now don’t get me wrong, promotional products definitely play a role in business. They are great for trade shows and for giveaways aimed at ‘branding’ a company. And most employees enjoy receiving and displaying the little nick-knack garb and wearing the logo apparel -I know I did. In fact, everyone I worked with had that IBM Merchandise displayed prominently in our cubicles. We loved it even more when they passed out IBM T-shirts. Why wouldn’t we? It’s free stuff. But there is a difference between giving out promotional items and using them as a business gift to reward an employee for a job well done.

From that day forward, I felt a strong urge to educate companies on the importance of rewarding their employees in a way that is meaningful and also motivational.
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About The Author:

Sally Liddicoat is a Wife, Mother, Speaker and the Founder & CEO of AttaBoy! Solutions. Her goal is to help businesses increase sales, generate ongoing referrals, strengthen relationships and create loyal customers and employees through appreciation marketing. Throughout this blog you can sign up for updates, news, special offers, discounts and more. So take a look around, leave a comment or two and enjoy.

Contact Sally

…that is the question.  Or is it?

Incentives have been used by businesses for years to motivate their employees to produce more – more products, more sales, or even to offer better customer service. They are also used to build business relationships, honor and encourage loyalty, thank buyers for large and/or frequent purchases, and to welcome new prospects. By implementing programs that focus on motivation by reward on both sides of the coin, the benefits are real:

• Productive, engaged employees who work harder, produce more, and stay with the company.

• Satisfied, loyal customers who buy more and tell others about the company.

Motivated employees are productive. Sales programs and internal competition for a prize considered to be highly valuable are very effective. Salespeople especially have clearly defined goals with measurable results, making incentives a major strategy. When an employee is singled out for doing a good job, they feel good about it. When they receive a gift to mark their achievement, they feel even better. As a result, they will display more loyalty and be more conscientious on the job.

Appreciated clients are loyal. When a new customer gets a smile and a handshake, it builds their relationship with the individual and the company. When they receive a welcome or thank-you gift to mark the occasion, they feel even better about it. Once again, human nature takes it back to basics: People like to feel valuable, important, and appreciated. When a company not only delivers their products and/or services to a client, but goes beyond to give them a tangible sign of how much their business means to the company, good things happen for everyone. New accounts are open, customers become loyal and stay, customers buy more, and the company sets itself apart from the competition.

Incentives are the classic dangling “carrot”. It’s human nature – we’ll work harder if there’s a reward that we find worthwhile at the end of our efforts. As the old saying goes, you can lead a horse to water but you can’t make him drink… however, if you salt the hay he will be thirsty when he gets there. Salt that hay, dangle that carrot – incent and get results!
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About The Author:

Sally Liddicoat is a Wife, Mother, Speaker and the Founder & CEO of AttaBoy! Solutions. Her goal is to help businesses increase sales, generate ongoing referrals, strengthen relationships and create loyal customers and employees through appreciation marketing. Throughout this blog you can sign up for updates, news, special offers, discounts and more. So take a look around, leave a comment or two and enjoy.

Contact Sally

Hiring, motivating and retaining good employees is, and always has been, a challenge for most companies. Combine that challenge with the challenge of managing work/life balance and you have got your work cut out for you. If you are looking to offer employees more family-focused incentives, you’re on the right track, as they are sure to be a big hit with your employees.

Below are a few tips to keep in mind when offering family-friendly incentives:

Focus on Flexible
Don’t be afraid to take non-traditional approaches to employee incentive. Consider offering employees time as a reward -allow them to come in an hour late or leave an hour early to spend more time with their family.

Focus on Health
Offer employees the chance to earn points in incentive programs that can be applied towards family gym memberships, yoga classes or other events the family can participate in together.

Think Outside the Box
Traditional family friendly incentives include board games, movie packages and restaurant gift certificates, but don’t forget about alternative options. Start a points system that can be applied to the cost of a family vacation, local amusement park tickets or a concert.

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About The Author:

Sally Liddicoat is a Wife, Mother, Speaker and the Founder & CEO of AttaBoy! Solutions. Her goal is to help businesses increase sales, generate ongoing referrals, strengthen relationships and create loyal customers and employees through appreciation marketing. Throughout this blog you can sign up for updates, news, special offers, discounts and more. So take a look around, leave a comment or two and enjoy.

Contact Sally