As you may have read from many of my colleagues, a well-designed program is the foundation to any Incentive Program’s success.  You have designed the perfect key performance indicators, put together a communication strategy, and even finished configuring your site – but what happens after the launch?  How do you maintain strong momentum?

During the launch phase of a program there are lots of meetings, testing, checks and balances to ensure that everything is setup in correlation the program’s goals.  Unfortunately after “go-live” some programs seem to lose the momentum that was so important the weeks leading up to the launch.  What can you do to make sure that your program stays top of mind for your team and participants?

Keeping Momentum In Your Corner

1. Set some short-term goals. Short-term goals help you to measure the takeoff of your program.  By looking at key metrics, specifically website login and registration, you can adjust your launch plan.  One common adjustment would be to send targeted communication to a specific group or groups who may have missed the first invitation.
2. Meet with your Account Management team. After numerous meetings prior to launch it is common to want to take a break from the constant communication with your Account Manager, but after launch is just as important!  Your Account Manager can help you to measure those short-term goals you set prior to launch, and they are a great resource to ensure your participant base remains engaged.
3. Talk with Internal Stakeholders. Just like meeting with your Account Management team remains important, soliciting input from your internal teams is vital as well.  Whether it is IT, your Program Administrator, Sales Team or HR make sure you status on their responses and initial reactions to the program launch.
4. Make a timely first point award. While it is common for a program to take a few weeks to gather the data to make its first point award, you want to make sure that the award happens no later than 4 weeks after the launch announcement.  An important factor to maintaining participant engagement is timely and well executed point awards that correlate to the program rules presented to participants during the launch process.

Hopefully these tips will help you keep that momentum going in the months immediately following your program launch.  By keeping communication lines open and watching your short-term goals your program will be off to a fantastic start!

by Michelle Chappell

Michelle is the primary liaison between the client and QIC, and is responsible for the health and growth of the company’s existing portfolio of incentive and recognition programs. Previously she worked for a major retail chain where she led her team to achieve consistent brand standards and a positive store culture. Her experience has given her a passion for finding creative solutions to improve employee morale while increasing employee retention.