An effective channel incentive program doesn’t just motivate sales reps but creates a loyal brand ambassador through a lasting relationship. Rise above the commission-only model that only ends up disappearing as compensation. It’s time to build a channel incentive that generates genuine excitement and increases partner loyalty.
Brightspot specializes in designing channel incentive programs that attract attention from channel reps and make your job easier. We work with you to make a unique program that stands above the rest with full transparency and no red tape by combining our proprietary, customizable Ignite platform and award-winning professional services from our incentive program managers.
Brightspot can guide you to success with a mix of science and art! Let us carry you to the finish line.
Automate your reward fulfillment, streamline communication with program participants, and track all progress along the way with a reporting dashboard in our incentive software platform, Ignite.
Our certified incentive pros have designed, managed, and fulfilled top channel reward programs for Fortune 1000 companies. We know what drives results; proven by industry awards, including multiple Motivation Masters Awards.
Just need more attention from reps? Our commitment to designing the very best incentives is sure to make your brand stand out, win more heart share, and edge out your competition.
Our reward solutions offer the latest & greatest awards; all online and as automated as you desire. We develop flexible rewards platforms that offer companies and participants the power of choice. Our incentive pros will recommend the right rewards for your channel sellers.
Our merchandise selection is refreshed weekly, so reward earners can redeem the latest and greatest items as they become available. For global channels, merchandise is more popular in many countries.
TIP: Most common award for EMEA & APAC. Delivery challenges in LTAM.
An extensive array of gift cards and international vouchers empower channel reps to choose from over 150 brands in the retail and restaurant arenas. We make gift card fulfillment timely and pain-free with both physical and virtual e-gift card solutions.
TIP: Nicer gesture than Visa card for small reward balances ($25, $50, $100). Amazon is a good global award because it often has local country awards and fulfillment.
For U.S. channels, prepaid cards from VISA and Mastercard offer the maximum level of flexibility and freedom of choice. Card branding options add reminders of your brand; we call it wallet branding. Digital delivery is super for global rewards – to eliminate shipping challenges!
TIP: Popular for USA & Canada channel incentives. Not as popular in EMEA & APAC due to cultural norms. Virtual VISA e-card can ease international fulfillment.
Feel the motivational power of group trips for key partners or individual grand prize trips for quarterly sales contests. Or, a new trend is experiential awards – with exciting activities to create a memorable experience and give your incentive winners the VIP treatment.
TIP: Best award for building lasting loyalty with important partners.
Behind the scenes of your channel reward program lies the backbone of its long-term success. More than just a pretty web design, the technology infrastructure and databases supporting your incentive are vitally important to its smooth performance, engaging UX (user experience), and ease of maintenance. Our in-house software incentive platform, Ignite, supports every channel incentive program.
Microsoft Excel spreadsheets can be sufficient technology if a company has less than 100 participants and less than $25,000 in awards. But, if rewards exceed $25,000 or participants exceed 100, then a true incentive technology platform is a must – with interactive website tools, robust back-end databases, APIs for import of sales data, and encryption of all PII (personally identifiable information).
A strong technology platform that allows for quick implementation, effective communications, a flexible back-end database, and seamless program administration is key – and alleviates strain and future bottlenecks.
For instance, our Ignite Platform enables quick launches in as few as 1 to 4 weeks and provides customization options to futureproof channel go-to-market changes.
A good technology solution will include these web pages: Home, Program Rules, Enrollment, Current Promotions, Claim Form (or data imports), My Account (participant dashboard), Award Catalog, Award Redemption, T&Cs, FAQs, and Contact Us. Plus robust backend reporting and administrative dashboards!
Flexible modules accelerate launch – and new sales.
Out-of-the-box templates keep costs low.
In-house developers give you a roadmap for future growth.
Designed properly, incentives programs pay for itself with incremental sales and stronger relationships.
Timeline: Consider your implementation schedule before launching your channel incentive. Different programs will require different timelines and have a few important considerations to keep in mind.
Duration: Research consistently suggests that programs too short in duration often fail to achieve buy-in because it takes people too long to learn about them before they’re expected to act.
Sales Cycle: Consider the timing and length of your promotion. If you have a 6-month sales cycle, then the incentive contest period should be longer. Otherwise, you will only motivate reps to close deals that are already in the pipeline.
Ramp Up: We regularly see disappointment in the ramp-up time of new channel reward programs. The sponsors always expect it to be much faster. Due to the disconnected nature of channels and lower “quota share,” new channel reward programs ramp up slowly. There’s a quick surge initially from a small group of reps who are actively engaged with the sponsor, then a slower but steady increase in participation for months 3-12, and finally the participation line flattens a bit until the reward program is fully ramped at 18-24 months.
We go into a little more depth on these program structures in this blog post if you’d like to learn more!
Properly designed, a channel partner incentive program will be self-funding with incremental gross margin on the increased sales volume.
Calculating the budget begins with the two most important perspectives of an incentive program.
Analysis of internal factors
Analysis of demographics
Estimate your participant “take rate” for the % of eligible sales that will be claimed. If channel partners must submit claim forms, then the take rate might be 20-40%. If eligible sales are automatically reported via a file download from the PRM or Salesforce, then 100% of eligible sales will be reported, but only 25-50% might be redeemed for rewards. Research studies show that when participants do not take action to report their sales, then the take rate declines dramatically. Brightspot suggests budgeting upon 60% take rate.
Our how-to guide on all things partner rewards; this resource provides valuable insights on:
Luckily for you, incentive software platforms are becoming easier, smarter, and faster – but with their own unique lingo.
See our list of greatest hits from Accenture, Forrester, Incentive Research Foundation, and Incentive Federation.
