Welcome to the Year-in-Review Issue!
For Incentive Solutions, 2018 was a year of big change. Former CEO Steve Damerow stepped down and was succeeded by our new President and CEO, Mark Herbert (he's still trying to get the settings right on his new chair). And we joined forces with private equity firm The CapStreet Group. This new era of Incentive Solutions will be marked by exciting innovation from the incentive company you know and trust. Bring on the future of incentives!
Get Ready for New Stuff!
 | Integration Services ExpansionMaybe you already know and love how our incentive software integrates with your corporate website and your CRM system. Now we're expanding our integration services so you can connect your incentive program to even more technologies. New capabilities let you export more data from your program and pull it into any business intelligence software or reporting system. Now you can have the keys to your data and you can manipulate it however you want. |
 | Announcing Announcement Upgrades!The good ol' Announcement feature has always let incentive program administrators add important, eye-catching messages to program websites. Since clients love this feature, and it's one of the most effective ways for them to get participants' attention, we decided to make it better. Now administrators have more control over where, when, and how the announcement message looks. You can change the color scheme, where and how the announcement shows up on the site, and even schedule when it shows up! |
 | New Gift CardsOur clients will never be stuck with incentive programs that offer the same old gift cards to the same old places. To make sure of that, we're partnering with a slew of new retail vendors to offer their brands in our gift card catalog! Some of these in-demand brands include TopGolf, Sephora, Nascar, StubHub, Chipotle and more! Contact us for a full list of the new gift card brands we offer. |
Want to know more about any of the above incentive program features? Contact your account manager or message us!
Top Redeemed Rewards of 2018
Looking at the annual, top redeemed items from our reward catalog tells us (and you!) what motivates incentive program participants the most. Which rewards topped the list in 2018? Here are the items participants just couldn't get enough of!
Fandango Movie TicketsQuick, convenient and easy to earn, it's no surprise people love Fandango movie tickets. Who doesn't love to whip out the 3D glasses, grab a bucket of popcorn and take a mini-vacation from reality? | |
RedboxRedBox movie rentals came in just behind Fandango tickets as the most redeemed reward of 2018. We're starting to think 2018 was a great year for movies! | |
$100 Amazon Gift CardYou can get just about anything sent to you through Amazon Prime nowadays. That's likely why our electronic Amazon gift card was the third most redeemed reward of 2018. Prime on! | |
Lowe's® $50 Gift CardComing right on the heels of the Amazon gift card is the Lowe's $50 gift card. Could it be that many incentive program audiences can't get enough of DIY home improvement projects? |
We Made the News!
- Using Analytics to Align Channel Partners' Goals with Your OwnWhat does it take to maintain strong channel partnerships and effective B2B marketing? Common goals with your sales channel partners. If you struggle making your objectives and your channel partners' objectives one in the same, our new ACHRNews article can help you find ways to create sweet, magic harmony.
- The Convenience of These Streamlined Properties Lures PlannersGot incentive group travelin' on your mind? Consider a group travel trip to an all-inclusive resort. Incentive Solutions' own Director of Travel Services, Deven Crane, was featured in an Insurance & Financial Meetings Management article about the many benefits of all-inclusive resorts. “We chose [all-inclusive resorts] so that the audience could strengthen their relationships with management of the hosting company without having the worry to pay for anything," Deven said.
- Looking to Boost Productivity? Try an Incentives ProgramIf you want status-quo sales performance, stick with status-quo incentives like "close a sale, get commission" or "perform duties, get paid." But if you want to take sales performance to a new level, follow the tips in our new Wood Floor Business article. This article by our CEO Mark Herbert takes you through the basics of how a successful incentive program boosts motivation and performance on your sales team.
Elite Performer of the Year: Brooke Metcalf
 | Brooke Took 2018 by the Horns!Phew, Brooke Metcalf really showed 2018 who's boss! She met or exceeded every single performance metric and conquered her annual performance plan goals, all while being a reliable source of information and support to her teammates. She brings in leads for sales. Clients love her. She sets a good example for her department and the entire company. Director of Account Management, Mandy Freeman, says, "she's proof that when you commit 100% to a company, it shows in the numbers." Way to go, Brooke—you're a superstar! |
Star Performer of the Quarter: Sydney Coleman
 | Superhero Sydney Saved the Day!Our bittersweet but truly well-earned Employee of the Quarter award goes to Sydney Coleman. After 22 years of working hard and being adored by clients, Sydney is retiring. Actually, she was supposed to retire at the end of January! But, after some unexpected changes, we found ourselves needing her more than ever. So what did she do? She swooped in and saved the day one last time, of course. "When she should've been winding down, she ramped things up," says VP of Account Management, Mandy Freeman. "She embodies taking it personally." Thank you so much for being our superhero, Sydney! |
Howdy, New Guys!
 | Jerrell JenkinsSEO Manager Jerrell was born in Chattanooga, TN and attended the University of Tennessee where he earned his degree in English - Rhetoric & Writing. He lived in Nashville, Philadelphia, and Charlotte before moving to Atlanta. Before he became our new SEO guru, he worked for LendingTree in Charlotte. What does he do for fun? He likes playing sports, creating websites, collecting sneakers, SEO consulting and spending time with his lovely wife. We're so glad to have you aboard, Jerrell! |
 | Nathan WagnerStaff Accountant Born in Alabama and raised in in Charleston, SC, Nathan attended the University of South Carolina Beaufort, where he got his degree in Business Administration and competed in Track and Field and Cross Country. Before making his way to Incentive Solutions, he worked in Accounts Receivable for a Charlotte, NC company. He likes sports, video games, hiking, and taking his German Shepard puppy to the park. |
Get Your Blog Fix
What’s the Difference Between Commission and Incentives?Commission or incentives? Which should you use, when, and how? Let's clear things up. |  |
 | Company Incentive Program IdeasIncentive program getting stale? Try out these fresh, exciting incentive program ideas. |
The Top Benefits of Customer Loyalty ProgramsDo you know the four biggest benefits of a customer loyalty program? |  |
About Nichole Gunn
Nichole Gunn is the VP of Marketing at Incentive Solutions, an Atlanta-based incentive company that delivers advanced, agile B2B customer loyalty and channel sales incentives programs.