Rewards & Recognition

The Right Reward Matters

ArticleMercedes Ibbett, Managing Director, EVT Incentive Marketing

The reward you choose can make or break an incentive program. Mercedes Ibbett shares the reward checklist EVT uses to build aspiration, emotional connection, and real action.

Two smiling people representing aspirational incentive rewards.

One of the key reasons incentive programs do not work is because they do not have the right reward on offer. I wanted to share some of the key areas we look at when recommending rewards for our clients.

Let us start with the range of what rewards can look like.

Cash rewards

Bonuses
Gift cards

Non-cash rewards

Awards, accolades and recognition, think recognition awards, shout outs, awards nights
Points-based and tangible rewards and experiences
Incentive travel and experiences

At EVT, we focus on the non-cash side of rewards, and there are good reasons for this.

We believe in rewards that create a perception of value, rather than putting a fixed dollar amount on the effort required. It is all in the marketing and positioning of the reward. Which might sound like a small thing, but it truly is not.

When you are structuring an incentive program, you must pick the right reward for the effort you are asking people to put in.

Picture this: you are a salesperson and a new rewards program lands in your inbox. You are excited. The program asks you to grow your sales by 10% this year. You look at the reward. It is a $50 gift card. Or maybe enough points to earn a kettle.

You are not engaging. You close the email and ignore the program entirely.

What we focus on is structuring the reward in a way that makes people genuinely aspire to achieve.

So what is the right reward?

We have had clients come to us wanting a very specific reward, and after working through this process together, we have recommended something different. The best part is when they come back mid-program and say: I was not sure this would work, but the engagement and excitement we are seeing is unlike anything we have had before.

Here is the checklist we use when helping clients choose rewards that actually resonate.

The reward checklist

Does it add to the individual's lifestyle, or pull them away from it?
Does it reflect what is important to them? Status? The latest tech? Time at home? Travel?
Will they feel proud to talk about it?
Does it feel personal, not generic?
Is there an emotional connection?
Can you actually deliver on the reward?
Is it worth the effort you are asking them to put in?

If you are ticking those boxes, you are not just offering a reward. You are creating something that motivates, connects, and drives real results.

At the end of the day, it does not matter whether you are offering a product, an experience, or a moment of recognition. What matters is that the reward is right for your people. Because when it feels right, it drives action.

If you are wondering what the right reward looks like for your program, get in touch at hq@evtmarketing.com.au and we will take you through the process. The results our clients get when the reward is right are genuinely something to see.