Virtual Launch Drives Incentive Success with Personalized, Live Experience
When Covid-19 restrictions rapidly changed the face of incentives, SDI leaned hard into creativity to support our clients in keeping spirits and excitement high for upcoming programs. Our Midwest-based client has long celebrated the announcement of their bi-annual incentive program with a high-energy, in-person launch event that built competitive anticipation around the upcoming trip and encouraged participants. With the pandemic making in-person gatherings impossible, SDI created a virtual program that engaged attendees, generated real and personal interaction and reinforced the goals of the incentive travel program for the client.
Focus on the Goal
Our client came to us with a critical goal – generate the same excitement and interest in their incentive program to drive greater sales even though they could not gather in person as they typically do, all while staying within a pandemic-appropriate budget. Our experienced team quickly brainstormed an interactive virtual happy hour with live-destination experiences that teased and finally revealed the ultimate destination for 2022 – Los Cabos!
Make the Experience Personal
SDI created a special registration site to gather interest and specific details from event attendees – details that made their experience that much more personalized. Each confirmed attendee received a surprise reveal box at their home with instructions to wait until the day of the event to open it. Inside the box? Activities and custom items that celebrated our client, brought the tastes and experiences of the destination to their homes and announced its next incentive trip!
Destination Knowledge & Strong Partners Mean Success
The virtual celebration included three stops, and each stop meant a fun, live activity and an opportunity for executives and customers to network among each other in the virtual space. By partnering with a local DMC and businesses on the ground there, we were able to create unique interactions and draw attendees in through the custom items in their welcome gift box. First stop – a local bartender hosting a tequila tasting as well as sharing a special chocolate drink recipe for attendees who indicated they did not drink alcohol in their RSVP. Next the group visited with a local chef who demonstrated a unique recipe – the secret ingredient (rosemary!) missing from the attendee’s recipe card was revealed during the live demonstration. Finally, each group spent time playing Loteria with custom cards created for the client featuring company executives and its products.
The Perfect Virtual Experience to Engage & Excite
One of the biggest challenges we face during the pandemic is keeping our employees, clients and partners engaged. For decades, SDI has created events and experiences that heighten excitement for what’s to come. Our incentive programs may look different now, but as this virtual event demonstrates, we still create engagement, connection and community, even when we can’t gather in person.
About Us: SDI Meetings & Incentives is the global-yet-boutique meetings, incentives and special events partner driven by the basic truth that Experience Matters. Creating custom experiences to reward performance and fuel growth, SDI taps decades of expertise to deliver solutions managed from concept through execution by one tenured point of contact. We’ve produced programs around the world, for groups from 10 to thousands, combining the exact right elements to support our clients’ goals and to motivate and inspire their attendees. Find out more and contact us at ExperienceSDI.com.
