Experiences Are Everything

One of the best ways to not only gain a new customer, but keep them as well, is to invoke an experience that encourages them to engage with your company or product. By utilizing Brand Activation, you can drive consumer action by bringing your brand to life in the form of an experience that creates an emotional connection. In other words, your products or services will take on a new form and become something bigger and better to the user.

Brand Activation marketing campaigns take many shapes and forms. Some of the more common brand activation strategies include:

• Consumer Promotions, such as a drawing or coupon like J. Crew Factory's "mystery offer."
• Experiential Marketing, like when Red Bull had a man skydive from space to push the idea that their drink caters to extreme sports.
• Digital Campaigns, like Miller Light's "Going Dark" campaign to remind consumers to spend time drinking with friends rather than spend time on social media.
• Shopper Marketing, such as Home Depot's in-app ability get a real-time true-to-life 3D visual of a product in your home.
• Sampling Campaigns, like Netflix's Pop-Up Scoops Ahoy Ice Cream Parlor to create a sample of what it'd be like to buy ice cream in the Stranger Things universe to promote Season 3 of the hit show.

Photo Credit: Critical Popcorn

Brand Activation Example: IKEA's Private Dining Club

IKEA has always tried to push the limits of what a furniture can be, but back in 2016, the Scandinavian home décor retailer opened a pop-up restaurant where diners were able to build and cook their own meals using IKEA's provided kitchen. According to IKEA, "When we cook together, we make more than just food." The idea here was that the people could serve as the chef, preparing food for their group of friends and family in a public restaurant setting.

The brand decided to use this experiential marketing campaign to allow an emotional attachment between their products and their customers. This really pushes the idea that anyone can be a chef and can prepare a meal just as good as the top restaurants with IKEA brand products. Besides this DIY pop-up restaurant, the Dining Club featured an IKEA café serving Swedish delicacies, ‘Food for thought’ workshops, a kitchen showcase area including a virtual reality kitchen and a unique shop.

The pop-up installation proved to be a success during the 2-week long campaign that consisted of 38 sessions. Because of the hype involving such a unique and interactive experience, potential chefs had to be selected via application to which you could invite 7 to 19 friends to enjoy your meals. IKEA's brand activation ultimately brought attention to their products and how they stand against the top brands in the world for culinary arts.

Photo Credit: IKEA

What is RAIN?

RAIN is the “brain-child” of our very own Gary Cornwell and stands for Reporting And Information Network. It was originally designed to be a customer service tool and to keep track of our communication with each passenger. Through the years, it has been upgraded and updated to be GALACTIC’S COMPLETE REPORTING SOLUTION.

Everything “REPORTING” is housed here in our secure database

• Participant Information
• Email Correspondence
• Hotel
• Activities
• Flights
• Reports

It’s completely proprietary and is customizable for each specific program.

We actually “build” the program in RAIN with all the specifics – client & program name, destination, dates, attendee types, hotel and room types, the specific activities, fees, specific information requests, staff, etc.

Once the participants start to register, all the email communication is done in RAIN, so that everyone has access to the information. This is also tracked and color-coded to make sure all participants are contacted in a timely manner.

RAIN's Capability to Improve Productivity

Within RAIN, our staff has immediate access to all the information needed to make sure our participants are taken care and all their needs are met, whether it’s during the registration process or on-site. Real time flight information is also available which our in-house Air Concierge Agents use to ensure our participants are taken care of during travel.

Our clients also have access to a plethora of reporting tools, including flight manifests, hotel rooming lists, activity confirmations, passenger reports including roster with guests and company information, mailing lists, email lists, emergency contact information, passport information, the list goes on! We also have the capability to create custom reports for our clients – almost any information requested can be exported to excel for customized spreadsheets.

Solutions@GalacticPS.com

(817) 462-0400

What Is Data and Why Is It Important?

Data is an encompassing term for bits of values: numbers, letters, symbols. Much like nucleotides in a DNA molecule or notes in a sonnet, they have the ability to create something powerful and beautiful, but just like those nucleotides and notes, they must be organized in a correct fashion. It’s only when data is organized in a certain way that it begins to be a part of something greater – information.

This is where GLOWS – Galactic’s Loyalty and Overall Wholesale Solution – comes into play. We take every day distributor data about warehouse withdrawal transactions, and we organize it in a way that allows us to paint a picture and tell a story throughout the supply chain.

The GLOWS database receives the data in an organized manner, where it is processed by multiple algorithms that project that data as comprehensive reports. These reports allow insight into performance of SKUs, stores, salespeople, categories, and manufacturers. It also shows myriads of useful information from deficiencies and opportunity gaps to sales figures and market penetration.

GLOWS assists executives in making key decisions about allocating their efforts, maximizing their potential, engaging their sales force, efficiently coordinating deliveries, targeting specific areas, and more.

   Anything that motivates an individual, whether intrinsic or extrinsic, can be described as an incentive. Whether it’s money, a sense of accomplishment, or even a warm fuzzy feeling we get from helping someone, there is always an incentive that drives us to do what we do. The challenge is to incentivize people to do what drives performance, and a big component of that is measurement. That’s where we need data – bits of information that allow us to measure results and put a number to a product of incentive.

   If that process is established, however, it becomes very possible to identify key factors in performance change and target those factors to capitalize on their effect. That process can allow us to observe the changes in performance that occur due to changes in certain incentives and determine if the incentive strategy is right for the company or if a different and better approach can be applied to maximize the results and, ultimately, return on investment. We may establish what works as an effective incentive for people of certain characteristics (demographics, position, socioeconomic status, industry, field, age group, gender, geographic location etc.) and tailor the incentives to their preferences.

   Most importantly, tracking the change in performance helps us to make sure that we are rewarding the desired behavior. Oftentimes, the inefficiencies in cause-and-effect dynamics are due to the rewards being slightly (and sometimes grossly) offset from the behavior that a company is trying to encourage. When tracked and monitored effectively, data analysis can ensure that the incentive efforts are targeted correctly and that not only the ends but also the means are incentivized properly.

   As difficult as it is to measure something as intangible as motivation, when approached correctly, it is possible to track specific criteria that paint a picture of the effect certain motivating factors have on performance. By employing data analysis, we can isolate the incentives that motivate people, ways in which they affect performance, and track their effectiveness via changes in key performance indicators. The biggest challenge in accomplishing that is setting up tracking and monitoring in a way that allows us to grasp the full picture, but with sufficient data reporting, processing, and analysis, it can be accomplished to achieve significant results.

   Hard evidence is undeniable when evaluating the success of your business' growth. The focus is not the data itself, but rather the transformation of that data and making it something valuable. You can tangibly see how your participants are doing, see what works and what doesn't, and communicate that data to your team to strengthen the weaknesses and balance out your program. When tracked and monitored effectively, data analysis can ensure that the incentive efforts are targeted correctly and that not only the ends but also the means are incentivized properly.

   Some of the benefits to your rewards platform that comes from analysis of data from Galactic are:

• Generation of reports to help structure the program
• Take the data and make it valuable to your business
• Find weak points/gap in information and make them stronger
• Create more tangible rewards based on how the program played out in previous terms

Call or email us for more information or to request a proposal for your group.

Solutions@GalacticPS.com

(817) 462-0400

The competition of retaining employees is becoming more and more challenging. According to Forbes, “millennials were three times more likely than non-millennials to change jobs in the last year, and 91% don’t expect to stay with their current organizations longer than three years.”

While here are many uncontrollable factors in team member retention, one key element that is proven to provide increased satisfaction and loyalty is the decision to incentivize using non-cash rewards such as merchandise, experiences and/or travel.

Every business has an inherent goal of differentiating itself from the market competition. Yes, the product is a huge part of making a business unique and desirable, but as an employer, it’s just as important to give your employees something of value beyond the dollar sign.

As more and more employees come to expect a bonus, cash becomes views as part of someone's salary rather than a rewards. By giving your employees something other than cash, you are:

• Creating memorable experiences for your valued employees while creating positive brand association
• Inaugurating a tradition within your workplace, that all employees can work towards
• Allowing your business representatives to boost moral and come back
• Increasing employee satisfaction and retention at your company
• Giving something money cannot: time, memories and trophy value

As an employee, they almost always have a goal in mind to keep grinding. Sometimes cash may be the single-most important factor in your productivity at work, but often times, it's easy to become burnt-out by constantly chasing money.

Some of the proven ways non-cash rewards can benefit an employee are, they:

• Allow a reward or experience associated with your company
• Give a goal that makes them feel valued beyond the regularly-scheduled paycheck
• Boost moral and overall satisfaction in their current position

Solutions@GalacticPS.com

(817) 462-0400