I just returned from a fun-filled six-day trip to the Dominican Republic for Marco’s annual sales quota trip. I still remember the first incentive trip I earned in 1986. I was among just a handful of Marco employees in Palm Springs that year. This year, we had more than 100 people with employees and their guests.
It’s become a part of our sales culture at Marco. Each year we set individual performance quotas to establish criteria for earning the incentive trip. We also set a minimum company profit goal as the baseline qualifier – if we don’t attain our goal, we don’t take the trip. Then, we choose a unique warm-weather destination as the reward for achievement. While incentive trips can certainly be controversial and it would certainly be easier not to do one, this is one of those things I feel is a key driver in our high-performing sales culture.
It’s become a part of our sales culture at Marco. Each year we set individual performance quotas to establish criteria for earning the incentive trip. We also set a minimum company profit goal as the baseline qualifier – if we don’t attain our goal, we don’t take the trip. Then, we choose a unique warm-weather destination as the reward for achievement. While incentive trips can certainly be controversial and it would certainly be easier not to do one, this is one of those things I feel is a key driver in our high-performing sales culture.
We don’t take this incentive lightly here at Marco. It’s a six-figure investment each year. Like any expenditure, if we didn’t see value, we wouldn’t do it. As a sales-driven company, incentives are a part of how we motivate and drive results. This year’s attendees contribute about 80 percent of our total annual revenue, so it’s pretty easy to justify.
It’s a trip eligible employees want to earn. We provide high-end accommodations for each employee and a guest and make their trip a premium experience. At our opening reception, I let everyone know that this is not a structured business event; they should just relax and enjoy themselves.
So, why do I think the trip works?
1. Successful salespeople are achievers and are motivated by winning.
Sales, by nature, is a contest and the prize is not only about the paycheck. Quotas have to mean something and it’s important to have rewards that are not just monetary. The value of our incentive trip is $5,000. Now this is not a significant number to these high performers who could certainly afford their own trip. What’s appealing is their achievement and being a part of this elite group; you don’t want to be left back.
2. Achievers get the opportunity to connect with one another.
This has become increasingly valuable as we’ve grown. Our salespeople are now spread out among 34 different offices. In many cases, we have team members meeting one another for the first time on this trip. It’s amazing how little we actually talk about work during the trip, but it’s apparent that being in the same space for six days definitely builds camaraderie amongst the team. You’ll often hear me say, “you are who you hang with," and this is a pretty good group to hang with.
3. We demonstrate a hallmark of our company.
Each employee who earns the trip also gets an all-expense paid trip for their guest. It’s important that we support those guests who often have done so much to support our company. They’re not an employee, but they are part of the Marco family. We want this trip to show our commitment to work-life balance and caring about the employee – as an individual. We live this on the trip. I often have guests come up to me at the end of the trip to give me a hug and say “thank you for letting me be a part this.”
4. I get to personally connect with our top sales performers.
I intentionally schedule dinner with 4 to 8 team members and their guests each night of the trip. Think about that. When’s the last time you had dinner with 22 employees and their guests in a given year? I make an effort to have lunch and connect with employees when I visit our offices; but because of our geography, I could not have that impact in a year. In one week, I get a chance to personally know our newest to highest performers.
5. I get to see a different side of people.
The office environment limits my ability to see the whole personality of our employees. I always enjoy seeing new leaders emerge on these trips. Whether it’s encouraging people to take up a game of volleyball, coordinating groups for excursions, or putting together teams for a game of basketball, it’s fun to watch people take charge in this social setting.
My favorite part is on the last the day of the trip when our attendees typically say they wish they could spend one more day and are already looking forward to earning next year’s trip. I’ve never once returned from a trip and regretted it. It’s an incentive well-lived and a tradition I intend to continue.
