Executive Group Travel Blog

Motivating the "Average" Sales Rep


2020 has been very difficult year, particularly for most sales reps. Depending on your industry, numbers may still be down and incentives are more important than ever to keep your team positive and looking to the year ahead. One good way to do this is setting up special incentives toward 2021 qualifications, like December sales counting double, etc., to get people motivated again.

Individual or group incentive trips? What's best for your company?


This year has been incredibly difficult as we navigate a global health crisis that has completely changed the world around us. While we may not be spending normally or planning trips anytime soon, this is still a time for incentivizing the team you do have that's out there working for your company. We've discussed in other posts that special one-off incentive programs may help motivate your team, even if they are qualifiers for a trip that seems far away now. 

If you're considering incentive travel for your team, there are two main categories: individual or group trips. Based on your company’s goals, it's important to weigh the pros and cons of each. But first, it’s important to understand the difference.

Has technology replaced printed agendas?


In 2020, you would assume the answer to this question is yes. And for the most part, that's right. Technology in the meetings and events industry has transformed over the last 5+ years with smartphone apps, websites, and on-site displays. However, despite providing attendees with all of this technology (from event websites to agenda apps, and even screens displaying throughout the property), there's still feedback that certain guests miss hard copy agendas. The days of printing agendas for every attendee are over, but if you find it necessary to provide hard copies for some, we recommend printing 20% of the attendee number. If you run out you can always print more on site.

The main benefit of having your agenda online is the ability to make live updates. Our world is more unpredictable than ever, so this is an increasingly important aspect in event planning. When COVID-19 started to impact everything earlier this year, we were able to update itineraries and communicate with clients as soon as changes happened. This is crucial, especially when planning for a large group traveling from all over the world. Even when things are going smoothly though, apps and event websites are the most streamlined way to communicate effectively with large groups of attendees.

Videography for Your Corporate Event


One of the main benefits of incentive travel is that it builds attendees' affinity for their company, and you want to ensure those positive memories are lasting. While a photographer/videographer should be a relatively small line item (between $2,000 - $5,000 per event), there are three big things to consider when deciding to invest in this special add-on:

The Value of a Site Visit


This has been a very difficult year, and while sales numbers may be down, incentives are more important than ever to keep employee morale up.  Although you may not be thinking about a trip anytime soon, this information will be helpful whenever you do start planning again. 

Technology Solutions for Incentive Travel


How to streamline your next incentive trip

It’s 2020 and the days of mailing invitations and President’s Club packages to employees' homes are long gone. Especially in the current climate, the need for connectedness and communication is more important than ever. A good tech solution is essential for a successful incentive trip, but what are the key components that will benefit your event?

Photo by William Iven

Establishing the "vision" for your incentive trip


Incentive trips are meant to reward employees and boost positive team energy. Now more than ever, it's crucial to keep employee morale as high as possible. Our world has changed drastically this year and if you've been lucky enough to keep your sales team on, you'll probably be planning incentives for them in the near future for having weathered the worst of it. Eventually, you will start re-establishing the reward structure that works for your company, even if it may look a little different than before. 

We hope this information will be helpful in planning your company's next trip. 

Two luxury golf retreats: Montage Palmetto Bluff vs The Sanctuary at Kiawah island


While we may not be traveling again just yet, it's never too early to start thinking about your company's next incentive trip. For those looking for a virtual escape, this could be the perfect time to start researching ideas for next year's trip!

Today, we're highlighting two of the leaders in the five star golf retreat space: Montage Palmetto Bluff and The Sanctuary at Kiawah Island. Both are great options for corporate retreats, board meetings, or smaller incentive trips, as long as the events are mainly centered around golf. If golf isn't your trip's main focus, I recommend looking elsewhere as there is very limited nightlife in the surrounding areas. For those focused purely on golf or meeting space with five star service, these options could be the perfect fit for your next event.

Montage Palmetto Bluff, South Carolina (200 rooms; opened in 2016).
The Montage is the main hotel located in Palmetto Bluff with 200 hotel rooms, a spa, two small pool areas, and 16,000 square feet of meeting space. The Montage also manages a handful of large resort homes/villas that can be rented through the hotel. May River Golf Club is a 5-minute golf cart ride away and guests staying at the Montage have access to tee times at the course (caddy required). 

What is CSR and should we be including it on our next company trip?


CSR stands for corporate social responsibility and is a great piece to add to your next sales kickoff or incentive program. It’s an opportunity for your company to give back to the community through local or global charitable organizations.

Navigating Coronavirus in the travel industry

As we try to manage the fallout from the ongoing COVID-19 crisis, we are also focusing on what we can learn from this devastating situation. Though we obviously hope we never have to face another crisis like this, it's always important to be prepared for the unexpected.