Essential Information for Contest Organizers

1. How much do I have to pay up front?
2. How is the winner notified?
3. Why have as many winners as possible?
4. Can I run this contest for both my sales force & my dealers or distributors?
5. Can we have multiple levels of prizes?
6. What if no one wins?
7. What other companies have used The Journeymasters’ programs?
8. How long does it take to set up a program?

1. How much do I have to pay up front?
The answer is you pay nothing up front. We are so confident one of our programs will accomplish the objective you set that we ask for no monies until your contest is finished and you have the list of your people who have achieved their goal. This is one of the best parts of our program. You sign no contract with The Journeymasters. We require no monies until your contest is over and you have reached your objectives.

2. How is the winner notified?
We have a saying at The Journeymasters, "When they award an Oscar do they notify the winner with a post card?" We feel winners are over achievers, extraordinary people. We send a series of three mailings,
1) Winner's Notification Mailing containing: A personalized congratulations letter, the appropriate folder for the level the winner was awarded, A choice form the winner can fill out and mail/fax to us. (Although nowadays we explain it is easier to fill out the choice form on the internet at our Claim Your Award Link.)
2) Travel Document Mailing: All travel documents nicely presented in a four-color travel document holder.
3) A Moment-of-Your-Time Mailing: Sent three days after the winner returns requesting a moment of their time to fill out the (accompanying) survey form. Thus we know how well the winner enjoyed his holiday.

Our "Redeem Team" handles all details, always with respect, always with a smile. Visit About Us to see the Redeem Team.

3. Why have as many winners as possible?
There are two types of contest structures: Open-end and closed-end.
Closed end states e.g., The top ten finishers win.
Advantage to a closed-end contest: The award budget is predictable because the number of winners is predetermined.
Disadvantage to a closed end; (1) Some of the participants will not participate since they know they are not one of the top ten producers. (2) If the 11th, 12th, and 13th contestants are losers by a small margin (e.g. 1%, or 2% or even 5%) these participants will have been "de-motivated," precisely the opposite of the contest objective. With the result that the "de-motivated" people will, in all likelihood not participate wholeheartedly in the next contest.
An open-end contest states that each participant competes only against himself—herself. Their success, or lack thereof, is dependant solely on their performance.

4. Can I run this contest for both my sales force & my dealers or distributors?
It is a positive idea to have both the sales reps and the targeted distributor, dealer, or brokers in the program (with different goals). When the entire distribution channel is moving in the same direction, all exerting together the extra energy to achieve the desired objective, the results will often be beyond expectations. We say that because we have seen it happen repeatedly.
Suggestion: Set the goals for your customers, dealers or distributors, first. Then the goal for the sales force can be if ten, (or five or 12), customers win an award, the sales person wins his or her award.

5. Can we have multiple levels of prizes?
Yes, we urge you do! That is the principle upon which our plateau programs are founded. The greater the achievement of the individual, the richer that person's reward.

Once a participant has reached RUBY, two nights in a luxury hotel plus two airline tickets, it is the most natural thing in the world to attempt to win EMERALD, three nights in a luxury hotel plus two airline tickets, plus $200 hotel credits or a 4 day-3 night cruise. If they liked EMERALD, won’t they like DIAMOND even more? Since DIAMOND is four nights, plus two air tickets, plus $250 in hotel credits or a 5 day-4 night cruise. Just as long as the contest is running, there is always a richer prize to work towards

We learned the secret of the power of the pyramid from a Tupperware program we ran in 1989. We started with one level of reward, The SuperWeekender™, but the Tupperware ladies who won the award early in the contest complained to Tupperware, “Now what?” “Give us a bigger prize, make the goal harder, we don’t care. But we should get something bigger for going so far over goal!” And Tupperware did. We ended with four levels in the contest and over 17% of their 10,000 Managers achieved one of the higher levels by delivering higher production. In the planning stages they would have been satisfied with 20%, their top producers, winning the prize. (The 80/20 rule.) They ended up with 17% of their top producers winning a bigger prize and delivering a higher $ volume than the goal required to win a SuperWeekender™. This success story proved compellingly, The Power of the Pyramid!

6. What if no one wins?
Hardly likely, especially if people consult with one of the motivation experts at The Journeymasters prior to setting the ground rules. However, to answer the question, if no one wins there is no cost. Please see How to Use or call us at 1-800-875-3422.

7. What other companies have used The Journeymasters’ programs?
The companies that use our programs range from Fortune 100 to Fortune 1000. And those who will soon be amongst that elite group. A sampling would be companies like: G.E., Intuit, Boston Scientific, Genworth Financial, AIGIinsurance, Middleby Corporation, American General Life & Accident Insurance and many more. We include a client list at Client List.

8. How long does it take to set up a program?
The program is ready to go, to set it up one needs only a focused objective and an effective set of ground rules. See How to Use for suggestions, or call us at 1-800-875-3422.