Based on the results of its 2011 Enterprise Engagement Alliance Networking Conference and Expo, the EEA has decided to separate its Enterprise Engagement Curriculum and Certification education program from its Rewards and Recognition Networking Expo in 2012.

The 2012 Rewards and Recognition Networking Expo will provide a unique opportunity for buyers and sellers of rewards and recognition to do business and discuss new ways to advance the effective use of rewards and recognition in an intimate, highly interactive format.

The EEA Enterprise Engagement curriculum will be marketed separately through a webinar program and live sessions in conjunction with business conference organizer marcus evans starting in September 2011, sponsored by leading incentive companies and other companies.

Similar… but Different

The 2011 event in June clearly showed that those who attended the education conference to learn about the strategic deployment of engagement, loyalty and performance improvement efforts are for the most part not the same attendees who can benefit from a detailed dialog between buyers and suppliers in the rewards and recognition sector.

Conversations with exhibitors and buyers at this year’s event, as well as post-event surveys, found high interest in focusing the Networking Expo on increasing the dialog between attendees and exhibitors to take advantage of trends favoring greater use of noncash rewards.

New research presented by the Incentive Research Foundation at the event on the impact of noncash rewards vs. cash rewards identified significant opportunities for brands, gift cards and other noncash rewards suppliers to demonstrate their value in the engagement process, and thereby increase the size of the business for all involved. The research shows that noncash rewards can have a direct impact on results through their power to foster greater communication and engagement.

Two separate surveys of leading brands/incentive companies and end-users who attended the Networking Expo found a surprising similarity between the views of suppliers and users of non-cash rewards:

• The vast majority of both audiences (80% of exhibitors, 90% of attendees) like the intimate “conversation” center format and limited number of exhibitors. The format includes multiple social opportunities for people to network and is limited in size by the type of venue to maximize quality conversations for all attendees and exhibitors.
• The vast majority (over 70% of attendees and exhibitors) would like us to add interactive education sessions that include brands, incentive companies and end-users in one room to discuss more effective ways to help organizations use noncash rewards.

As a result of these findings, Rewards and Recognition Networking Expo, to be held in the same general time period in 2011, will incorporate an interactive education program for buyers and sellers of rewards and recognition into the show format to focus on how the industry’s players can work together to make these programs as effective as possible for corporate end-users, maximize the impact on program participants and their engagement, loyalty and performance.

In order to ensure the intimate format, the Rewards and Recognition Networking Expo will continue to limit the number of sponsors to ensure an optimal dialog between buyers and sellers.

Stay tuned for more information to follow shortly related to specific dates and other information.

Related articles

• Whether Strategic or Tactical – Engagement is About Relationships (enterpriseengagement.org)
• 7 Important Outcomes From the Recent EEA Expo and Networking Event (enterpriseengagement.org)
• Engagement Firm Runs “Most Engaged Workplace” Competition (enterpriseengagement.org)