Gamification is a trend you’ve probably heard about but it’s one that hasn’t really taken hold in the chamber world because most people see the cost as prohibitive. However, the reality of gamification is that a lot of groups are doing it and they don’t even realize it.
Were you ever a boy scout or a girl scout? Did you accomplish certain activities or master skills? Did you receive a badge for your efforts? You took part in a gamified experience.
Do you ever select a certain airline or hotel brand to use on trips because you get points and are hoping to “level” up to a more valued level of service? Your purchases have been motivated by gamification.
Did you ever see your name on the teacher’s list with a number of stars next to it and looked for ways to increase the amount of stars you had? Gamification, again.
How Chambers are Using Gamification
Some membership management software includes basic gamification features that you can employ to motivate your members to perform certain activities that you’ve deemed valuable. Lauding their efforts publicly in a visual way, such as badges in an online community, inspires members to act in the way you’re hoping they will in order to find more value in the membership experience.
While that’s one way to use gamification, the most common way for chambers is through awarding points for activity among ambassadors. Points alone aren’t valuable. It’s what you can do with the points that makes them desired. Here are a few ideas to make points more valuable in your ambassadors’ eyes:
Save them up for discounts to chamber events or free tickets for a friend.
Allow them to level up to higher tiers that are associated with something valuable. Look at how airlines or hotels use them. Free beverage coupons, swag, etc.
Award ambassadors with physical representations of their efforts that they can only get through points. This could be through special badges, t-shirts, pins, etc. The more unique the item, the more desired it will become, particularly if there’s only one way to earn them.
The opportunities for using gamification with your ambassadors are vast and they don’t have to be online, although it’s pretty cool when it is. Just keep in mind that in order to motivate someone to perform a desired action you need:
- Recognition to be public and visual (thanking them in person is not the same thing). Everyone needs to see it.
- Rewards must be consistent and recipients must understand how they achieve them.
- You must have opportunities to level up and advance that are easy enough to obtain in the beginning so ambassadors don’t get discouraged, and then become progressively harder.
Keep these things in mind and you’ll have a winning gamification program that motivates your desired behavior and excites those taking part in it.
Want more? Get our comprehensive guide to building a strong chamber ambassadors program here.
Want even more?
Here is a free chamber-specific resource for you…
