Incentives & Contests
About the Course
Incentives and contests can be powerful tools to motivate your team, boost engagement, and drive results—but only if they’re done right. In this session, Patrick Downey shares lessons learned from years of experience, covering the dos and don’ts of running successful incentive programs. Whether you’re managing an at-need funeral home staff or a preneed sales team, you’ll discover how to structure contests that inspire rather than backfire. Learn how to align incentives with your team culture, budget effectively, and ensure your contests drive meaningful business outcomes.
Key Takeaways
Incentives & Contests Can Boost Engagement – Well-designed incentive programs can create a fun, motivating culture that drives positive results, whether in service quality or sales performance.
Not All Contests Work – Some incentives can backfire if they create unintended competition or negative consequences. It’s important to consider the team dynamic before launching a contest.
Start with Clear Objectives – Define what you want to achieve, whether it's more positive reviews, increased revenue, or better team collaboration. Align incentives with these goals.
Budget Matters – Exciting contests are great, but they must be financially sustainable. Plan incentives carefully to avoid overspending.
Different Incentives for Different Teams – At-need staff may respond well to recognition-based incentives, while sales teams often benefit from performance-based rewards.
Recognizing the Right Activities is Key – Rewarding positive customer interactions, completed presentations, or above-and-beyond service moments ensures incentives drive meaningful business impact.
Peer Recognition Can Be Powerful – Encouraging team members to nominate each other for exceptional service fosters a culture of appreciation and accountability.
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About the CXpert
Patrick Downey
Patrick has over 40 years of experience in the cemetery and funeral profession. He has worked in top sales leadership and management roles, building and developing successful sales and marketing programs for multiple cemetery and funeral firms. He also serves funeral and cemetery clients across the country as an independent sales training and coaching consultant.
Patrick is a past President of ICCFA and past Chancellor of ICCFA University, and continues to lead classes in the J. Asher Neel College of Sales and Marketing. He was awarded the honorary degree, Doctor of University, in 2019. His passion continues to be teaching, training, and coaching sales professionals and sales leaders in cemetery and funeral services.