What It Really Takes to Plan an Incentive That Lands

3 Takeaways from Ashley Ronkowski on the Beyond the BEO Podcast (Ep. 67)

Incentive events are one of the most talked-about — and least understood — tools in the corporate events toolkit. They're not trade shows. You can't count leads coming out of them. And yet when they're done right, they can do more for retention, culture, and team performance than almost anything else a company invests in.

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On episode 67 of Beyond the BEO, host Shanondoah Nicholson sat down with our own Ashley Ronkowski to unpack what it actually takes to plan an incentive that lands. Whether you're a first-time planner or a seasoned pro, these three takeaways are worth revisiting.

1. Stop Thinking ROI — Start Thinking ROE

One of the first questions planners face with incentive events: how do you justify the spend when there's no pipeline number to point to? Ashley's answer is to reframe the conversation entirely.

"When you're talking a sales kickoff or an incentive trip, those are internal events, and you're looking to have return on the engagement or the experience from your attendees." — Ashley Ronkowski, Beyond the BEO Ep. 67

Ashley picked up the term "return on engagement" at a SITE Minnesota conference, and it stuck. The concept isn't entirely different from traditional ROI — it's just pointed inward. When employees have a meaningful experience alongside their executive leadership team, they come back more motivated and more bought in.

Her advice: start every incentive planning conversation with goals and objectives even if they look different from a typical event brief. And keep this in mind: it's a lot more affordable to retain top talent than it is to find new talent.

2. The Best Incentives Make People Feel Truly Seen

What separates a forgettable trip from one people talk about for years? According to Ashley, it comes down to whether attendees feel like their whole selves were considered — not just their job title.

"You don't just show up by yourself. Most people have somebody else in the background that is helping them succeed." — Ashley Ronkowski, Beyond the BEO Ep. 67

When a company invites spouses, partners, or even children into an incentive experience, it changes the entire emotional weight of the event. Suddenly the company isn't just thanking an employee; it's acknowledging the whole support system behind them. That's a message that sticks.

Ashley also highlights the value of face time with executives — something that gets harder as companies scale. Incentives create a rare, natural environment where a top performer can actually connect with company leadership. That connection, she says, is what drives business forward long after the trip ends.

3. Great Incentives Don't Require a Private Jet

With budgets tighter than ever, the good news is you don't need to fly everyone to the Maldives to deliver something that matters. What you do need is intention.

"I challenge every planner to think — you could host an incentive in any city and figure out ways to make it elevate. It's not always about being the most branded. It's about giving people something that they're not going to do on their own." — Ashley Ronkowski, Beyond the BEO Ep. 67

One of Ashley's favorite examples: a CEO who promised his BDR team a lobster lunch if they hit their targets. He bought the lobsters at the grocery store, had them steamed on-site, and showed up with bibs and crackers. More than a decade later, the team still talks about it.

She also addresses planning incentives in the wake of layoffs, a reality many companies are navigating right now. Her take: canceling the event isn't the answer. Getting people together is even more important when trust is fragile.

And when it's all over? Ask your people what they actually want. Ashley's team uses post-event surveys not just to improve logistics, but to let attendees shape future experiences. Because at the end of the day, it sends an important message to your MVPs: we heard you, we're listening, your voice matters. And that, she says, is a lot of what people want from their companies.

Listen to the podcast here: https://open.spotify.com/show/0l3OjPoH7xMGc3GRiPfoav