For marketers, often an untapped resource lies within the hidden strategies of the company’s employee referral marketing. Collectively, there lies a wealth of knowledge within the workforce that can serve as a resource for lead generation and, ultimately, increased sales.

The trick, however, is to get this untapped wealth engaged. An easy and cost-effective way to do that is by using an employee referral program.

Gamification refers to applying game-design thinking to non-game applications to make them more engaging. Industry moguls call it “employee referral marketing.”

There are many reasons why a company would consider implementing a gamification campaign. For starters, experts say Gen Y has grown up with the language and metaphors of games, including competition, real-time feedback, and goal setting. To mimic that in the workplace is only natural.

Today’s workplace focus should be on measuring productivity and motivating employees. Gamification can help with both.

“Gamification can and will increase employee engagement,” said Ashish Mohole, an executive with NextBee, an industry leader in gamification. “Successful employee referral programs provide challenges for employees to accomplish while tracking progress and, in the end, rewarding them for their efforts.”

Here are three things employers can do to ensure a successful campaign:

Drive online community engagement – If you offer an online community, you want that community to be active. Gamifying the experience can help drive that engagement.

Determine the reward – An excellent way to start with any gamification campaign is by deciding the reward bonuses. Here’s a short list: cash, products, community status in the form of a badge, such as identifying the winner as an “expert,” early access to content, VIP status at events, and even one-on-one time with executives.  

Motivate employees – Gamification has proven incredibly successful with companies motivating employees to take particular actions, such as becoming active on social networks or continuing job training.

By following these tips, an increase in sales and employee productivity is assured. Contact NextBee’s marketing experts to have complete insights about the employee referral solution.