The Rule of Seven is an old marketing adage that suggests in order for your message to have impact your audience needs to be exposed to that message at least seven times before they take action. Of course, like EVERYTHING in the world, it is an adage. Not an immutable fact. So, don’t go all Congressional on me.

The point is this.

You will see me post more than once on the same thing. You will be witness to the Rule of 7.

Except I have updated that with the Incentive Intelligence factor and now suggest that you have to multiply 7 by 11 to be effective in today’s super-saturated communication world. The rule of 7 may have made sense when there were 3 TV channels and only Ask Jeeves for a search engine, but today all bets are off.

Rule of 7 Come 11

The thing I’m communicating AGAIN today is to remind you your idea of motivation is irrelevant when designing an incentive program. What you like, what motivates you, what you’ve been successful earning in the past, doesn’t matter. Not.At.All.

Stop saying things like “I like, …” or “I remember when I earned…”

Those are your opinions and you are not like everyone else. Sure, there is overlap – we are all humans (maybe?). But the best programs suppose everyone is different, and everyone be considered.

So. Today’s expression of the Rule of 7 Come 11 – don’t design the program you like.

Design the program that is based on research and probabilities of success.

I’m sorry but front row tickets to a Taylor Hicks concert just aren’t that special.

Taylor Hicks American Idol audition. Click through if you can’t see the link in the email. Quality is poor.