84%
84% of businesses use non‑cash incentives.
—Incentive Federation, Marketplace Research Study
Manufacturers
Channel Incentive Programs Built for Manufacturers
From internal sales teams to distributor reps and contractors. Push and pull incentive strategies that influence behavior at every point where buying decisions are made.
Manufacturers Succeed When the Right People Take the Right Actions
Manufacturers rely on a complex network of sales teams, distributors, dealers, contractors, and customers to drive growth. We understand that motivating those audiences takes more than a one-size-fits-all incentive. Each plays a different role in the buying journey, which means the right channel incentive program needs to reach the right people, encourage the right behaviors, and keep them engaged over time.
That’s why Next Level builds programs around the way manufacturers actually go to market. From increasing product knowledge and distributor mindshare to generating contractor demand and accelerating adoption, we combine strategy, technology, communications, rewards, and measurement to create programs aligned with your channel and business goals.
The Data Tells the Story
Data reinforces what manufacturers are seeing across the channel: well‑designed incentive programs drive focus, alignment, and measurable performance.
83%
83% of manufacturers report increased investment in channel incentive and partner loyalty programs compared to the previous year.
—Demand Gen Report, State of Channel Incentive and Partner Loyalty Programs in the Manufacturing Industry
44%
Non-cash incentives can increase performance by up to 44%, compared to cash rewards alone.
—Incentive Research Foundation
How Our Programs Influence Performance Across the Channel
Push Incentives
Motivate the people selling and recommending your products. Support distributor reps, dealers, and sales teams with incentives tied to priority products, sales goals, and the behaviors that drive growth.
Pull Incentives
Create demand with the people choosing and using your products. Engage contractors, customers, and other end users with incentives that build product preference and encourage purchase.
Product Knowledge
Give channel partners more reasons to understand and recommend your products. Use training, education, and targeted incentives to build confidence around priority products and strengthen recommendations at the point of sale.
Coordinated strategies
Bring push and pull together around shared business goals. Connect audiences, communications, incentives, and rewards within a coordinated channel incentive program built around the way your products move through the market.
Channel Incentives in Action
A Next Level global manufacturer client uses a coordinated push and pull loyalty strategy to influence behavior across its entire sales channel.
Distributor Sales Representatives earn rewards for promoting priority products. Contractors earn points for purchasing and requesting those products by name. Together, these incentives target key pressure points where recommendations and purchase decisions are made.
A centralized sales loyalty platform allows the manufacturer to manage multiple audiences within a single program. Participants can track progress, receive targeted communications, and engage with rewards that reinforce ongoing participation and focus on priority products
Proven Solutions Built Around Your Channel Strategy
Check out three proven solutions that can take your loyalty and incentive program above and beyond.
Amplify® for Ongoing Channel Programs
Designed for manufacturers running channel partner programs, Amplify supports coordinated push and pull incentive strategies across distributors, dealers, and customers. It helps align behavior from recommendation to purchase.
As a configurable incentive and loyalty platform, Amplify brings campaigns, communications, rewards, and reporting into one central hub.
Learn more about how to keep channel incentive programs engaging over time.
Three ways manufacturers can use Amplify:
- Campaigns
Drive focused action around specific sales priorities. Run targeted promotions around priority products, launches, sales goals, or strategic initiatives, with communications and rewards designed around the audiences you need to influence. - Gamification
Create momentum around the behaviors that matter. Use challenges, progress, recognition, and friendly competition to keep sales teams and channel partners engaged with program goals. - Training & Learn and Earn
Build the product knowledge that supports sales. Connect learning with incentives to encourage participants to complete training, strengthen product knowledge, and become more confident recommending priority products.
Incentive Travel for High‑Value Channel Loyalty and Recognition
For manufacturers, incentive travel plays a strategic role in reinforcing loyalty at the highest levels of the channel.
Group incentive travel brings top performers, partners, and key customers together. It goes beyond recognition by reinforcing priority behaviors, strengthening direct relationships with your brand, and creating lasting motivation that supports long-term growth.
When incentive travel is the best choice for manufacturer loyalty:
- Presidents Club and top‑tier sales recognition
- Channel partner incentive programs and distributor incentive programs for manufacturers
- Strategic product launches or multi‑year growth initiatives
- Strengthening executive‑level relationships with key partners and customers
Turnkey Rewards for Immediate Channel Engagement
Great Rewards® gives manufacturers a flexible way to deliver timely recognition for shorter campaigns, events, milestones, and other moments when immediate rewards make sense.
Turnkey immediate solutions work well to:
- Deliver immediate recognition at in-person sales functions or events
- Run short‑term sales or channel incentive campaigns
- Supplement ongoing loyalty programs with flexible rewards
- Recognize multiple channel audiences quickly and easily
Next Level Intel Hub: Manufacturing Incentive Trends & Insights
Explore research and perspectives on the issues shaping manufacturer incentive strategies, from channel partner engagement and program design to incentive travel, measurement, and ROI. Updated regularly, the hub brings the latest thinking together in one place.
Helpful Resources from our Sales Incentive & Loyalty Experts
Better Channel Incentives Start with Smarter Partner Segmentation
Learn why distributors, dealers, and contractors require different incentive strategies, and how better segmentation can improve program relevance.
The 5-Step Framework Behind High-Performing B2B Channel Loyalty Programs
Explore a practical framework for setting goals, segmenting channel partners, designing incentives, driving participation, and measuring performance.
Nine Ways to Build Manufacturer Loyalty
Explore practical ways to strengthen manufacturer loyalty across customers, contractors, and channel partners.
Supporting Tools for Manufacturer Sales Incentive Programs
We offer a full suite of services and tools that help drive and sustain channel loyalty program performance.
Frequently Asked Questions About Channel Incentive Programs for Manufacturers
Ready to Motivate Your Channel?
Let’s build a program around your channel, your audiences, and the behaviors that can help move your business forward.