How many companies do you know that could survive without their sales reps? The answer is probably very few. A sales team is the driving force behind most companies – and yours is no exception. It stands to reason that you want to keep your sales reps motivated. This is how to do it:
Create an open corporate culture
Fostering an open corporate culture will indeed have a positive impact on your entire team. But you will mainly see the effects in your sales department, especially where targets are concerned. Targets are often not reached due to fear of failure or stress. Take the steps to create an open corporate culture and give your sales staff the opportunity to talk about their milestones and failures.
Be aware that sales professionals do not shy away from risks. It is therefore up to you to create a corporate culture that gives them the chance to seize opportunities when they appear. It will not take long to see the benefits: your sales team will be encouraged to take a leap into the unknown. Even better: they will be energised by it.
Organise weekly sales meetings
The ultimate motivational tip: hold one sales meeting per week. Discuss what went well during the previous week and what could be improved. Try not to start pointing the finger at specific employees – lend a sympathetic ear to their situation. You can then use the input that you have collected to set new objectives and areas to be worked on over the coming week.
Do not forget to include customer feedback either. This is a perfect indication of the performance of your sales reps.
Look for genuine sources of motivation
Which elements keep your sales staff motivated? Get straight to the point and ask them to do their best. You can also experiment with different bonus systems and extra perks. In the end, you will find out what works best in practice. Money is a major driving factor, though small gifts and vouchers also have the desired effect. Tip: less tangible incentives can also work. Reward high-performing employees with the opportunity to work from home now and again. This may stimulate other employees to go the extra mile.
Spend some time working in sales
What does your sales team encounter at work? How do your sales staff feel? As a manager or CEO, you need to spend some time with your sales team. You can work side by side with them or even call an important customer yourself. One thing is certain: your team will appreciate it.
Provide the tools they need
A lack of leads and a failure to hit targets – due to time-consuming and above all manual processes – are not especially motivating. All it takes to rectify this is to source the right tools for your staff. Give your sales reps worthwhile leads by setting up a marketing automation platform, and provide integrated software solutions that will help them save a lot of time.
Embrace gamification
After a few years, the trend that started in the USA has now hit our shores: more and more companies are taking advantage of gamification. This means that game techniques are used to guide the behaviour of the user. Adopt digital leaderboards and achievement badges to foster a sense of competition among your sales team and to keep them motivated.
Want to know more about how to keep your sales team motivated? This white paper sets out the seven most common issues along with the solutions.
