5 Fundamental Methods to Motivate a Sales Team

5-fundamental-methods-to-motivate-a-sales-teamIt has been said that everyone is selling something, whether they realize it or not. This seems to imply that selling should come naturally, since it’s such a big part of life. Unfortunately, this isn’t always the case. Any salesperson can tell you how hard it can be to maintain a positive attitude while struggling to meet their goals.

Here are 5 ways to fire up your sales team:

 

1.) Make it Exciting

It’s easy to become discouraged when you’re working in sales. Spending long hours at the mercy of a power dialer can take a toll on the most seasoned salespeople. The resulting low-energy can quickly spread from one team member to another, especially during slow seasons. Motivating any sales force requires cultivating and maintaining a sense of excitement for the coming payoff.

Starting each morning off energetically will set the tone for the rest of the day and encourage your team to keep it going. If they’re excited enough, they’ll go out of their way to make more calls and engage more deeply with each client, which will likely bring greater results.

 

2.) Lead by Example

As a leader, your team looks to you to show them how it’s done. It’s your responsibility to do your job to the best of your abilities and demonstrate this exceptional service to others. Teach your team to treat their clients like royalty by doing so yourself. Always maintain high standards with regard to your attitude and appearance. This professionalism will rub off on your staff and be visible to all your clientele.

 

3.) Weekly Meetings

Weekly meetings are a great way to get your team to interact, discuss the events of the previous week and talk about areas that need improvement. Sharing ideas as a group allows veteran salespeople to share what they’ve learned with those who are less experienced. You can also use this opportunity to recognize the previous week’s top performers and ask them to discuss any strategies or techniques they think may have helped them do better.

Remember that you are a team and it’s up to you to remind them to work as a team. Part of this entails helping struggling members figure out how to improve their own game.

 

4.) Incentives

The biggest motivating factor for virtually any sales team is money. Nothing beats knowing that your hard work is paying off in cold, hard cash. Think about ways to offer substantial commissions to whichever member of the team contributed the most to getting the job done. Bonuses based on performance are always great ideas, at least for top performers. This will inspire competition, as each member pushes themselves to go further than the others, closing out as many sales as possible.

 

5.) Consult Your Team

Finally, take the time to ask your team members what they think would motivate them. You can try all sorts of different approaches, but none of them will work if they’re not what your people want.

In many cases, cash will be the top choice. But you can also give away luxurious prizes that they may be reluctant to spend cash on themselves, given the opportunity. If the job involves long hours, an opportunity to telecommute one day a week may be a popular choice. A day off with passes to a golf course or local sporting event may also resonate with team members.

The more time someone spends at work, the more the pressure they’re likely to feel. They’re not only trying to meet their weekly sales goals, but also trying to make ends meet at home. While this might sound like a bad thing, highly motivated team members are able to use this as fuel to push them onward. Try implementing the tips above and tweaking them to fit the needs of your team and your organization.

Kevin Faber
 

Kevin Faber has been in the commercial finance and banking industry for most of his professional life. He graduated at UC Davis with a B.A. in Business/Managerial Economics. His experience in credit analysis, finance, and management led him to be the founder of Silver Summit Capital. He enjoys working in the financing industry and building connections with industry leaders.