In the film Glengarry Glen Ross, Alec Baldwin uses an extreme “carrot and stick” approach to fire up his beleagured sales team. He offers them a three-tiered reward plan: First prize, a Cadillac El Dorado; second prize, a set of steak knives; and third “prize,” termination.
While not recommended as a motivational strategy, it does point out the importance of being number one, of surviving in the sales game, and of being nothing less than the top dog in sales.
Being a sales manager in these tough economic times can be a real challenge. The competition for customers is fierce and sales organizations across the country are pulling out all the stops to motivate their sales teams just to meet quotas. Like sharks in the ocean, you keep moving or die.
So how do you put the fire into the bellies of your sales team?
As is the practice in most organizations, the sales commission is the motivator that dovetails the goals of your sales team with that of your department or division to move product. But some sales commission plans may not motivate employees; others instill poor behaviors that may be at odds with your organization’s culture.
One approach is to offer a variety of commissions to your sales team. While some will prefer cash, others may be more motivated by non-cash incentives. Here, you’ll want to sit down with each member of your sales team to find out what their “carrot” may be. This could include everything from jet skis, a trip to the Bahamas, or even a car. Many sales people, due to family pressures, may be reluctant to buy these things for themselves. Still, other members of your sales team might be motivated by more flexible working conditions—Fridays off, for example.
Besides the carrot-and-stick approach, you need to evaluate each member of your sales team to determine weaknesses and strengths. A recent research study published in the Harvard Business Review observed 800 sales people in live sales meetings. The study revealed that the best sales performers could be divided into three categories: experts, closers and consultants. Researchers found that experts scored high in all critical sales areas; consultants were good listeners and problem solvers; and closers were good at big product sales, but seemed a bit too slick for selling services. Surprisingly, two-thirds of the salespeople were under-performers who could be categorized as “storytellers, focusers, narrators, aggressors and socializers.”
So what can you do to turn your underperformers into rainmakers? Training. You tried that, you say? Maybe you should try a little incentive training. A recent article in Training magazine by Paul Nolan suggests conducting impromptu quizzes and rewarding those who score well with gift cards. Such cards have a higher perceived value, especially in the $50 to $75 range, than cash. The lesson here is that being creative in how you train your sales force can help turn underperformers into stars.
In today’s hyper-competitive market, it’s all about motivating your sales team. Will they go for the steak knives or the El Dorado? The buck stops with you.
Become a member to take advantage of more features, like commenting and voting.
Register or sign in today!