ATD Blog
6 Ways You Can Motivate Your Sales Team
Tue Feb 16 2021
Brought to you by
Content
Sales leaders want their salespeople to be motivated about the sales goal, work toward that achievement, and go the extra mile to reach beyond it. The hard part is identifying the motivation. There are many obstacles to overcome when influencing others through what motivates them.
Sales leaders want their salespeople to be motivated about the sales goal, work toward that achievement, and go the extra mile to reach beyond it. The hard part is identifying the motivation. There are many obstacles to overcome when influencing others through what motivates them.
Content
First of all, everyone has different motivations. Secondly, those motivations—and the accompanying intensity—can change quickly. You may feel charged up and ready to face any challenge your job offers after a raise, bonus, or some other form of positive recognition, but that intense drive may not be there all the time.
First of all, everyone has different motivations. Secondly, those motivations—and the accompanying intensity—can change quickly. You may feel charged up and ready to face any challenge your job offers after a raise, bonus, or some other form of positive recognition, but that intense drive may not be there all the time.
Content
Additionally, although motivations vary between people and can change within the salesperson, there are usually one (or two) dominant motivating factors that drives an employee.
Additionally, although motivations vary between people and can change within the salesperson, there are usually one (or two) dominant motivating factors that drives an employee.
Content
To be a successful sales leader, you must be adept at identifying dominant motivations and recognizing motivation signals. Six common factors motivate salespeople are:
To be a successful sales leader, you must be adept at identifying dominant motivations and recognizing motivation signals. Six common factors motivate salespeople are:
Content
Money
Money
Content
Opportunity
Opportunity
Content
Teamwork
Teamwork
Content
Independence
Independence
Content
Visibility
Visibility
Content
Excellence
Excellence
Content
MOTIVE is an acronym for remembering the sales motivators.
MOTIVE is an acronym for remembering the sales motivators.
Money
Content
Money, or what money can buy, is important to most salespeople. Other motivators may be equally or more important. Ways to impact money as a motivator include:
Money, or what money can buy, is important to most salespeople. Other motivators may be equally or more important. Ways to impact money as a motivator include:
Content
Relating sales results to money
Relating sales results to money
Content
Setting up special incentives for superior performance
Setting up special incentives for superior performance
Content
Discussing and reinforcing personal and financial goals for the future
Discussing and reinforcing personal and financial goals for the future
Opportunity
Content
What constitutes an opportunity varies from person to person. However, motivational opportunities usually fall into the categories of challenges or the possibility of improving one’s situation on the job or in life in general. Ways to create opportunities include:
What constitutes an opportunity varies from person to person. However, motivational opportunities usually fall into the categories of challenges or the possibility of improving one’s situation on the job or in life in general. Ways to create opportunities include:
Content
Showing how success leads to advancement
Showing how success leads to advancement
Content
Providing for career pathing (where possible)
Providing for career pathing (where possible)
Content
Delegating responsibilities that prepare the person for a future role within the organization
Delegating responsibilities that prepare the person for a future role within the organization
Teamwork
Content
The nature of a sales position attracts people who are independent and prefer working by themselves. However, many salespeople do not fit into that stereotypical image. They are motivated by the social aspects of being part of a team and contributing to that team’s success. If you identify this motivator as a factor for several of your salespeople, you may:
The nature of a sales position attracts people who are independent and prefer working by themselves. However, many salespeople do not fit into that stereotypical image. They are motivated by the social aspects of being part of a team and contributing to that team’s success. If you identify this motivator as a factor for several of your salespeople, you may:
Content
Hold frequent sales meetings or social functions.
Hold frequent sales meetings or social functions.
Content
Involve them in team projects.
Involve them in team projects.
Content
Use teamwork and related ideas in your speech.
Use teamwork and related ideas in your speech.
Content
Build-in team incentives.
Build-in team incentives.
Independence
Content
Some salespeople are motivated when left on their own. This involves empowerment, independence, and freedom, enhancing feelings of power and control. This motivator should not be ignored or minimized because people belong to a team. Instead, use it to motivate your salespeople to be successful.
Some salespeople are motivated when left on their own. This involves empowerment, independence, and freedom, enhancing feelings of power and control. This motivator should not be ignored or minimized because people belong to a team. Instead, use it to motivate your salespeople to be successful.
Content
You can:
You can:
Content
Delegate special projects or assignments (and then keep your hands off).
Delegate special projects or assignments (and then keep your hands off).
Content
Provide added responsibilities and authority (as it’s earned).
Provide added responsibilities and authority (as it’s earned).
Content
Have the salesperson conduct a segment of a sales meeting or lead the entire meeting.
Have the salesperson conduct a segment of a sales meeting or lead the entire meeting.
Visibility
Content
Recognition, approval, or a need to stand out from the crowd drives some salespeople. Whereas opportunity comes from internal recognition of achievements, visibility involves recognition from others. When a salesperson is motivated by visibility:
Recognition, approval, or a need to stand out from the crowd drives some salespeople. Whereas opportunity comes from internal recognition of achievements, visibility involves recognition from others. When a salesperson is motivated by visibility:
Content
Give them lots of approval for even small accomplishments.
Give them lots of approval for even small accomplishments.
Content
Applaud successes with a personal note and publicize it to salesforce or upper management.
Applaud successes with a personal note and publicize it to salesforce or upper management.
Content
Be sure the salesperson knows accomplishments are recognized.
Be sure the salesperson knows accomplishments are recognized.
Excellence
Content
An excellence-motivated person wants to excel at what he does. This person takes great pride in achieving or surpassing personal and professional expectations.
An excellence-motivated person wants to excel at what he does. This person takes great pride in achieving or surpassing personal and professional expectations.
Content
The key to motivating this person is in a behavioral theory called the Pygmalion effect (or self-fulfilling prophecy). This theory states that your confidence in a person’s abilities will unconsciously be communicated to them via body language, actions, tone, and verbal interactions.
The key to motivating this person is in a behavioral theory called the Pygmalion effect (or self-fulfilling prophecy). This theory states that your confidence in a person’s abilities will unconsciously be communicated to them via body language, actions, tone, and verbal interactions.
Content
If you’re convinced that your salespeople are capable of achieving their goals and letting them know it, this will reinforce their desires and motivation, and they’ll likely achieve and surpass goals. To move the self-fulfilling prophecy in a positive direction, you could:
If you’re convinced that your salespeople are capable of achieving their goals and letting them know it, this will reinforce their desires and motivation, and they’ll likely achieve and surpass goals. To move the self-fulfilling prophecy in a positive direction, you could:
Content
Establish personal and professional development goals and action plans together to enhance confidence that the salesperson will be able to fulfill them.
Establish personal and professional development goals and action plans together to enhance confidence that the salesperson will be able to fulfill them.
Content
Try to build on strengths.
Try to build on strengths.
Content
Ignore minor mistakes.
Ignore minor mistakes.
Content
Congratulate people on their achievements and progress toward goals.
Congratulate people on their achievements and progress toward goals.
Content
We all are motivated by different factors, including salespeople. Identifying these factors using the MOTIVE acronym and managing those factors is crucial for a sales leader to maximize their team’s potential.
We all are motivated by different factors, including salespeople. Identifying these factors using the MOTIVE acronym and managing those factors is crucial for a sales leader to maximize their team’s potential.