A sales manager's job is to continually seek out new ways to motivate their staff. People working in this sector are subject to certain pressures, such as reaching certain sales quotas, market changes and new territories. If your goal is to create a more motivating workspace, recognize that you have the ability to improve the professional environment and increase your employees' sales. An effective motivation consists in fair parts of support, recognition and reward. Learn to listen to your team's needs and adapt accordingly to their goals and priorities. Read on to learn more.
Steps
Method 1 of 2: Improve the Work Environment
Step 1. Schedule regular meetings with the sales staff
Instead of focusing on what they are doing wrong, have these private meetings with each employee to talk about concerns, stressors, and problems in the work environment. This way, you will likely be able to grasp the difficulties before they affect sales and related quotas, provided you try to find a solution to the work pressure.
During these meetings with your employees, ask them what motivates them. You may find that some respond well to monetary rewards, while others respond to promotions or a supportive work environment. Take notes about what motivates each person
Step 2. Train your salespeople
There are several ways to plan training in order to increase motivation.
- Assign a few salespeople to train others. This is an excellent way to recognize your employees' special abilities and to encourage interaction. Ask the salesperson to cut out a few hours from their usual assignments in order to organize an hour-long training session on a topic they excel at.
- Plan a business outing. Use your contacts to find a manager who is willing to show you how his sales team works, choose one who is successful. You could opt for a place that offers a different product or service than yours. For example, if your team needs to be more aggressive, take them to a conference where they can observe someone selling a product by convincing the buyer with a 30-second speech in an elevator. Upon return, ask your employees to write a new introductory speech.
- Choose an external consultant to train your salespeople. Determine very carefully who will take care of it. Make sure he is an expert, has excellent time management skills and is able to add a good mood to the training. Sessions should be short and include a period of practice with the invitee.
- Find a mentor to train younger salespeople. This can help newly hired staff get used to the pains of work as well. Offer mentors incentives if new employees meet their sales goals. This is a great option for a workplace that requires a strong team to be implemented.
Step 3. Invest in new sales tools
Make sure your customer service management promotes the sales environment instead of being a deterrent. A useful tool for sending reports, mass emails and mobile apps can increase a salesperson's efficiency by supporting sales goals and motivation.
Most new websites and customer service management require a training period. They may be easier for some sellers to learn than for others. Make sure that adoption of the tool is scheduled for a low-stress period of the season
Method 2 of 2: Motivational Strategies
Step 1. Customize the motivational plan for each employee
If you have the ability to regulate the granting of incentives, use them. Each person is motivated differently, so pick one or three things that will help them work harder and write them down.
Step 2. Create a reasonable and effective commission structure
If few of the salespeople meet the required sales quotas, you should reward them in a way that motivates other employees. Reconsider your commission or odds total, arranging them at different levels if the market has seen a fall or rise in these amounts during a boom.
Step 3. Implement daily, weekly and monthly incentives
Offering a trip, a day off, a solid coupon, coffee, free meals, or a gym or club membership for those who have made the most sales in a week will encourage staff to give it their all. These bonuses can also help sellers meet their higher odds by helping them reach milestones throughout the season.
Incentives also increase friendly competition. Competing on a daily basis to gain new customers and retain them can encourage salespeople to do their best. Let the value of incentives increase friendly competition, but don't promote sabotage
Step 4. Set a personal goal
Keeping in mind what motivates each employee, opt for an incentive that applies to their desires to make them work better. For example, if you know a salesperson has an anniversary, offer them two extra days of paid vacation if it fulfills their purpose.
Step 5. Encourage a suitable environment for a team
Salespeople can often feel like they are alone as they work straight towards a certain goal. Create an incentive for the team so they are encouraged to help each other and share knowledge for a common purpose.
Step 6. Acknowledge the achievements of sellers
The time you take to congratulate someone on their hard work could determine their future commitment to honor their dues. Consider these recognition strategies.
- Congratulate him publicly. Talk about your achievement while meeting with other salespeople. Be as specific as possible about the details of his success. For example, you say “Gianni's ability to win new customers is exceptional. Its procurement rate is the highest in the company, which is why its sales quotas are high. Gianni, can you tell us how you ask someone to promote you to his friends and associates?”.
- Send a letter to this person. Don't wait until the annual reward to recognize his work. Instead, send her a letter telling her she is highly appreciated, adding a gift certificate for her family.
- Introduce this person and the milestones they have achieved to your superiors. Recognition from executives is difficult to achieve, especially if the sales staff are busy. When someone exceeds these goals, arrange a meeting to get to know the boss or invite them to attend a meeting focused on the business strategy.
