A motivated sales team will enjoy their work more and perform better, that goes without saying. But keeping individuals and the team at large energized is no easy ask and, as a sales manager, you also need to stay driven. That is why we share our best sales motivation tips.
With a sales team who have a positive attitude and are raring to go, you’re bound to see an increased bottom line. Creating a healthy atmosphere where everyone is happy, hungry and pulling in the right direction takes time – and even then, it’s unlikely that every rep will be their best selves day in, day out.
Yet it’s still possible to cultivate an environment that sees your sales reps believing in the cause and coming to work determined to smash monthly targets. Below are some sales motivation tips that will get your team in the mood to win.
Sales Motivation Tip #1 Build Trust
Our first sales motivation tip may sound simplistic, but without trust in your management it will be impossible for your sales team to feel motivated to succeed. Where will their inspiration come from if they don’t think you have their best interests in mind?
You need to build trust with your team and, once gained, maintain that trust. It takes continuous engagement and being transparent with your conversations. Be upfront and talk about potential issues, expectations and how you can work together to achieve goals. Giving clear feedback is a necessary asset to manage your sales team efficiently and keep them motivated.
Sales teams that trust management will feel more comfortable in their working environments. That, in turn, leads to motivated employees who will feel empowered to have open, honest conversations with their managers.
#2 Set Goals
Goals are tangible and provide something for you and your team to focus on and reach for. It’s no good simply setting goals; they need to be achieved to keep everyone in good spirits. Which is why it’s important to set attainable ones.
It all goes back to building trust and setting objectives that your sales team can actually achieve. Start with some short-term goals like successfully qualifying a certain amount of good leads or calling a specific number of prospects per day. Once these have been accomplished and your team feel confident and inspired, move onto longer-term or more ambitious goals.
Some of these might include aiming to turn a percentage qualified leads into customers, or targeting and converting larger organizations. Setting goals is important for laying the foundations, while achieving them will help boost the team’s the mood significantly.
3 # Focus on the Activity
There is no denying that sales is results-oriented, but sometimes focusing on the outcome alone causes more stress than joy. While the metrics of “sale” or “no sale” are black and white, how the buyer comes to their decision is often anything but.
Instead, concentrate on the sales inputs that, if done correctly, should bear the best results for you and your team. For example, you can advise on the amount of sales calls your team makes each day, knowing that the right percentage should equate to a certain number of conversions.
Relay this mindset to your sales team, and there is every chance that the overall atmosphere will be a positive one. If they know which sales actions require their attention, they will be more inclined to attack their approach to selling with more positivity.
#4 Boss or Buddy?
In an ideal world, you want a friendly atmosphere and team members who respect you but are not afraid to voice their opinions in a professional manner. What you don’t want is a team that performs for you out of fear or, at the opposite end of the spectrum, one that lacks respect.
One way of creating a positive atmosphere is by giving your employees ownership over their tasks. Empower each member to feel like they are a strong asset to the team and they will show more enthusiasm for their roles.
Look to delegate responsibility among your team, showing them that you have trust in their abilities. If you have successfully constructed a strong sales team, you should feel confident to give them leadership on certain tasks.
#5 Involve Other Departments
A happy sales team is a reflection of a larger united company atmosphere, which will obviously incorporate other departments. If your organization has dedicated areas—marketing, customers success, tech—increasing cross-team communication should create a more buoyant atmosphere.
If there is increased dialogue between different departments, there is less chance of a breakdown in communications and blame being thrown about. Each team will be more aware of their responsibilities, which should create more cohesion.
An example might be your customer success team being overloaded with response times, or the marketing team not finding enough qualified leads—if everyone is aware of the challenges other departments are facing, they are more likely to pull in the right direction to help solve them. The overall mood should be more positive and motivated as a result.
#6 Positive Comments
Positive feedback is missing from many workplaces. When people don’t do their job well, they are quick to hear about it. But when they perform, praise isn’t forthcoming.
While there’s no need for constant validation, team member who don’t feel appreciated for their good work will feel like they aren’t valued. This can lead to demotivation and even a drop in performance.
When your team achieve their targets or perform admirably, make sure you are vocal with your praise. In our recent interview with Glenn Gillam, Business Manager at Green & Co Insurance, he said that regularly praising his team has led to a significant increase in moral.
#7 Reward Success
It’s one thing acknowledging when your team have performed admirably; it’s another to reward their success. While most organizations have one or two team-building days per year, not enough businesses incorporate continuous rewards.
There’s no need to break the budget, providing commission on every sale made. Instead, look to get creative and offer small incentives that make reps more motivated to hit even their smaller targets.
One option might be to offer to take tasks off their hand they dislike for a day or week. Ask your team what cost-free rewards they would like to see implemented. If you listen to their answers, there’s every chance that it will motivate them to succeed.
Motivation All Round
With these tips, you are well on your way to creating a sales team that stays hungry and wants to do well—not just for themselves, but also for the company. A happy, motivated team lends itself to a progressive and vibrant culture which helps boost sales productivity, exceed targets and close more deals.
