The Art of Motivating Salespeople

In the workplace, there are many factors that go into motivating salespeople. What interests some, might not interest others. It is vital for an employer to identify with its employees needs and wants and what is important to them in order to effectively motivate their employers and run their company the best way possible. In an article titled “The Art of Motivating Salespeople” by speaker and author John Boe, he gives the reader his own personal insights on how to effectively motivate a salesforce.

The article states that, "Traditionally, sales managers have relied primarily on commission to motivate their sales force. Unfortunately, a compensation structure based solely on commission does not address separate motivational factors and therefore, commission alone will not motivate your sales force to peak performance. " As discussed in class, there are other factors more important to employees rather then solely commission and money. Feeling accepted by fellow employees or appreciated by the person you are working for are far more important to people than receiving an extra bonus.

The article states, "While money is certainly an important ingredient in any incentive program, it should by no means be the only tool in a managers motivational toolbox. " Once an employer realizes this, they will be able to better communicate with their salespeople and reward them in ways that are both efficient and effective for their company. By discovering employees’ needs, they will be able to develop a program that will motivate their sales people and potentially reach the company’s highest goals.

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Difficulty lies in motivating sales people due to feelings of isolation and detachment, people working on their own, and frustrations. When developing motivational programs, managers must be able to identify with salespeople's needs. The theory that exists that relates to these needs is Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs Theory. He proposed five levels of needs that every individual seeks to satisfy. The theory explains how a person will not worry about filling other needs until the one before it has been filled. The first level and most basic is Physiological Needs.

These needs include necessary food, water, shelter, clothing, and health care or good benefits package. The next level is considered Safety Needs which consist of job security, income security, and safe working conditions. Once a person feels this sense of security, they will then go on to fill their Social Needs. For most people, it is very important to feel accepted and have a sense of belonging. In the workplace, one may feel the need to have support and group encouragement. The fourth level of Esteem Needs involves a person having the need to feel recognized.

It is important to a person to be given credit when it is deserved and feel appreciated for their hard work. The final level of needs is called Self Actualization. This involves a person wanting to improve and learn new things. It is simply a self development challenge of expanding one's horizons. To fulfill this need, a person may become involved in special projects, participate in advanced training, or take on more responsibilities in the office. Basically, Maslow's Hierarchy of Needs helps us to understand the needs of people in the workplace.

Finding an effective combination of motivators may be easier if a sales executive understands some of the behavioral factors that affect sales force motivation. The article tells us that “a successful incentive program is a mixture of awards, recognition, and peer pressure. To encourage sales people to reach their full potential, successful managers personalize incentives. ” Mentioned in the article and in class discussion is finding a person’s “hot buttons”. This term is way of saying what one can do or say to impress another and get them to be intrigued.

Salespeople will perform better and put forth greater effort when the rewards are worth their hard work. Ways to keep interest during an incentive program include publishing standings frequently to show progress and acknowledge achievement during the process. For company rewards and incentives to have an impact on motivation, salespeople must value these rewards... and they must feel that the rewards are worth the effort. A program that involves the reward something as simple as being recognized, such as an “Employee of the Month Parking Space” is a great way to motivate employees to work hard and bring the company success.

The reward is well worth the salesperson’s effort and this gives the them to incentive to do whatever they have to do to reach their ultimate goal. The article reminds us that “a well structured incentive program pays for itself from increased revenue. ” In essence, identifying a salespersons needs and the rewards they value for their hard work is very important in motivating salespeople. Although motivation can be difficult at times, developing incentive programs that are created specifically for a company’s employees are ultimately efficient and effective ways to reach success.

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