You can offer sales employees incentives like fine dining, gift cards and the president’s club. But high commissions and cash bonuses won’t create passion for what they do. That comes from belief in the company mission and a culture of trust, respect and growth.
“I try to create a culture where my reps say, ‘I get to go to work today,’ rather than, ‘I have to go to work today,’” said AlertMedia Sales Director Lauren Etier.
Etier starts by learning as much as she can about her team members’ personal and professional goals and making sure it’s not all work and no play.
The following Austin-based sales leaders shared similar strategies for group motivation, many of which focus on individualized management, as well as ample opportunities for professional development. A healthy dose of humor doesn’t hurt either.
Not everyone shares the same external motivators. This is something AlertMedia Sales Director Lauren Etier keeps in mind as she incentivizes her team to reach their goals. Despite the company’s rapid growth (leadership recently raised a $25 million Series C round), she is focused on meeting employees where they are.
Beyond commission, what are some strategies you use to motivate your sales team?
I try to create a culture where my reps say, “I get to go to work today,” rather than, “I have to go to work today.” This means connecting with them on a personal level, building trust and having a little fun along the way. I start by taking time to learn what each representative wants to achieve in their personal and professional lives — whether it’s taking that big vacation, buying their first home or reaching the next step in their career. And then we focus on that to spark and sustain motivation. Celebrating little wins throughout the week also builds confidence and boosts morale, all while getting us closer to achieving our ultimate team goal.
Professional development looks different for each salesperson.’’
What does professional development look like for your salespeople and how does that play into motivating your team?
I’m a big believer in building confidence around strengths, identifying weaknesses and meeting my team members where they are. So professional development looks different for each salesperson. I continually evaluate current performance to pinpoint areas of improvement and then provide honest feedback that encourages them to get better. I’ve found that if your people know you have their best interests at heart, they will be inspired and committed to growing.
At A Cloud Guru, Sales Enablement Manager Meredith Sinclair publicly showcases her team’s accomplishments. She says that doing so is a win-win; it highlights individual success and brings the group closer together. Sinclair also makes a point of identifying personalized career goals and offering direct reports the opportunities necessary to achieve them.
Beyond a commission, what are some strategies you use to motivate your sales teams?
Sales can be grueling, so adding a dash of humor helps build camaraderie and inspires a positive attitude. I once had a sales team improve call metrics just to earn a giant gummy rat.
We have a lot of funny competitions, but I find showcasing a salesperson to be even more motivating. Allowing them to share their wins and how they achieved them instills pride and self-confidence. Our salespeople like a good challenge, but we also have a culture of helping others. By creating opportunities for wins outside of the quota, teammates can look back on what they’ve accomplished while feeling the support of the team around them.
Sales can be grueling, so adding a dash of humor helps build camaraderie.’’
What does professional development look like for your salespeople and how does that play into motivating your team?
Empowering a successful salesperson who is crushing quota with integrity and a customer-centric approach is the foundation for all career growth at ACG. We take learning seriously. Every employee spends two hours each Friday dedicated to learning new skills.
Professional development is about understanding individual career goals and honoring them. It’s not all about what the company needs. It’s about what they want to become. Part of my role as a manager is to create opportunities for sales representatives to interact and shine in front of other members of the organization. Giving them additional responsibilities that align with their intended path offers a way to grow in place.
Pingboard’s Director of Sales Nick Vukmaravich strikes a balance between rewarding his team with experiences and motivating them with goals. Neither strategy exists in a vacuum. Vukmaravich explains why he believes that people who love their jobs do a better job and how company leadership can support sales, below.
Beyond a commission, what are some strategies you use to motivate your sales teams?
While our sales team is a competitive bunch, we are not coin-operated. We value the overall customer experience over revenue and motivate our team accordingly. A few ways we accomplish that include instilling a clear sense of purpose, promoting transparency, creating trust, focusing on recognition and achievement and getting everyone involved.
While our sales team is a competitive bunch, we are not coin-operated.’’
Creating quotas in a back room and asking the team to hit them isn’t good enough. Our team understands our goals, and why it’s important for our company to accomplish them. Team goals are powerful ways to promote collaboration and peer-to-peer motivation. We tie those team goals to team rewards, like a full day touring the Texas wine country.
According to Signpost Sales Manager Ashley Contreras, personal development starts in training. And it continues well after onboarding ends. But no matter what stage a Signpost team member is at, Contreras said the company values aligning tasks with individual employee objectives.
Beyond a commission, what are some strategies you use to motivate your sales teams?
At Signpost, we know that being on the frontline in sales is not a cakewalk. First, we motivate by listening. Identifying and understanding everyone’s reason for being in sales is very important. We set goals because tangible outcomes have the greatest motivation potential. We also focus on career growth. We have former sales associates in different roles all throughout Signpost.
We set goals because tangible outcomes have the greatest motivation potential.’’
What does professional development look like for your salespeople and how does that play into motivating your team?
Professional development starts in training. Your first day, week and month at a new company can be exciting. And if done correctly, it sets the tone for the rest of your tenure. From there, we focus on continued development to create well-rounded salespeople. Learning could be through an article or video, education on the competitive landscape or yoga to help the body and mind.
