It’s the hopeful swing of a prospector’s pickax looking to strike gold.
It’s the fisherman staying out on the water just a little longer, wanting to reel in the big one.
It’s the crypto-die-hard day trader hoping that the more they invest, the bigger the payout.
And it’s the heart and soul of every incentive-driven sales team.
Rewards. It’s no secret that if sales teams are given rewards that correlate with their performance, it motivates nearly every salesperson to perform better. But what happens when the team gets to pick what that reward is?
That’s exactly what researchers at Iowa State University of Science and Technology and the University of Texas at Austin wondered. A 2018 study published in the Journal of Marketing detailed an experiment at two Fortune 500 companies. The experiment revealed that salespeople at both companies performed better when they were able to pick their own incentives — even when those incentives were equivalent in value to preselected ones. The study also found that salespeople whose performance tended to have big highs and lows — and those with strictly low performances — performed substantially greater when they were able to pick their own incentives.
The sales team at BigCommerce makes a point to have specific end-of-year incentives.
“For any incentive to work, it needs to be rooted in realistic and measurable goals,” said Enterprise VP Thom Armstrong. “Aligning the outcomes with actual deal cycles ensures the incentives are achievable and meaningful, motivating the team without causing unnecessary stress.”
Built In Austin spoke with Armstrong about sales incentives, enterprise-level sales pacing and how the team makes that final push when it’s crunch time.
BigCommerce offers an e-commerce platform for growing businesses.
How does your sales team approach the end of the year to ensure targets are met? What strategies are most effective during this period?
I’m a big believer in using mutual alignment plans to keep both parties clear on dates, next steps and overall timing. I always recommend starting with the desired outcome of the project. In e-commerce, this often means a critical go-live or cutover date. By working backward from that milestone, you can set realistic close dates and create a plan everyone agrees on. A mutual alignment plan doesn’t need to be complicated — it could be as simple as a shared Google Sheets spreadsheet outlining key dates and tracking progress.
“I’m a big believer in using mutual alignment plans to keep both parties clear on dates, next steps and overall timing.”
During the holidays, vacation schedules and seasonal distractions can derail deals. Contracts are often signed by one or many C-level executives who might be harder to reach. Partner with your champion to identify decision-makers and ensure that key steps are completed on time.
When it comes down to crunch time — end of month, quarter or year — communication is key. One principle I learned at Salesforce was to ask, “Have you earned the right to be on a texting basis with your client?” This was a great indicator of trust and rapport with the champion. A quick, well-timed text can cut through the noise of daily emails, but this level of communication must be earned and used thoughtfully.
How does BigCommerce support and motivate employees to maintain high performance throughout the year, including during traditionally slower months?
As both an account executive and a sales leader, I’ve always been a proponent of spiff bonuses tied to consistent performance, whether it’s hitting monthly or quarterly targets. These incentives keep teams focused and reward sustained effort, even during challenging periods.
Another effective strategy is offering incentives for closing deals earlier in the quarter. While this works well, it’s essential to tread carefully in the enterprise space, where sales cycles can exceed 90 days. Pushing too hard for early closes can disrupt the natural rhythm of long-term deal timelines.
What sort of celebrations does your team have for salespeople who hit their quotas?
We celebrate account executives who hit their monthly and quarterly targets during our all-hands meetings. These moments recognize the hard work it takes to close deals and help create positive momentum across the team. This is especially valuable when you have a mix of junior and senior sellers, as it promotes a culture of recognition and growth.
At the end of the year, we go further by presenting special awards for top performers. These have included President’s Club trips and personalized gifts. I personally prefer President’s Club trips because they not only reward top performers but also foster connections with key executives and colleagues across the organization.
Some of my most memorable career moments come from these trips — forming friendships and connections that have lasted across multiple companies.
