Motivated employees tend to perform higher than their less-motivated peers. A Gallup study shows that when employees are motivated, their work gets 20% better. They’re more efficient with their own tasks and they’re better colleagues to their peers. When sales reps feel motivated, they’re more likely to put in the extra effort and strive to achieve their targets.

If you lead a sales team, how can you fire up your employees and drive motivation through the roof? A post on the SOCO blog outlines some proven ways. We highlight the post in this issue of PromoPro Daily.

  1. Build trust. The post says that trust is the foundation of motivation. While there are many ways to build trust, you must always give it to get it. One way to build trust is to give employees autonomy. Trust them to do their jobs.
  2. Set goals. According to the post, you should set daily, weekly and monthly goals. Creating short- and long-term goals allows employees to see where they stand.
  3. Identify issues. Help your sales reps uncover what might be blocking them from achieving their targets. Then, the post recommends working together to find actionable solutions.
  4. Recognize and encourage initiative. When people go above and beyond, acknowledge the effort. Whether you reward them with promo, say a few kind words or give them an extended lunch break, determine what is most meaningful to each employee.
  5. Create a team environment. The post suggests holding weekly sales team meetings, with each week focusing on a different topic. You might choose a different sales rep each time to share how they won a complicated or large deal.
  6. Praise in public. According to the post, feeling appreciated is one of the most critical determinants for workplace happiness and motivation. Celebrate big and small milestones and be generous with your words of appreciation.
  7. Remind your team of the purpose. Make sure your sales reps know they’re making a difference and remind them that they’re working toward a common mission. The post points out research that shows that people are more willing to work harder and longer when they share a common goal with their co-workers.
  8. Hold fewer meetings. Unless they’re truly necessary, try to give some of that time back to your sales reps. The time they’re not in meetings can be spent on worthwhile sales activities.
  9. Ask how they’d like to be managed. Just like different prospects prefer different communication styles, your sales reps also have different preferences. The post says that as a sales leader, it’s important to adapt to the way your team members work.
  10. Provide development opportunities. Most people want to get better at the way they perform their jobs. Make sure you give them the chance to learn new skills and take on additional responsibilities. This is a great way to motivate your sales team, the post says.

Employee motivation looks different for everybody. The key is to learn what makes your sales reps tick and to leverage their unique strengths. When you take this approach, you can not only fuel employees’ motivation but help them reach their full potential.  

Compiled by Audrey Sellers
Source: The SOCO blog. SOCO Sales Training is a sales optimization company.