A robust sales performance is the lifeblood of any business organization. As the key department responsible for generating business revenues and steady income flow, the members of your sales team are subject to high-stress levels, especially during these difficult times when people want to hold on to every penny. So finding ways to encourage and motivate your sales team is important.
Driving sales is not an easy task. And a salesperson lacking in confidence and enthusiasm, or one who’s getting frustrated, is not in your company’s best interest as the client on the other line may be able to sense this.
But with your support and guidance, your sales team may be able to weather the storm. Here are some tips to keep your motivate your sales team and keep their morale high:
Giving your employees, especially the tenured or seasoned staff, some level of freedom for creativity is one of the ways to keep them motivated. As a sales manager, you can help create an environment where it’s easy for the staff to discuss their ideas, even if it sounds too out-of-the-box. Besides, buyers’ preferences are constantly changing in this digital age, requiring businesses to keep up and break with traditional sales activities. This, however, does not mean you should stop using tested and proven strategies, like the ones discussed on this page.
Making your team feel that they have your support is an important way to keep them motivated. Setting monthly, quarterly, and yearly goals is essential, but it’s also important to ensure that your team has all the capacity and means to draw in sales. In this instance, it helps to implement sales enablement, which refers to your marketing team providing the sales team with adequate marketing content—such as blogs, videos, newsletters, e-mails—to increase the chances of selling a product or service. Aside from these resources, consider the following online tools to make your sales team’s life easier.
Fresh hires are always briefed about what the organization expects from them, and in most cases, this activity is productive in that it lets both parties set their expectations. For the sales team, goal-setting is a continuous process. As a manager, set clearly-defined goals with your staff to help them understand how their performance is measured and how they can achieve these objectives.
Analyze what has and hasn’t been working in your sales activities. Coach your team by coming up with some suggestions or guides in order to make successful transactions. Regular meetings are necessary to update each other on the challenges and celebrate small wins.
Employees will quit their jobs for any number of reasons, but one of the top reasons is that they don’t feel valued. To stay motivated, business organizations need to make their employees feel that they’re important. In fact, a study by the American Psychological Association revealed that the majority of the employees will do their best at work when they feel valued.
Avoid treating your salespeople like money-making machines. Include them in the decision process, provide effective sales coaching opportunities to enhance their skills, and show interest in their well-being. Additionally, you can offer compensation packages as a recognition for their hard work.
Raising your team’s morale is as easy as giving credit to them and their work. Inside every salesperson is a highly competitive spirit with a can-do attitude. Make them feel that a successful transaction is not the only measurement for a job well done. Even if your sales employee failed to close all deals, it still pays to acknowledge them for their efforts. Make sure to reward hard work and dedication, even if transactions are not 100% successful.
Additionally, never miss the chance to recognize a salesperson if they did something right or anything that deserves recognition.
With too much going on, including less-than-ideal sales growth, managers may feel like passing on some of the pressure to their team, leading to negativity and an overall stressful working environment.
With customer rejection and disappointment being part of a salesperson’s daily routine, it’s hard to stay motivated. Sales managers should balance this by acknowledging these frustrations while also encouraging the team to continue to focus on their goals and push for sales targets in a less intimidating way.
Often, we are so engrossed with our work that we tend to forget that we’re only human. Even with the intense pressure to reach sales goals, never miss a chance to connect with your team by being open and vulnerable with them. Discuss details about their life, their hobbies, and passion. Give them nuggets of wisdom and learn from them. By exchanging experiences, you not only learn more about your team, but you also know what motivates them and what their organizational needs are. Talking to them may help improve your (and their) mental state and health, too.
A leader who knows how to connect and encourage their team is key to successful performance for businesses at all fronts, not just in sales.
Final Thoughts
Sales is one of the most crucial components of any business venture. Taking good care of your employees, especially the sales representatives can help drive sales and ensure growth. There are various ways to motivate your sales team and keep them motivated in these challenging times, and these include: providing fair compensation and sales commissions, praise, and recognition, as well as opportunities for skills and career development.
