Sales Team Incentives

How do you motivate your sales team?

The answer is not as simple as a sales incentive formula or copying what other companies have done. The answer must fit your goals and corporate culture. Here is a list of questions that will help you start the process of developing your sales incentives.

What to reward

1. What behaviors do you want repeated?
2. What behaviors do you want eliminated?
3. What outcomes are clearly measurable?
4. What has been traditionally rewarded?
5. What rewards are expected?

Who to reward

1. Who will respond positively to added incentives?
2. Who will respond negatively to other's incentives?
3. Who do you want to include in 'the team'?
4. What type of hierarchy are you attempting to establish or destroy?
5. If everyone knew everyone else's incentives, what would the reaction be?
6. What power do you have to affect pay in other departments?

How much to reward

1. What percentage of their work is mandated?
2. What will happen it they miss their goals?
3. How will you handle big sales?
4. How will you handle slow times?
5. How much is needed to affect behavior changes?
6. Will everyone be on the same scale?

How to reward

1. Is cash the primary motivator?
2. Will trips or prizes have other benefits?
3. What is expected?
4. What can you easily, quickly and fairly administer?

These are just a few of the questions we ask our clients when helping them develop effective sales team incentive programs. If you would like to learn more, please contact us at 1-800-57-LEARN or incentives@waterhousegroup.com.

The Waterhouse Group provides hands-on, skills-based sales training on variety of front-line and management topics. These interactive workshops go beyond theory, providing sales teams with the skills, strategies and support they need to create long-lasting, company change.