Sales Management Success

7Strategies to Align and Enhance Sales Motivation

THIS MAY SHOCK YOU, but you can't motivate your salespeople!

Contrary to the reputations of past “great motivators” Steve Jobs, Apple CEO, and Vince Lombardi, coach of the Green Bay Packers, you should recognize that no one motivates anyone else. Motivation is an internal drive, and everyone motivates themselves. Your salespeople are already motivated to sell, but some are also motivated to improve and master their selling skills, while others want to work independently, some want recognition, and many work hard for a potential “bonus.” On the negative side, some salespeople are demotivated to prospect, manage their territories, be team players, or even to improve their selling with new skills. The good news is that the sales manager can help align desired sales performance with each salesperson's motivations, and even raise the level, or awaken a new motivation.

The motivation content that I will share in this chapter involves traditional motivational methods, and two researched strategies to surface/sustain individual motivations and help team members achieve their sales-related goals. Together, the strategies and techniques will help you improve overall performance and develop a more powerful sales team of achievers.

Capitalizing on motivation, and literally strategizing to help salespeople stay motivated at a high selling level, requires a broad, flexible playbook. First, you need to have a reasonable understanding of motivation ...