There always has to be something that gets us up in the morning, that makes us want to get into work, and makes us perform at our best. Whether it be a short term hit of motivation, or whether it’s some form of long term aspiration, we all need motivation.
Which could not be truer for those whom work in sales.
For any followers of my blogs and work, you will know just how passionate I am about sales. Hell, C3 Sales and Consulting would not be around if it weren’t for my love of sales. That doesn’t mean however that I have always been fully motivated.
Let me explain…
Sales is a very tough job. Far tougher than many people will ever admit. Sure, there are fun and enjoyable aspects to it, but there are also long hours, rejection, last minute cancellations, last minute bookings, hours of driving, and even hours of writing up proposals for prospects to never show.
This is why it takes strong motivation to stay driven as a sales person, and one of the key questions I ever get asked is; “how do I motivate my sales team?”
In this short article, I want to share with you some of my top tips on how to keep you, and your team, fully motivated at all times.
Goals
We all know the importance of sales targets ( I have recently published an article on this subject, please do check it out). Sales targets are not only what drive businesses forward, but also help sales people to stay on track and to focus.
In my experience, larger, overall sales targets can at times be daunting and may have adverse affects on some individuals. If you, or your team are struggling to find targets motivating, why not break these targets down into more manageable chunks? Whether you turn targets into daily goals, or whether you break down certain functions into targets (such as amount of calls, meetings or proposals sent.)
Remember Your Purpose
As Simon Sinek once said, we all have our own ‘Why’. Simply put, we all have a reason for what we do; whether that is for our children, or our wives and husbands, or to buy that larger house. When trying to stay motivated as a sales person, or either as a sales team, it is important to always remember WHY you wake up in the morning.
Keep these reminder as photos on your desk, In your morning briefings or even as your desktop screensaver.
Team Up
There is no greater power than the power of a team. The sales team around you is so important; those relationships are what are going to drive you forward when times are low, and when you need some help.
If you are working remotely, or are a lone sales person, make sure you have a strong support network around you. Not only will these help with accountability, but they will also help with motivation!
Make it Fun
There is no point in working if you do not find any fun in what you do, and working in sales allows for a whole amount of fun to be had! The simplest way to do this is to share gifts and other rewards for hitting targets. These don’t have to be sophisticated or complicated; sometimes a bottle of wine going to the person with highest weekly sales can be enough to drive people forward! If your team are struggling to get motivated, set up a simple leader board, and let them loose!
