The realm of sales attracts a certain kind of person. Charismatic, risk taking and confident, sales people like to win. They’ve got the straight up skinny on the art of the deal and their livelihoods depend on it. That said, not every sales rep is a shining star. Top performers tend to dominate routinely and consistently. This factor can leave the rest of the team feeling left out. And because of that, one of the key components of an effective incentive program to nudge your sales reps to higher performance is being inclusive and accounting for those who may require a little inspiration. Let’s face it, working in the shadow of titans can feel thankless. But sometimes a little nudge toward greatness is all that’s required.
It’s easy to believe that your sales team is only as good as it is due to the stellar efforts of your superstars. But think about it this way – when you go to the opera, the diva takes center stage. But she’s not alone out there. The chorus joins the diva. The orchestra supports her. While the diva may have the spotlight trained on her, the music is being created by a vast, largely unseen complex of collaboration, from the guy who wrote the opera, to the guy who plays the triangle. Traditional incentive structures for sales reps follow the “diva” formula, which can create resentment. A sales incentive formula which reaches out to every member of the team pulls in the chorus, the orchestra, ushers and stagehands. Switching up the way you reward your sales team levels the playing field and allows the whole team to engage positively with the program. It takes a village to bring the sales, so allow your company spotlight to wander to those unsung heroes.
The structure of your program can be individualized to each rep’s historical performance. This baseline is ground zero for setting goals for each rep. At the beginning of the program period (which is generally between a month to 3 months), reps commit to reaching a specific goal. This creates an opportunity for personal development in terms of achievement which is gauged against the employee’s own record – not those of star performers. When the goal is reached, the reward is earned. It’s a simple tweak to the traditional incentive formula which works by bringing more people to the rewards and recognition party.
For over 20 years, Incentive Travel Group has been creating exceptional incentive programs that nudge your sales team to greater heights. From programming through execution, we offer your company outstanding, outsourced support that expands your human resources capacity, while inspiring your employees. Working with your team, we mine the interests and preferences of your employees, finding the spark to light the fire in their bellies. We’re great believers in the power of motivation. We create the conditions to motivate your people to reach higher, with premium incentives. Ready to light the fire? Contact us.
