Table of contents
Sales motivation is the driving force behind a successful sales team. Without motivation, individuals are unlikely to achieve their full potential or contribute effectively to the organization’s goals.
In this article, based on insights we gained from the renowned Welcome To The Jungle, we’ll explore why it’s essential to have a motivated sales team and how to guarantee their engagement and motivation.
Building a Sales Team’s Motivation from the Start
Motivation isn’t something that can be flipped on and off like a switch. It’s a complex process that’s influenced by a variety of factors, including personal values, goals, and experiences.
Many people simply think that motivation techniques come in handy when one employee – or your whole team – is feeling down.
In reality, maintaining a motivated sales team needs to start all the way back, in the recruitment phase.
Example 🔍
At Welcome To The Jungle for instance, the recruitment process revolves around five core values:
- Never Stop Exploring: This value encourages employees not to settle for what’s easy but to continually seek innovation and reinvention.
- Try Again: Emphasizes that setbacks today do not define tomorrow’s success.
- Place Your Bets: It promotes taking risks, embracing humility, and learning from failures, as success often involves multiple attempts.
- Good Enough Is Not Enough: Similar to “Never Stop Exploring,” this value emphasizes the importance of high standards and continuous improvement.
- You’re Welcome: Fostering collaboration and collective success is vital within the team.
These values shape the company’s culture and are integral to every department, including sales. It’s crucial to assess these values in potential hires to ensure alignment with the company’s mission.
When employees are motivated by the company’s mission and products, their engagement is already on a solid foundation.
That said, recruitment is just the beginning. To ensure that motivation remains high, here is our top 9 pick for key techniques to put in place:
Technique 1- Quarterly OKRs for goal alignment:
First things first, in order to motivate salespeople, you have to give them something to get excited about. Yes, being a part of a good team, having a good manager, etc. is a great way to keep motivation high -and we’ll get into those later.
However, if we know anything about sales, it’s that they’re driven by numbers; the number of calls you make, the number of deals you close, etc. That’s their conquest and way to see how they fit into the bigger picture.
For you, as a sales manager, you need to define clear and actionable Objectives and Key Results (OKRs). These aren’t just about setting goals or monitoring your members; they’re about alignment and motivation. Each quarter starts with a fresh set of objectives and key results, creating a clear roadmap for the team. It’s like having a GPS for your sales journey.
Expert Tip 🧠
Involve your salespeople in the OKR creation process. When team members have a say in defining their goals, they become more invested in achieving them.
Regularly review and adjust OKRs to keep them relevant and challenging. Clear objectives create a sense of purpose and motivation within your team.
And when we say regularly, we mean quarterly or bi-annually.
It’s like having a GPS for your sales motivation journey. When everyone understands their objectives and how they contribute to the company’s success, motivation naturally follows.
Technique 2- Weekly check-ins:
To gauge your team’s motivation, consider adopting a weekly check-in.
This is quite common among all departments actually. That said, with sales, make sure to include a personal element to it.
As we said, the sales department is not a technical one, it’s mostly about soft skills and temperament, so make sure to connect on a personal level during these check-ins.
Create an open and non-judgmental space for these check-ins. Encourage honest communication and active listening.
Quick Tip 💡
Tools like Popwork facilitate these weekly check-ins and allow you to carry them out more efficiently.
This is a tool designed for employees and managers to monitor performance. It’s a platform where you can share how you’re feeling during your week, whether you feel motivated, stressed, or, in essence, share your mood.
Technique 3- Turn managers into coaches:
Staying within the same lines as the last technique, Instead of just giving orders to your team, work with them to achieve success.
In a situation where someone has been experiencing a downturn for one, two, or even three weeks, it’s important to approach them with understanding and support, rather than criticism.
Instead of asking, ‘What [the hell] are you doing?’ with an aggressive tone, it’s more productive to acknowledge the challenging period and focus on their strengths.
Expert Tip 🧠
Highlighting their positive aspects is crucial in this situation.
For instance, let’s say your underling has issues with closing deals, it’s essential to recognize their strong performance in other areas, such as maintaining high call volumes, effective follow-ups, and portfolio management.
Reassurance is key. Let them know that you have full confidence in their abilities and believe they will overcome these challenges.
It’s also about boosting morale. Ensuring that there isn’t a drop in motivation or moodis a significant challenge for managers, because motivation is often closely linked to one’s mood.
Therefore, it’s essential to figure out how you’ll inject positive energy right away.
Furthermore, when you find these “weak” areas in your employees, think of them as more of a coaching opportunity, rather than a flaw.
Example 🔍
One salesperson consistently struggled to meet targets and lacked communication about their prospecting efforts, especially cold calling.
To address this, the manager implemented regular, weekly support, closely monitoring their calls and providing feedback.
After returning from parental leave, the manager was pleasantly surprised when the salesperson proactively discussed their sales efforts.
With guidance, their skills and their ability to manage this area effectively improved.
Being your team’s coach is not only about boosting motivation but also about enhancing employee retention! Recognize that a demotivated salesperson is often on the verge of leaving for a new -probably better, opportunity.
Identify effective strategies like these to promote keeping employees such as the one from the example, simply because you recognize not only the value they bring to the company but the future value and contributions.
Technique 4- Company culture:
Team motivation doesn’t solely depend on the manager but is also influenced by the company’s culture.
Example 🔍
Despite the fact that we have coworking space around France, La Growth Machine is a fully remote company.
This means you’re no longer confined to living near the company’s headquarters; you can work from anywhere.
Even if you’re based at the headquarters, you have the flexibility to work remotely as needed, allowing you to better balance your personal commitments.
For instance, if you need to take care of your children in the evening, you can do so without the time constraints of commuting, thanks to remote work.
This freedom fosters a sense of trust among colleagues who appreciate this opportunity. It also becomes a significant source of motivation, a key component of our collective drive.
This highlights how a company culture that promotes flexibility and trust can contribute to team motivation.
Technique 5- Mobility within the company:
Another crucial aspect, and one I personally hold in high regard, is the existence of an internal mobility policy.
You might begin your journey in a sales role, but after a year or two, you may have aspirations for different positions or responsibilities. The key is for the company to offer a structured career path.
Example 🔍
“In our organization, we have individuals who started as sales representatives and have progressed to become senior members, team leads, and even transitioned to different roles entirely.
This dynamic environment is a significant motivator, as it demonstrates an organization constantly in motion.
The team’s structure evolves over time.
In the six years since I joined, my role has transformed significantly. There have been changes in team size, roles, and job responsibilities across various functions. These changes create opportunities.”
This is especially the case for salespeople’s motivation because when you witness new opportunities arising, you’re inspired to give your best effort.
Testimony 🎙️
“For instance, we, at Welcome To The Jungle, introduced senior roles targeted at top performers who could achieve their objectives more efficiently, allowing them to allocate time for side projects and contribute even more value, whether within their team or at a broader organizational level.
I recall a specific instance where someone expressed interest in such a role. At that time, their performance had been inconsistent. I provided candid but straightforward feedback, stating that they didn’t meet the criteria of regular top performance at that moment.
However, I assured them of my support and commitment to helping them become a senior in due time.
One year later, they achieved the senior position. We worked on refining their work methods and honing the necessary skills to attain the consistency required for the senior role. They are now thriving, adding substantial value to the company, and their satisfaction in their role ensures their continued commitment to the organization.
I firmly believe that without this focus on mobility paths, we would lose out on a significant pool of talent.”
Technique 6- Company-Wide Gatherings:
Create excitement and motivation by hosting company-wide gatherings where all team members can come together. These events offer insights into your company’s vision and future plans, fostering a sense of unity.
At La Growth Machine, we try to host these at least once a year. We think it’s an extremely important part of our culture since we’re a fully remote company.
It brings about an opportunity for the different teams to meet, get to know each other, and most importantly, work together!
Yes, these gatherings -or Offsites as we call them- are not simply about meeting up and having fun, it still remains a professional setting!
And during these, we host different workshops where we put different teams, ones who don’t usually work together in the same projects, to collaborate outside of their own scope to solve unique problems and come up with innovative ideas.
These workshops are a great way to break down silos and encourage cross-functional collaboration.
We also make sure to have fun team-building activities, games, and outings to help team members bond and build relationships outside of work.
Expert Tip 🧠
Plan these gatherings strategically to align with major milestones or announcements. Use them as opportunities to communicate your organization’s mission and goals.
When your team feels connected to the larger vision, their motivation to contribute grows.
Final Thoughts
Motivation isn’t solely the manager’s responsibility; it extends beyond sales and starts with an effective recruitment process that aligns with your company culture.
It’s also about close but supportive management, not micromanagement, that guides your sales team to exceed their goals.
A robust strategy and mobility paths are essential for long-term talent retention and development.
Lastly, team bonding moments, such as monthly meetings and company-wide events, create a unique sense of belonging and excitement about the company’s vision.
These events serve as vital adrenaline shots, reinforcing the company’s incredible spirit and future prospects, so make sure you implement -at least- some of them in order to keep your sales team motivated and retain that priceless talent you have!
Written by
Comments