Sales are lagging. The average sales cycle is so long that you’re breaking all the wrong kinds of records. And as for team morale, well, let’s just say it could be better. When your sales metrics are sinking, it’s time to learn how to increase motivation. These 20 expert tips can help.
1. Celebrate wins
If you want your team to be a success, make sure they know how many wins count. And not just the big wins, either. While there’s no need to start throwing a party every time someone picks up a lead, it’s important to recognize achievements when they happen. Give a public shout out to team members hitting sales quotas, and deliver bonuses to those shortening the sales cycle. Then watch others strive to join in on the fun.
2. Foster a culture of recognition
While you’re celebrating wins, incorporate other forms of recognition until weekly shout outs become commonplace. These don’t have to be major monetary prizes or even a prize at all. Maybe you’ll mention a salesperson who scored a major deal in that week’s company newsletter. Or, you’ll start every Monday morning meeting with a round of applause for the employees who hit quota the previous week.
3. Learn how to increase motivation with goal setting
People with no idea where the target is won’t know where to aim. Setting goals gives your team members purpose and helps quantify progress and track improvement. Goals should be SMART: specific, measurable, attainable, realistic and trackable.
4. Stay healthy
Motivation won’t matter if your team lacks the energy and mindset to formulate and execute a plan of attack. Encourage them to get enough sleep, stay hydrated and take breaks. You can also facilitate health by taking engaging steps, such as holding weekly yoga classes and giving everyone a branded water bottle.
5. Invest in the right tools
Make sure you have all the tools you need in your tech stack. For instance, software that supports team collaboration can keep coworkers connected even when they’re on the road or working from home. Then there’s QuotaPath, which makes tracking commission and other data points easier and more accurate than ever.
6. Keep your data clean
Data hygiene is crucial. By keeping your CRM data clean, you allow for greater efficiency and remove barriers that could otherwise prove frustrating for your team.
7. Build team-wide trust
Build trust amongst teammates, and they’ll work better together, and better for you. Take a look at team-building exercises, but also take the time to understand how your teammates work. Actively tackling communication gaps, especially between managers and subordinates, is also vital.
8. Regular 1-1 coaching sessions with managers
Want your salespeople to improve? Hook them up with mentors and make those meetings routine. When you remove the ability to opt-out, you ensure everyone gets access to valuable guidance — whether they think they need it or not.
9. Team training
The team that learns together wins together. Colleagues can motivate each other by sharing strengths and spotting weaknesses. Look to call recordings and group critiques to boost accountability and motivate the masses.
10. Conflict resolution
Distractions only serve to take the team’s eye off the prize, and drama is the biggest distraction of all. Use mediation and no-tolerance policies to stop bullying and infighting in their tracks.
11. Track performance
Knowing the exact status of professional success can be majorly motivating. If you’re doing well, you’ll want to keep that up. If you’re not, you’ll want to make changes to improve your commission and standing. QuotaPath tracks personal and team quota attainment and earnings, letting employees forecast potential earnings so that they can adjust performance on the fly.
12. Be transparent
Secrets are no fun, and they certainly don’t help anyone. As a sales operations manager or other supervisor, it’s your responsibility to be upfront with expectations. Transparency is how your team understands your expectations and learns how to grow.
13. Make new team traditions
Inspiring employees to be a part of the greater good — the company’s good, in this case — only works if they feel like they belong. Establish new team traditions and watch camaraderie swell.
14. Create a positive working environment
Research shows that highly engaged teams are 21% more profitable. Infuse your department with positive vibes that reach even those employees working from home, and you’re sure to reach your goals.
15. Choose to be a role model
No one’s expecting leadership to be perfect. But you can’t ask your team to do as you say, and not as you do. Be an example of how you want people to act, connect and hustle, and they’re more likely to do the same.
16. Focus on time management
One out of every eight phone calls will need repeating because of missing information.
Ten minutes of daily planning could save as much as two hours of time later on. On a typical day, office workers log onto social media a staggering 77 times and check their digital inbox another 50 times. All these infringements add up. Find ways to make your team more effective and efficient so everyone works smarter, not necessarily harder.
17. Make it fun with gamification
Sales is innately competitive, so it only makes sense to capitalize on the spirit of competition. Gamification uses games — hence the name — to help make selling fun.
18. Keep a positive mindset
Moods are contagious. If you’re angry, upset, frustrated or otherwise marinating in negative emotions, your team is going to feel that tension. Plus, it’s just bad for your health. On the other hand, intentional positivity could inspire your staff to be just as cheery — and prospects will pick up on the good vibes.
19. Face your fears
Being in sales can be terrifying, especially if you’re afraid of hearing the word “no.” It’s normal to have a healthy fear of losing a sale or falling short of the quota. But sometimes tackling those fears is exactly what a salesperson needs to reach the next level. Consider those weak points when setting goals and encourage everybody to work on whatever aspect of sales scares them most.
20. Never lose sight of the big picture
It’s wonderful to learn how to increase motivation and create programs that galvanize your entire team into action. But as you’re focusing on stirring spirits, don’t forget about the big picture. A successful sales department or company is more than meeting a quota or achieving a short sales cycle. Strategy, connection and metrics all help move your team forward.
Need help keeping track of it all? QuotaPath is a powerful sales tool thanks to capabilities that include commission tracking, compensation and more. To see how commission automation can help motivate your team, book a demo today.
