should know what accounts they’re working on and what obstacles they’re struggling to overcome. You also need to know what kinds
of rewards your salespeople might find meaningful. “Carrots have to be appropriate for the individual,” say the surveyors. “There are a lot of on- ions out there masquerading as car- rots.” It only takes 10 minutes to find out if someone likes to play soccer (half a day off on a sunny spring day might be a great reward), listen to live music (two tickets to a jazz concert), or do home-improvement projects (a gift certificate from a local hardware store). Don’t be afraid to simply ask people what they might like to receive as a reward for their hard work. One of the worst things you can do is give a free golf lesson to someone who’s allergic to grass.
PUTTING YOUR SYSTEM TOGETHER
Many managers avoid singling out one person’s good deed, because they don’t want to be accused of playing favorites. The surveyors suggest creating a chart of all your salespeople and recognizing at least one person in a weekly email to the entire team or during weekly meet- ings. Remember to be specific with your compliments. “When you start recognizing, you’ll be amazed at how easy it is and how nobody feels left out. You’ll also find yourself recognizing faster – on the spot – for the right behavior. You’ll also notice your salespeople recogniz- ing each other and vying for more of your recognition,” they claim. When someone goes above and beyond the call of duty, your flattery should fit the occasion. Don’t, for example, give a free mug to someone who’s just brought in a million dollars’ worth of new business. That doesn’t mean you have to dole out brand-new Teslas whenever someone lands a big sale, but you do need to find ways to put top performers in the spotlight. Remember: The meaning behind the award is more valuable than money.
“A player on a professional hockey team knows he’s going to make half a million dollars a year,” they say. “But, when they get to the playoffs, they don’t say, ‘Let’s win for that bonus check.’ They want to get the ring. They want the cup.”
Use the following tips to make your
reward system a success. • Communicate. Make the rules of the game crystal clear. That way, you avoid any hint of favoritism. “It’s very hard to argue about numbers,” the surveyors say. “Ei- ther you’re at 150 percent of your quota, or you’re not.”
• Be helpful. Don’t double quotas without offering tools to meet them. “Give them input,” they say. “Make sure you’re there to help them live up to the new standards.”
• Live up to your promises. “If you promise your sales team a trip to Switzerland when they hit 110 percent of their quota, you’d better be going to Switzerland,” they say. “Don’t say, ‘Well, you know, with all these new changes and cutbacks, even though we hit our numbers, we’re going to a place in the Catskills that looks like Switzerland.’”
• When crisis hits, be honest. Let’s SELLING TIP Pause for a Minute
The president of a strategic communications consulting firm suggests that you pause often when presenting information – especially when making a point and looking at your notes. That way, it won’t seem like you’re search- ing for what to say next.
While pauses invariably seem longer to you, they sound natural to the audience. Pauses also allow your listeners a moment to absorb what you’ve just said. “The presenter who doesn’t provide ample, rhythmic pauses during a
presentation is the presenter who robs the listener of a chance to retain the information,” the expert says. “It’s the opposite of the technique stand-up comics use when they tell one joke after another to keep up the momentum of laughter. Most people won’t remember the jokes and will pay to see [the show] again. On the other hand, you want people to remember what you say.”
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say you can’t follow through on the reward you promised. Elton ad- vises managers to be upfront and candid about it. “Come up with an alternate plan, and keep the expla- nation simple,” they caution. “Say, ‘Hey, guys, we hit our quota. I’m really proud of you, but the euro went through the roof, so we actu- ally didn’t make a profit. But here’s what we’re doing instead.’ If you’re lucky, your salespeople will support you. If you try to hedge or sneak something past them, you’re go- ing to break their trust – and, when trust is gone, you’re finished.”
• Invite spouses or family mem- bers to award ceremonies or on trips. “Salespeople spend a lot of time away from home,” they ex- plain. “When it’s necessary to stay late at the office and work extra hard to earn that reward, they’ll get more support at home if they know they’ll benefit, too.” When it comes to recognition, you
reap what you sow. “Nothing in Amer- ican business is as misunderstood as how to motivate employees,” wrote one CEO of a major corporation. “The answer is simple: Treat your salespeople right and they will treat your customers right.”
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