edging top performers and asking them to share their success secrets. Improvements in performance start with changes. By making some unorthodox adjustments to your routines, you encourage your sales- people to make some motivating and profitable changes to theirs.
3. CREATE SYMBOLS OF VICTORY If out of sight is out of mind, you need to keep visual reminders of the rewards of hard work in front of your team to keep them motivated. Encourage your salespeople to think about the rewards that most mo- tivate them – and to put pictures of those rewards where they’ll see them often. A top digital manager carried a ski cap with the name of a five-star ski resort embroidered on it to every meeting to remind his people of where they were going if they met their targets. One company I worked with designated one office wall as the “victory wall” and decorated it with testimonial letters and written goals.
4. KNOW YOUR SALESPEOPLE When it comes to motivation, not all salespeople are created equal. Whereas some might crave recogni- tion for their achievements, oth- ers might be more inspired by the thought of a weekend getaway at the beach.
Spend some time getting to know what makes your salespeople tick – what fires their imaginations and fires them up. Motivate them by building their egos. Make them feel important (because they are) by listening to them carefully, praising them often, and allowing them to sell without close supervision if they don’t need it or want it. Get in tune with your team’s wants and needs by looking at things from their perspective.
5. GIVE YOUR TEAM THEIR RDA OF PRAISE Try recognizing your salespeople as often as you want them to do their best. Positive reinforcement is one of the most effective ways to make sure
your team keeps up the good work. It only takes a few seconds to say,
“You did a terrific job closing the Jones account,” but the motivating effect on the salesperson lasts a lot longer. Keep the basics of effective praise in mind: Make it timely, spe- cific, and personal. Get in the habit of praising your people’s actions – not just their results.
Remember: Motivating rewards
don’t have to cost a lot of money. You might get more out of your salespeo- ple by simply promising them a lunch- time pizza party or ice cream social on Friday if they meet the quota you set for the week.
6. SET A GOOD EXAMPLE What you say won’t mean much if you don’t follow your own rules. What’s good for the salespeople is also good for their manager, so make sure you always practice what you preach. Earn your team’s trust by always doing what you say you will and make sure they know you’re there to help them. Always practice ethi- cal sales and let your team know you expect them to do the same. Showing them you hold yourself to the same standards you set for them will help you earn their respect and encourage them to follow your example.
SELLING TIP Hello and Goodbye
You won’t strut home with an order from every call you make. But, after every call you make, you should bring home something. Settling for hello and goodbye is a shade short of zilch. Case in point: You call on ABC Manufacturing, where Jack Simpson views
your product and says, “Sorry, that’s Bill Smith’s decision to make.” If you leave it at that, we suggest a fast repeat of Salesmanship 101. In short, you should never leave any call empty handed. For example, ask, “If it were your decision to make, would you buy this
product? If so, would you recommend it to Bill Smith before I call?” In addition, impart a tidbit of hot news to Jack Simpson. Give him a mag- netic calendar with your name on it to hang on his refrigerator. At the very least, do something that will make him remember you.
– RAY DREYFACK SELLING POWER MAY 2019 | 15 © 2019 SELLING POWER. CALL 1-800-752-7355 FOR REPRINT PERMISSION.
7. STRIVE FOR CONTINUOUS RENEWAL
Confucius said, “Good people strengthen themselves ceaselessly.” Good salespeople never stop learn- ing, growing, and improving. To keep yourself and your team
fresh – and ward off burnout – take time out for fun. One manager at Microsoft hits the company basket- ball court with his team to blow off steam and stimulate new ideas. Keep an eye out for interesting articles, videos, or tapes that can teach your team a new lesson or give them a fresh perspective on an old issue or problem. Encourage them to set aside time for personal reflection and self-renewal. Use leisure time to recharge your batteries so you’re ready and able to be your best when you return to work. A sales team that’s well educated but poorly motivated is only half equipped to succeed. All salespeople should strive to be positive self-start- ers, but managers who see motivation as entirely the salesperson’s problem are shortchanging both themselves and their team.
When your team wins, you win, so help them stay positive and sell more by taking an active role in keeping them motivated.
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