AS sales leaders, our main task is to get our teams to achieve sales goals. But how come some sales professionals are able to successfully breeze through it, while others find it difficult to make the sale? The quick answer is that there simply is no shotgun approach to motivating different individuals in hitting sales targets, even if they are given similar products, tools, skills and opportunities. The key is to approach each sales practitioner with the appropriate mix of tools, skills and mindsets designed to uniquely appeal to specific motivations. Here are three questions that can help you discover the right approach in effectively motivating your team to achieve sales goals.
Is the goal consistent with their ‘whys?’
IN other words, is the reward rewarding enough? I’m not suggesting to add more dough into the pot, though some may indeed ask for it. Rather, is the prize that you’re dangling appealing enough to get the individual to jump into the goal? I can relate with this. During my first couple of years as a sales professional, money was not my primary motivation, and I found it difficult to inspire myself to dive into the abyss of rejections and objections. I had to eventually discover my deepest why before I was able to consistently achieve sales goals. Ultimately, whatever reason it may be (income, learning, growth, experience, pride), it should be consistent with the reasons that an individual has for engaging in the said line of profession. As Jim Rohn mentioned, ‘if your why is powerful, the how is easy.’
Is the goal achievable?
There are times when goals are set so high that it’s already impossible to get to it. While I ascribe to a ‘break-the-ceiling’ mindset, I still recommend a zealous yet practical approach to goal-setting-and that is to set ambitious but achievable targets. Always endeavor to push your team to produce more than their previous accomplishments, but not to the extent of getting them to commit to a quota that’s next to impossible, because by then, you’re just setting them up to fail. Prepare your team for sales success by setting up small wins that would gradually shift to bigger goals over time. Getting them into this kind of pattern will allow the team to develop a mindset of always achieving goals.
Are they having fun?
There’s an old saying that goes ‘All work and no play makes Jack a dull boy.’ This is true. And while some may argue that earning a living isn’t a question of having fun, it is also not a question of it being tediously boring. In my experience as a sales leader, I observed that while people work hard to earn a decent living, most chose to resign because it’s no longer fun. Moreover, there are industries where people tend to produce more income when they compete with one another in a fun and enjoyable environment. Perhaps that’s partly the reason Google and other similar organizations created a work environment that’s fun and enjoyable.
But as I said earlier, there is no shotgun approach to get your team to achieve goals. If possible, get to know your individual members, and based on their unique motivations, inspire them by giving goals that are consistent to their whys, goals that are achievable, and a fun environment. God bless!