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Five Ways to Motivate Your Team (and money isn’t one of them)

Here’s my motivation check list…how many of these questions can you say YES to?

If you alone are responsible for the sales results where you work, ask the questions of you. Otherwise ask them for your team and anyone who sells on behalf of your company.

1.Does each member of your team know where they fit in to the bigger company objectives?
2.Do you know the higher purpose of each of your team?
3.Are your team’s targets realistic bearing in mind your industry’s current market conditions?
4.Do your team members only very occasionally contact you for guidance?
5.Do you know the meta-programmes of each of your team?

So…how many did you answer yes to? Clearly the more you could answer yes to, the more motivated your team is likely to be.

This morning I quickly jotted down just a few of the many principles that I think are important when it comes to motivating a sales team. Of course there’s many more but I’m pushed for space and you’re pushed for time. So let’s throw a bit more light on these five.

Where do they fit in?
Be sure you’ve explained where everyone fits in to the bigger company picture. Where is it all leading? Company growth? How much? And what’s their role in achieving that growth — individually and as a team? Make it simple. No need for fancy charts!

What’s their higher purpose?
Each of your team needs to have identified a higher purpose for themselves. In simple terms why they are doing what they are doing? And you need to know that purpose. Are they working towards a new or bigger car? A bigger house? An engagement ring? To retire early? Find out – and remind them regularly. Help them to constantly make that link between their day job, their target and that higher purpose.

Targets should be er…on target
Set your targets too low and it will be feet-up time for everyone. Set them too high and you ‘lose the team’ i.e. everyone knows they’re unachievable, so unconsciously they don’t try.

I’m for flexible but stretching targets which take into account the prevailing market conditions, which may well conflict with those the Managing Director came up with 8 months ago but which now look pure fantasy. Let him/her explain their budget away elsewhere – in the meantime set stretching, realistic targets which will get the best out of your team right now.

Do they have to ask you about everything?
If you hired them to do a good job, trust them! Surely they don’t have to ask you about everything? Let them scuff their knees and they will grow into the role. Sure you might have some challenges along the way but you’ll end up with a motivated and developed member of the team — and you get some of your time back too!
Read this previous article for more about giving your team more autonomy.

How are they wired?
Heard of Meta-Programmes? These are the ‘internal wiring’ mechanisms that make up the individuality in each of your sales team. Know these programmes and you’ll never look back in terms of motivating your team. Remember each of your team are different — so your approach needs to be too.
Click here for an example of just one meta programme (there are up to 16 in total!). You’ll see how useful meta-programmes are for communicating with your team – and your customers.

What about money?
Phew – I’ve ran out of space and I haven’t even mentioned money. That’s deliberate though. Most meaningful research suggest money is only ever an effective motivator in the short term. And that’s borne out when I talk to sales directors and sales teams.

For now, work on getting these five right and you’ll have a more motivated team — and more
sales success.

Until next time
Leigh

PS; Remember to grab your copy of “The 9 Biggest Sales Mistakes”

The 9 Biggest Sales Mistakes identifies those key mistakes that are stopping sales teams, companies and business owners fulfilling their sales potential. The report establishes how to identify these errors, indicates how they can be eliminated – and sets out how to avoid them.

For previous ‘Tricks of the Trade’ go here

About the author

Hi I’m Leigh Ashton of The Sales Consultancy

Whether you’re a small business or a leading brand, an area manager or a Chief Executive, whether you’re new to sales or an experienced sales professional. Even if you’re not in sales at all but want to understand it, you’ve come to the right place.

The World of Sales is changing.

Today’s conventional sales training doesn’t address the psychological barriers that get in their way.

My approach takes your sales team through a process that:

* Helps them identify their psychological barriers and gives them the tools to overcome them
* Teaches them how the mind works so they can keep motivated and stay focused
* Gives them the ability to identify the psychological patterns of their clients and prospects so they connect with them at a deeper level and close more sales

And at a higher level…

* It creates more success in other areas of their lives so they are happier generally…and happier sales people generate more sales

Wherever you are on your personal sales journey what’s the best course of action for YOU.

– Sales Training – that actually gets results
– Leadership and Management
– Personal Coaching and Mentoring
– Sales Mentoring Programme
– NLP (Neuro Linguistic Programming) and how it can help you accelerate your success
– Keynote Speaking