Although it should be apparent that the most important quality of your sales reps should be that they are highly motivated individuals, it is equally important to recognize that there are ways to help externally motivate them. There are many obstacles and rejections that sales reps face on a day to day basis, and keeping them happy and driven is essential to their success as a rep. After having experience with companies who have successfully utilized their rep system by keeping motivation levels high, it has become obvious how much of an impact external motivation from the company can make. As a company, here are four of the most important things that you can do for your sales reps.
TRANSPARENCY
Full transparency needs to be established from the get-go. Being transparent about your expectations, guidelines, and your company's reward system is critical to providing transparency between you and your reps. Not only does this create a concrete structure for the rep program, it also brings out the competitive nature in your sales rep and inherently creates motivation. Your reps should fully understand the milestones that they are expected to reach, as well as the benefits that they will earn when they hit those milestones.
APPRECIATION
Just as it is important to have a reward or payout system, showing gratitude and appreciation for your reps when they deserve it is just as effective at providing motivation. As mentioned above, there are obstacles that the reps are going to face during their job, and keeping their morale high can make a big difference. As reps face obstacles they are unprepared for, it is easy for them to get discouraged and feel as if they are not doing a good job when that is far from the case. Make a conscious effort to show your appreciation for them, as well as the impact that they are making on the company.
Additionally, consider showcasing reps who are doing the best. Not only does this congratulate the reps who deserve it the most, it pushes the reps at the lower end of the spectrum to step it up and do a better job, further increasing competitiveness.
EFFECTIVE TRAINING PLAN
There is nothing less motivating than not feeling knowledgeable about what you are selling or trying to promote to others. Reps need to be knowledgeable about their role and feel as if they are able to answer any questions and handle situations confidently. Furthermore, it is important to have an outlet where they can seek help. Whether that outlet is an online source or a knowledgeable manager, the reps need to feel as if they are able to have all questions readily answered.
RESOURCES
Lastly, make sure that you are giving the reps the resources they need to perform to the best of their ability. A good management system, adequate sales budget, clear instruction, and resources are all crucial to implementing an effective sales rep program.