I’m catching up to some older articles in my RSS feeder and came across this AllBusiness.com article – Managing and Motivating Salespeople. We have an appreciation for tactical management articles. What I mean is articles that take a “how to” approach to management. There are plenty of strategic, mile-high articles out there so we enjoy a good hands-on read.
First off, all sales managers need to motivate their sales force in some manner. Even the most self-starting salesperson will need an occassional injection of external motivation from their sales manager. Many sales managers tend to ignore or deny this fact at their own peril.
Next, the author’s suggestions are spot on. I’ll list them here quickly but the author does expand on each point in the article:
- Set goals.
- Encourage and listen to input.
- Offer training.
- Provide feedback.
- Offer opportunities for growth.
- Avoid pressure tactics.
- Build trust.
Of course, I would add “Assess your team.” to the list. Assessments provide the manager with information that may take them 6 months or more to sort out. And that is just the communication piece. The other areas of the assessments are too deep for any person to measure through interaction. Providing an in-depth profile of your sales team gives your sales manager the tools to do their job in the most effective manner possible.
Finally, I take slight umbrage with one point – “Avoid pressure tactics.” Here is the author’s full explanation behind that point:
Some managers try to motivate through intimidation and fear. This management style can produce short-term results, but it actually increases stress for employees, makes work an unpleasant place, and ultimately makes people less productive and more likely to leave.
Sales is a high-pressure position which is why most people are not successful at selling. Salespeople need to be able to handle stress and rejection. That being said, as long as the manager is coaching, encouraging and connecting with the salesperson, fear can be an excellent motivator. Granted, an overuse of fear will lead to a mass exodus amongst the sales team. (I have worked for sales managers whose only tool was fear and it was a dreadful experience each time). However, the proper, limited use of fear will always be one of the most effective tools in the sales manager’s toolbox.