I often get asked by prospects and clients to give them the secret ingredient that will help them get motivated or how to motivate their sales teams. I hear comments like, “Most of us know what we need to do, why don’t we just do it?” I chuckle when I hear this because we all know that the only person who can motivate us to do something is ourselves. It’s like going to the gym: friends and family can encourage and suggest that we go, however, the ultimate decision lies with the individual.
So what is it that gets people motivated to do the behaviors required to have success in sales? Many people believe that money is the biggest motivator. I challenge that belief because there are many other motivators that people have told me over the years. Things such as:
- A family vacation, a new car, a renovation to their home, a private school for their children, new skis and the list goes on and on.
- Maybe the salesperson is genuinely interested in helping prospects find the solution to a problem and the fact they get paid for doing it is their motivation.
- Perhaps the person’s passion lies in philanthropy and they work hard to share their earnings.
One may say that the above all takes money and I would agree, however, I would also agree the reason the person does what they do is because of their love or commitment to something other than money. The money is the means by which they can accomplish their goals.
On the other hand, there are people who believe that money is their only motivator. Sometimes these people believe they have to prove to people they can be successful in sales and their way of proving it is to be the top achiever in their organization. It’s great to have salespeople like this is an organization however I always challenge these people on why being the top achiever is important to them. You might be surprised at what they tell you. Sure, the accolade for being at the top is great and the financial reward is the best – however, what they do with the money is the more interesting question. That’s what is important to them.
Do you know what motivates your salespeople or yourself? Have you given any thought to it? Understanding their beliefs about what is important may help you recognize what really motivates the person to do what it takes to close sales. Why do you do what you do? What motivates you?
Here are some suggestions on how to motivate yourself and your salespeople:
- Determine what motivates you to do the things you do.
- Figure out what your personal goals are and what the personal goals of your sales team are. You’re more likely to be motivated to do whatever it takes daily to ensure you can achieve your personal goals.
- Establish daily behaviors and follow them.
- Develop a prospecting plan and implement it.
- Track your daily behaviors.
- Reward yourself for achieving what you set out to do.
- Follow a tried and true selling system to get you where you want to go.
I love comparing success in sales to success at the gym. Most of us, at one time in our lives, have joined a gym because we wanted to get fit. The real question is why do you want to get fit and why did you decide to join a gym to help you get fit? What was the motivation? Was it because you had a burning desire to lose weight and feel healthier so you could play hockey, soccer, badminton or swim with your children or run that marathon that you’ve always wanted to? On the other hand, were you advised by your doctor? What’s the reason behind it?
Did taking out the membership get you the results you wanted? Of course, the answer is NO. Mentally you had to decide it was what you wanted to do then you had to physically go to the gym, change into the gear and do the exercises. You may also have invested in a personal trainer to help you achieve your desired results. It’s your determination, will, and consistency of the exercises that get you your results. In essence, you’re changing your behavior. And what has motivated you to change your behavior?
The reason for getting fit and the motivation to do the sales behavior required has to come from within. Working with a sales coach to help you change your behavior to achieve your goals is just like hiring a personal trainer to get fit.
Are you ready to commit to the change that will make you the best salesperson?
