The 3 Strategies of Highly Effective Sales Motivators:

Prepare, Debrief, and Energize

How do smart sales leaders motivate themselves and others? How do you motivate yourself or your team?

“Get to work!”

It takes more than just a positive attitude to generate better sales results. A positive attitude will help you do

your best based on what you already know.

FACT

“Today we’re going to sell more stuff!”

“Uh… okay. How?

Effective sales motivators use proven strategies to create momentum and energy that translate to better team

performance and more leads, appointments, and sales.

FACT

Smarter Feedback → Better Preparation

PREPARE

GOAL:

METHOD:

WHY IT’S IMPORTANT:

Prepare more effectively for sales calls.

In your role play / practice, use critique and feedback strategies proven to reinforce best practices and lead to better results.

If you take an overly negative approach to critique and feedback, you’ll cause your reps to tune out, and actually reduce the motivation to succeed. Instead, focus on the positive, and offer feedback designed to improve performance and results.

THE 6:1 RULE of POSITIVE FEEDBACK

Positive reinforcement resonates more than negative criticism, and can make feedback more successful. A 2004 study found that the highest performing sales teams

offered each other almost 6 times as many positive comments as negative ones:

THE 2-WAY FEEDBACK FREEWAY

Motivating your team isn’t just about giving the right kind of feedback—it’s also about knowing how to receive feedback. Use these 3 tips to ensure your feedback

is heard, absorbed, and translated into results.

ASK FOR JUST ONE THING

Actively solicit feedback—when you ask for it, you’ll be more open to

what you hear. And the more specific the request, the more

useful the feedback will be.

SEPARATE WHAT FROM WHO

Your reaction to feedback can change depending on who’s giving

it. Be objective—focus on the content, rather than the source, of

the feedback.

UNPACK THE FEEDBACK

Often, feedback is generic and/or vague. Don’t assume the worst;

analyze what the feedback really means before you react, and ask for

clarification.

While feedback should be mostly positive, you shouldn’t be afraid to criticize. Sales reps want negative feedback, too.

A 2014 study found that “when senior HR executives were asked about their biggest performance management challenge, 63% cited managers’ inability or unwillingness to have difficult

feedback discussions.”

Wise Guys Tip

Smarter Debrief → Faster Improvement (and Better Results)

DEBRIEF

GOAL:

METHOD:

WHY IT’S IMPORTANT:

After a sales call, develop an effective follow-up plan, and prepare for your next call.

Use a debrief strategy that focuses on your prospect’s needs, and examines your rep’s real-world performance.

Poor follow-up is a major factor in losing out on promising prospects. Regular debrief sessions can lead to a higher success rate. In addition, every sales call is an opportunity to improve. Take advantage of it.

THE PERFECT 3-QUESTION DEBRIEF

What are the next steps?

What did you learn about your prospect?

What did you do well, and what could you do better?

How you follow up after a sales call can mean the difference between a sale and a lost opportunity. Ask about next steps at the beginning of

the debrief, to reinforce their importance and make a plan.

The best sales calls are focused on your prospect, not your product. Ask your reps what they learned. If they

did their job, they’ll have plenty to say.

Use every sales call as an opportunity to encourage self-critique. An honest evaluation of a real-world scenario—while it’s still fresh in your

rep’s mind—can lead to tangible improvements the next time out.

Pay attention to how you and your reps describe your sales calls.

If they begin a lot of sentences with the words “I said,” that’s a sign that they’re spending too much

time talking and not enough time listening.

Wise Guys Tip

Dynamic Environment → Energized, Successful Reps

ENERGIZE

GOAL:

METHOD:

WHY IT’S IMPORTANT:

Set your team up to succeed

A sales culture that provides explicit goals, effective tools, and mechanisms for improved performance.

It’s not enough to have a sales culture based on “selling more stuff.” When sales reps have specific goals and a clear path for achieving them, they’re much more likely to be motivated and equipped to succeed. And that, in turn, leads to “selling more stuff.”

WHAT MAKES A SALES CULTURE DYNAMIC?

Rituals & Processes

How do you connect with prospects? Generate

leads? Land clients? Find what works, then

replicate and refine.

Tools & Technology

High-quality tools (databases, CRMs)

enhance your ability to generate new business,

and demonstrate a commitment to success.

Language & Communication

Verbiage that’s unique to your team and ongoing

communication reinforce your process and engage everyone in its success.

Social Structure

Managers who also sell and high commission

rates for reps engender mutual respect and pride

in the craft of sales.

WHAT’S YOUR SALES CULTURE SCORE?

Want to see how your sales culture measures up? Take a few minutes to find out whether your culture sets your team up for

success with the Business Wise Sales Culture Test!

START TEST!

Regular sales meetings are a great way to reinforce your sales process.

Have each sales rep review their bests and worsts from the past week. You’ll generate dialogue about what’s working,

what isn’t, and how to constantly refine and improve.

Wise Guys Tip

The 3 Strategies of Highly Effective Sales Motivators:

Prepare, Debrief, and Energize

INSIDERS

© Business Wise Inc. 2016

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