In the metal distribution industry, you need a motivated team to reach sales quotas and keep profitability high. However, everything from work culture to leadership can have a negative effect on employee engagement. To keep your sales team motivated, you must understand what matters to them; and you have to understand what factors interfere in their performance. Below, we’ll cover some tips for how to keep your sales team motivated.
Identify Motivators and Establish Goals
Goals are important because they encourage employees to push themselves. It’s hard for anyone to stay motivated if they don’t have something to work towards. The key is understanding that people don’t all have the same motivators, so it is important to talk to your employees about what their goals are. Setting a major sales goal, for example, might motivate some of your employees to up their game; but other employees may respond better to goals that address their overall career development.
Highlight the Positive Aspects of the Product
It is much easier for your sales team to stay motivated when they believe in what they’re selling. As a manager, you want to communicate how the products benefit communities. While most people work to earn money, job satisfaction keeps people in their career longer and has more to do with having a sense of purpose. If employees understand that the products they sell solve real world problems or make people’s lives more enjoyable, they will be more excited and determined in their sales strategy.
Acknowledge Accomplishments
Acknowledging the achievements of your team members is about more than just appealing to their vanity. It allows them to see what they’re doing well and keeps them moving in the right direction. Your team will be more motivated to succeed if they know the work that they are doing is helping them with their career development. By regularly highlighting achievement, you also get in the habit of showing gratitude, which contributes to a more engaging work culture.
Be Honest and Transparent
Approaching leadership with honesty and integrity can go a long way toward building a highly motivated team. Employees will have more motivation to perform well if they trust and respect their managers and team members. You can build trust with your team by communicating transparently with them, listening to them, keeping your promises, and acting with respect and humility.
For a sales team to succeed, they need to be motivated. Leaders can improve motivation within their teams by setting goals, acknowledging accomplishments, instilling a sense of purpose, and being honest and transparent.
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