How To Influence Sales Team And Why You Should Do It Right

Sales

Sales

Usually, it is considered that a sales team needs instruments to influence others, but your sales team needs motivation as well. Whether the profits drop low or you plan a major expansion step and need the team to invest as much as they can into this change, proper motivation is a key to returning to the healthy balance or rolling out the change as expected.

Unfortunately, many CEOs and managers who copy from them see motivation of employees as simply increasing the level of pressure and threats. The more you beat ’em over the head with threats and negativity, the better they work, the assumption goes. It is hard to say where this idea comes from, but more and more businesses face the risk of losing the qualified staff and going bankrupt exactly because of such destructive approach. We won’t talk about the work cheating and risky deals that may arise from such motivation (where you will face the consequences as an owner or manager). We will just point out that now, with more options of remote work and running one’s own online business, treating your sales team like that is a direct path to your bankruptcy because of losing the people. And hiring and training a new team until they work at least satisfactorily is a big black hole in your earnings. Mind that.

Positivity And Reward Are A Key

Happier people do their work better and feel the urge to invest more efforts into the workplace where they are cherished. That’s the simple truth, and it’s weird that very few business owners make use of it.

Influencing your team is not that different from influencing your partners or investors, or just people you care for. Positivity, readiness to share and praise the success are basic tools to keep your team happy. Definitely, the detailed guide to careful measuring of benefits and motivation tools can be acquired during good influence skills workshops where exact do’s and don’ts will be explicated.

Basically, there is a material and immaterial way to influence your team.

Material Ways Of Influencing And Motivating

Paying competitive market compensation is a no brainer. Yet many bosses see it as extraneous. No way. When the salary is meager and the pressure is high, people will flee in flocks. So market compensation and financial bonuses for great performance is your first stop. If people are sure they have money to feed the family and pay for health emergency (if anything), they commit to hard work and not to worrying about their bills.

When it is not about money, think what other advantages you can offer. Longer vacations after a hard quarter, free corporate gym, in-house childcare, additional points in the health insurance package – anything can boost motivation when people see they are really valued by the company.

Barbeques and obligatory teambuilding events are first that comes to mind, but they do not work like that. Instead, offer several options, including wellness workshops, and let people choose what they prefer for themselves.

Immaterial Ways Of Motivation And Influencing

These are diverse and have more to do with psychology and strategizing, just what you can learn at a training session.

  • Delegate powers and sharing authority with the team;
  • Set the goal and let people figure out the best way to accomplish it;
  • Motivate your team to commit to sales activity and do the best they can.

Results are uncertain, but performing one’s best during the pitching significantly increases the chances of closing a deal;

  • Appreciate, give praise, say thanks and openly acknowledge success and efforts invested. Even if the results are not as expected, but the team worked really hard, praise that. It is the best motivation;
  • Be transparent and open to communication. Learning about the problem before it becomes unmanageable is an advantage;
  • Provide clear expectations and benchmarks. Check if the task is crystal clear. It is your responsibility to convey it, not theirs to play guessing game;
  • Less formality and meetings and more time for real work and building working networks between employees.
  • Be happy and share happiness with your team. It is contagious.  

These key principles can be further explained and practiced during workshops, where questions will be answered and useful tips shared. So do not miss a chance to learn to influence your sales team for the mutual benefit.