I have a sales
coaching client that
inspired me last
week. She told me
that her son had
purchased a gift
certificate to a
local spa for her
recently. As we
discussed her goals
for August she told
me that she had a
certain number of
admissions that she
was committed to
reach, and when she
did (notice I didn't
say "if she did")
she was going to
take a day off and
spend it at the spa.
How amazing is that?
You see, her son
didn't buy it for
her on the condition
that she could use
it "if" she hit some
quota.....he bought
it because he loved
her. SHE put the
qualifier on it and
said (in effect)
"I'll use this when
I earn it....even
though I really
don't have to wait"
That is some well
used self
discipline.
It got me to
thinking about the
way we reward our
salespeople. Many
times I see a sales
contest or promotion
with some prize to
the sales leader or
anyone who reaches a
certain goal. Most
times the "prize" is
either a cash bonus
or some tangible
product or trip. The
problem is, I
generally only see a
picture of the
prize...and not the
prize itself. How
much more powerful
would it be if the
TV, plane tickets or
laptop computer were
already there?
I was in Las Vegas
last week (one of my
favorite cities....)
and there was a bank
of slot machines
with a custom
motorcycle perched
on top. The machines
were called "Win A
Bike". I sat around
a bit and watched
and it was mostly
younger and middle
aged guys who were
playing these
machines. The reason
for this (I surmise)
is that they are the
type of people who
would gamble on
winning the jackpot,
a hot orange and
yellow chopper. The
fact that they could
SEE the reward right
there drew them into
playing those
machines......while
dozens of other slot
machines sat around
vacant for hours.
How about taking
this a step further?
How about buying the
reward for your
salesperson and
giving it to them
before they even
earn it!
It would be like
buying me a new car
(Audi TT convertible
please) and giving
me the keys....but
telling me I could
not drive it until I
reached a certain
sales goal. How
motivated do you
think I'd be to get
out there and sell,
sell, sell!
You can use the
positive
reinforcement for
any sales reward or
promotion you have.
If it's a cash
bonus, how about
opening an interest
bearing account with
the money in it and
giving the
statements to your
rep.....who can
claim it when they
hit their bonus
target? If its a car
and you're sure
someone on your team
is going to hit the
mark, buy it and
hand out sets of
keys to each
rep.....whoever hits
the goal first gets
to drive away. Maybe
its a laptop
computer or new MP3
player? Either way,
put the "thing" in
front of the people
who want to earn the
"thing" and watch
them ramp up their
effort in order to
win it.
You might not be
able to use this
strategy in every
case, but use it
whenever you can.
Pictures hung on a
wall or a link to a
website are
fine....but they
don't "make it real"
when it comes to
rewards. If all I've
ever seen is a
picture of the Audi
TT then all I've
lost when I miss my
sales goal is a
picture.....I
haven't lost the
actual car.
Get it?
Well executed sales
promotions are
another tool in the
arsenal of the
experience homecare
sales manager. I
know many of you are
saying "I pay them
to sell....why do I
have to have
contests too"? A
great sales contest
can polarize a sales
team into selling
"over their head"
for awhile. It can
take people who put
in a good effort and
make them put in a
great effort. It can
take this Fall's
"OK" result and make
it a record setter.
All you have to do
is financially
justify the reward
versus the expected
increase in
business. If you do,
the reward is not a
COST, it is an
INVESTMENT.
Shake up your sales
team this Fall by
offering them the
chance to win
something they
wouldn't buy for
themselves.....and
watch the sales per
hour go up, up and
away! By the
way.....if you're
considering that
Audi TT for
me.....I'm not picky
on color......
Good Luck!
