Is Sales Motivation the challenge of the hour?

Sales motivation has never been a bigger challenge as it is in today’s altered world. Traditional methods have no room anymore, what is needed is a transformational approach that would yield enduring results. So what is this transformational approach? For one, it has to deliver enduring results, secondly being mindful of the fact that one size does not fit all. It has to have inbuilt flexibility to be sustainable finally it has to come with tools and techniques that enable managers to successfully motivate their team on an on-going basis. Managers who spend time with their teams and invest in them, varying their style in line with the team member’s aptitude, skills & attitude have been known to drive sustainable high performance from their teams. Sales employees based on their skills and aptitude fall under one of the 4 categories: “Stars”, “Coasters”, “Strivers” and “Problem Children”. An average sales force has a clear majority of “Coasters” and “Strivers”, a small but elite group of “Stars” and a group of “Problem Children” whose performance straggles. A judicious manager understands this and adapts his strategies and tactics to motivate each group and thereby move the performance curve of the team upwards.