| Motivate your sales team Denise. Was one of the | | | | There are five simple steps you can take now |
| first instructions I was given when I started to | | | | that will help you to start creating the kind of |
| manage my first sales team. | | | | environment on which you can achieve the |
| In the early years of my sales management | | | | success you want and deserve: |
| career, I was told how important it was to have | | | | Step 1 Find out what's important to your team |
| a motivated sales team. I don't really remember | | | | Make it important to create time to have a chat |
| anyone sitting me down and saying: Denise this is | | | | with each team member and find out what is |
| what you need to do to motivate people. Instead | | | | important to them about the job they do. |
| I learnt from peers and through finding my own | | | | Step 2 Listen |
| way. | | | | Having asked your team member what is |
| Sad fact not from my manager. He was ex | | | | important to them, listen. I mean really listen, |
| army. Very stiff upper lip. I was also the first | | | | make mental notes. Write things down later so |
| female he had ever managed. Though I did learn | | | | that you remember. You have after all just been |
| the value of having clean shoes and a well | | | | told what motivates your employee. |
| pressed suit! | | | | Step 3 Avoid judgment and respect their reply |
| Then one day I was attending a sales | | | | We are each unique. We will have different things |
| management training course. I learned an | | | | that are important to us. Avoid judging your |
| important truth--you can't motivate anyone | | | | colleague because they answered this question |
| except yourself. As a sales manager, all you can | | | | different to you. Respect their responses. |
| do is "create an environment" in which your sales | | | | Step 4 Use the information |
| team motivate themselves. | | | | Think about how you can use this information to |
| It's true that some managers believe that the | | | | create an environment for your team to work in |
| way to motivate staff is with fear. The fear of | | | | that will meet their motivational needs. It's a lot |
| managements anger, the fear of looking foolish or | | | | easier to do this and know the team will motivate |
| even the fear of losing your job. | | | | themselves as a result. |
| While fear can motivate human beings, the simple | | | | Step 5 Recognise success |
| truth is, only for short periods. Remember your | | | | Find ways to recognise your team members for |
| biology lessons at school. Its part of a flight and | | | | their successes and their efforts. Remember to |
| fight mechanism that is only designed to work in | | | | act as an advocate for your sales team |
| small doses. The creator designed it to help us | | | | members with your own boss, marketing |
| move away from things not towards. | | | | colleagues and other upper management. |
| It is worth remembering that one. By the way, | | | | Apply these simple steps and your staff will |
| generally sales people will only accept this kind of | | | | motivate themselves to improve their sales |
| negative incentive for a short time. Then they | | | | success, if you consistently provide the |
| quit. | | | | environment. Don't believe me though. Test them |
| I believe, that as a sales manager, creating an | | | | for yourself. |
| environment where your sales team are | | | | When you begin to use these five simple steps |
| self-motivated is one of the most important parts | | | | and make them part of how you work with your |
| of your role. The most successful sales managers | | | | team, then you will notice how motivated your |
| make this a full time occupation. Though all to | | | | team are becoming and then you'll become more |
| many don't. | | | | successful than you ever thought. |