Using sales incentives to motivate employees is proven to work. But what about when a deadline is approaching or time is running out to land a few tricky clients before the end of the month? This is where a little healthy competition and commissions come into play. Set up the competition fairly If you have a stellar employee who outshines 90 percent of the office on a daily basis, and a rookie salesperson in their first six months, it would be unfair and a little mean to pit them against one another. When establishing a plan, don’t just sort employees by last names and group them together. Healthy competition requires thoughtful analysis of the office environment. Utilizing sales analytics can be helpful, and the results can serve as a program to help out newer workers. If competition is done right, even those who don’t win the grand prize will have learned new skills and ways to improve their job performance. Efficiency Experts recommends setting up teams to take part in a competition, rather than just having two employees work against one another. Establishing teams so veterans and inexperienced salespeople are working together is effective in keeping employees motivated and provides a way for everyone to learn from one another. Everyone wins Whether a staff is competing for a weekend trip to a sunny location or for a cash prize, it’s a good idea to offer up smaller prizes for everyone who participates. Without these equal prizes, if staff members see that their team is performing poorly, they might give up entirely. Instead, offering up small cash rewards or gift certificates for everyone who plays can be better options. These routes could reduce resentment among colleagues while shoring up morale. Keeping competition fun, light and healthy is the best route to take when deciding on a sales compensation program.
