The other day I had a 10am coffee with a regional sales VP for a software company. (The coffee was good -- I love this place Ava Roasteria not far from home. But, since we were both fully caffienated, we settled for smalls.)
We talked about this and that and at one point wandered into the topic of the process improvement work that I do and how it applies to sales processes. I was explaining about how sometimes you need a better process, and sometimes you just need better adoption of existing process.
"Never mind a standard sales process," he said. "We have salespeople who take their $80k base and view spiffs as just more pressure."
This led to talking about using personality profiles as screening tools during the hiring process ("We tried that -- ended up the profile results identified the wrong people").
Other ideas?
Consider asking questions during the hiring process that reveal a candidate's attitude towards money and financial goals. This can help you determine whether they're motivated by money or if they're just looking for a job to pay the bills. Don't be afraid to ask questions that might seem personal, like how much they're looking to earn or what their long-term financial goals are. This can give you insight into their priorities and motivations.
Next, take a look at their past work experience. Have they worked in sales before? If not, consider whether they've demonstrated drive or initiative in their previous roles. Have they exceeded their goals? Have they taken on additional responsibilities or leadership roles? These can be good indicators of their potential for success in a sales role.
But what if you've already hired salespeople who are content with a low base salary and aren't motivated by financial incentives? One option is to offer additional training or coaching to help them develop new skills and increase their confidence.
Finally, don't forget that motivation and drive can come from a variety of sources, not just financial incentives. Make sure you're creating a positive and supportive work environment that encourages salespeople to excel and achieve their goals. And remember, at the end of the day, the most successful salespeople are those who are passionate about what they do and genuinely care about their customers.
If you want to learn more about hiring salespeople who are motivated by financial incentives, check out these resources:
"How to Build a Commission Plan for Sales Reps" by HubSpot: https://blog.hubspot.com/sales/commission-plan-for-sales-reps
"7 Interview Questions to Identify Sales Rockstars" by Salesforce: https://www.salesforce.com/blog/2015/08/interview-questions-identify-sales-rockstars.html
"The Psychology of Sales Compensation" by Harvard Business Review: https://hbr.org/2016/12/the-psychology-of-sales-compensation
This job-search coffee was made possible by my friend Chelsea. Thanks, Chelsea!
