6/22/2006
Tips for Successful Sales Contests, #4
Winner-take-all, or give everybody a chance to win something? A philosophical question that depends a great deal on the corporate culture. What it boils down to is, whether you want the sales people competing against each other, or pursuing a specific target. Personally, I think the more inclusive the contest, the better. If everyone has a chance to win something, chances are good they will stay motivated; on the other hand, if people conclude early-on they have no chance of winning, they might become so demotivated they perform worse than if there had been no contest at all. Counterproductive. Not worth the risk.
Contests that go beyond sales personnel to reward the support staff can incredibly motivating, too. Sometimes–many times–customer service people can push sales reps more effectively than sales managers. And, by recognizing the efforts of support people, the company communicates teamwork and a shared purpose. In the long run, that can be more motivating than the contest itself.
2 Responses to Tips for Successful Sales Contests, #4
Brad
Excellent concept #4. It has always bothered me that the receptionist who has the responsibility often of being the first voice a customer hears at the dealership is so underpaid and their skills often reflect the reward.
Reward title clerks and office staff also when the dealership has record months.
Yes, that seems like a pretty widespread problem, unfortunately. It doesn’t always take a lot of $$ to reward the support staff, either–doesn’t a little recognition go a long way?