Motivation isn’t just nice to have when it comes to sales – it’s a necessary component for success. It takes motivation to make calls, chase leads and close deals.

While coaching and training can work wonders at helping sales reps polish their skills, what do you do when they face a dip in motivation? According to Molly Clarke, a product marketing director at Salesforce, there are some things you can do to boost your team’s effectiveness and motivation.

Just like you can train your sales reps on new approaches, you can also help them improve their motivation when they’ve hit a slump. In this issue of PromoPro Daily, we outline Clarke’s suggestions for motivating sales reps when skill alone isn’t cutting it anymore.

Set S.M.A.R.T goals. Have you checked your sales goals against the S.M.A.R.T. goal framework? They should be specific, measurable, attainable, relevant and time-bound.

Create purpose. Clarke points out the two types of motivators: intrinsic and extrinsic. Intrinsic motivators, like autonomy and productivity, relate to someone’s personal values and come from inside. Extrinsic motivators are things that motivate people from the outside, like compensation and power. How does purpose fit in? This is what drives actions and impacts how people feel, Clarke says. You can be sure you’re creating a sense of purpose for your sales team by asking questions like, “Does my team understand the company’s mission?” and “Do they see how their daily activities help them achieve their goals?”

Build trust. It takes time, but you can cultivate a culture of trust by being transparent, entrusting your sales reps to do their work and assuming the best in people. Clarke says you can also build trust by seeking feedback from your team. This shows them you value their feedback, and you understand that you have improvement areas of your own.

Commend good work. Recognition is a huge motivator. Just keep in mind that what’s meaningful to one employee might not mean as much to another, Clarke says. Get to know them individually so you can recognize them when you see they have the motivation and drive to close deals.

Review your commission plans. Clarke recommends reviewing whether your plans are motivating the right behaviors and if compensation is tied to the most meaningful metrics. Remember that people work primarily to earn a living. If your compensation plans aren’t created with this motivation in mind, Clarke says you might see motivation levels start to slip.

Give access to information. You can motivate your sales reps by giving them access to the right information at the right time. Information is powerful if leveraged in the right ways, Clarke says.

Scale back on the notifications. If your sales reps are inundated with emails, texts and pings all day, they can lose their motivation to focus on sales work. Clarke suggests saving notifications for only the most important data points.

It’s normal for motivation levels to fluctuate. As a leader, you can inspire your sales team to bounce back when they start to lose their motivation. Create smarter goals and give your sales reps a sense of purpose. Also, be sure to prioritize building trust and recognizing good work. If you notice the motivation cup is running low, fill it up by considering the points above.

Compiled by Audrey Sellers
Source: Molly Clarke is a product marketing director at Salesforce. She has more than 12 years of B2B experience.