Is it the money? Many companies think the only motivating factor for salespeople is money. I think we all know that is not true, but companies still insist on perpetuating that myth.
Is money important? Of course. Is more money a good thing? Of course. Is it the only factor motivating you to get out of bed every morning and go get dozens of “No” answers from suspects? Of course not.
What Motivates You?
I like money a lot. I need it to support my family, to buy electronic gadgets, and to run and play when needed. However, it hasn’t been my primary motivator for a long time. I still need money to survive, but it has slid a few rungs on my list.
What Motivates Me?
- Family
- Personal Goals
- Pride
- Praise
- Ego
- Teaching
- Training
- Success
- Prizes
- Money
In May 2007, I wrote about motivation on Motivation on the Run. Here is an excerpt from that article.
From my experience in sales, the incentives were always the same. Oh, the prize would change, or the trip location would move, but trips and awards were the top two for long term motivation. Contests would run anywhere from one to three months with some criteria to judge the winner.
The money came into the picture for the short term. It usually happened when the boss noticed the numbers lagging for the month. He would walk into the bullpen and raise a one hundred dollar bill and shout, “Who wants a hundred bucks?” The responses better be loud and in the affirmative.
He would then lay a few ground rules for determining who would win the cash at the end of the day. First call with a sale, most significant sale of the day, most appointments set to take him on, etc. You get the picture.
In thinking about the different incentives I have been involved with, I put this list together.
1. Money
2. Prizes (DVD player, tv, etc.)
3. Personal goals
4. Trips
5. Encouragement (pat on the back)
You can tell the article is old from the mention of a DVD player as a prize.
I don’t think anything has changed in the last thirteen years. Most companies lead with money, then prizes, including trips.
Another article from Motivation on the Run in 2007 gives a humous look at the reason money is NOT the best motivation.
5 reasons Money isn’t the best motivation
1. It will just get spent on bills.
2. Your spouse will take it and buy shoes (or a boat).
3. The amount is not enough to make the effort worth it.
4. You’d rather have a raise.
5. Green isn’t your favorite color.
Some of the reasons are silly, but my experience in sales shows a real lack of discernment on the part of companies on what motivates their salespeople. Repeated surveys show money on the list, but well below family time, proper wages (to not need monetary incentives), and excellent benefits (health, life, disability). There seems to be a real disconnect on this one.
What Say You?
What is your motivation? Is it only money or something else entirely?