1. What is motivation? The desire to expend effort to fulfill a need A driving force that impels you to action

2. Why do people feel “motivated?” They are seeking to fulfill some physiological (biogenic) or psychological need (psychogenic) need.

3. Why do sales people need motivating? The job involves a lot of rejection. The job is largely unsupervised. The rep is physically detached from other employees and the company. Performance and reward are closely entwined for most sales jobs.

4. Necessary Conditions for Motivation You must believe there is a strong link between effort and performance. You must believe there is a strong link between performance and reward. You must feel the rewards are desirable.

5. Necessary Links in Motivation You must believe more effort will lead to better performance. “If I study longer for this test, I will make a better grade.” You must believe that increased performance will lead to better rewards. Across-the-board vs. merit raise

6. Are the rewards worth the effort? Hygiene Factors – conditions of the work environment (not the job itself) Up-to-date equipment; adequate supplies, friendly co-workers Hygiene factors can lead to less dissatisfaction, but can NOT motivate.

7. Motivation Factors Inherent parts of the job itself Challenging or interesting tasks, level of responsibility and authority, opportunity for promotion or recognition These types of factors directly affect how motivated a person feels.

8. How can pay be both a hygiene and motivating factor? The overall level of pay (pay scales and salary ranges) is a characteristic of the company and the job. The specific level of one’s pay and how often it’s changed reflect the nature of the job itself and your performance.

9. Types of Motivators Financially-Based Rewards Salary, commissions, bonuses, fringe benefit payments, sales contests Nonfinancial Rewards Recognitions (trophies, certificates), praise, job enrichment, promotion opportunities, advancements

10. Problems with Sales Contests Work only for the short run – sales decline or return to normal after the contest period. May lead to unethical or manipulative behavior – high pressure selling, pre- or post-dating of orders

11. Designing Recognition Programs Top management should be involved in designing and giving the awards. If too many people receive the awards, they lose their value. (About ½ the group should be recognized.) The awards should be well-publicized and publicly presented.

12. Other Motivators Sales Meetings Conventions Training Programs Mentoring Quotas Territory Budgets Performance Evaluations

13. What is “plateauing?” Salesperson has stopped improving; seems to have lost drive and interest Caused by: lack of upward mobility, satisfaction with pay, perceptions of unfair treatment, burnout (mentally and physically drained) Solutions: set clear performance standards, assign a new project, switch accounts