Are your sales incentive programs meeting sales reps’ expectations? And what are you doing about it if they’re not?
In our recent research, we surveyed 200+ Distributor and Manufacturer Sales Reps currently enrolled in incentive programs. We discovered that 96% of them reported facing program challenges. From inadequate progress tracking to confusing rule structures to irrelevant rewards, there are many areas for improvement.
Thankfully, you can turn challenges into opportunities with the right incentive strategies. Our incentive experts compiled the direct sales rep feedback into five categories that define the sales rep experience. With their experience and insights, you can transform how sales reps see your program—increasing participation, boosting sales and growing market share.
Personalisation boosts participation
Not every sales rep is motivated the same way. The more personalisation you can add to a program, the more it will resonate. From communication frequency to tailored messaging to a variety of reward options, the best incentive programs are flexible enough to meet sales reps where they are. When reps feel like the program was designed for them, they’re more likely to engage.
Turn passive participation into proactive performance with:
- Role-specific goals
- Customised dashboards
- Personalised communication
- Compelling rewards
Frequent communication keeps participants focused
Consistent communication with sales reps is the key to a high-performing incentive program. Too often, participants get infrequent communications, so the program gets lost among their other responsibilities (or worse, among competing incentive programs with better communication strategies).
Keep the program fresh with weekly updates on:
- New promotions
- Personal progress
- Exciting rewards
Cash isn’t always the best motivator
While cash and discounts are popular, don’t overlook the impact of non-monetary rewards, which scored higher than expected for both Distributor and Manufacturer Sales Reps. Non-monetary rewards leave a positive impression that drives motivation in lasting ways. For example, sales reps reported wanting to be recognised for their hard work and accomplishments from their peers and managers.
Create memorable moments to inspire sales reps, such as:
- Recognition from peers and managers
- Travel perks
- Concert tickets
- Exclusive experiences
Better tracking encourages more participation
Sales reps are likely to default to the products and services they know best. Teaching them more about your products will help you gain market share and ensure they choose you over the competition. Simply put, training helps sales reps (and you) sell more. Sales reps want to learn, especially if they’ll achieve greater incentives.
Motivate your sales reps to train with:
- Badges
- Tiered rewards
- Leaderboards
Training is a hidden motivator
Sales reps tend to be competitive by nature, so they want to know how they’re performing in the program. Seeing how close they are to earning a reward boosts motivation. To keep them motivated throughout the program’s lifespan, make it easy for them to understand the program rules and watch their progress (and accomplishments) build.
Inspire sales reps to reach their goals with:
- Progress bars
- Goal trackers
- Regular updates
Start building a better sales incentive program today
These five categories are just the beginning for optimising your incentive program. To truly understand what drives sales reps’ motivation, you need in-depth insights into their expectations, wants, needs and pain points. The actionable insights in our research report will help you implement the changes you need to elevate your program experience and drive measurable results.
See how personalisation, communication, experiences, tracking and training come together to drive better engagement in the full report, “Effective incentive programs for sales reps.”