Sales Bonuses Are Supposed to Motivate, So Don’t Waste Them on Easy Targets

Most companies pay salespeople a combination of a salary, a commission, and a bonus for hitting a quota, putting a portion of their pay at risk. The belief is that at-risk pay motivates salespeople to work hard and direct effort towards sales activities that encourage achievement of sales goals.

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The End-of-Quarter Sales Rush Costs Companies Money

Ask any organization what’s happening in the sales department on the last few days of the month and the entire last week of any fiscal quarter. You’ll probably get an uncomfortable laugh and a shake of the head. Sales teams are closing deals, at all costs.

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10 Things Sales Reps Hate with Passion!

Sales professionals are a rare breed. Most are self-starters, personable, inquisitive, intuitive and passionate about their craft. They enjoy selling and revel when they are in contact with prospects or customers. They thrive on challenges and relish the benefits of being the CEO of their territory. When faced with a constant change, they welcome the freedom to design a roadmap to make their monthly, quarterly and yearly sales number. For most of them their customers become their friends and they enjoy seeing the value their products or services bring to their customer’s business.

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Your Quota and Your Real Goals

Your quota is the number that your company assigned to you. It’s your revenue goal or, in some cases, it might be a goal assigned to profit. Your number is what your company needs from you, and they have attached a certain commission or bonus to that goal. Your company wants you to max out your compensation, but your number has a certain income attached to it.

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Why Sales Commissions Don’t Work (in the Long Run)

Republished from INC, August 12, 2014
By Aaron Skonnard

Think about salespeople and you think of stereotypes: people who are motivated only by money; risk takers who thrive on the adrenaline of a potential massive payoff; territorial lone wolves who aren’t team players; nine-to-fivers who are inherently lazy and will only work hard if incentivized with a big carrot.

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