Sharing
the Wealth
Increasing
sales as a team
By
Jeffrey Hansler, CSP
Moving
the rugby ball down the field requires extra effort from
everyone. To watch the ball throw in from the side in a
line-out, have the ball moved from the forwards to the backs
and then having those same forwards swinging around to
follow as a pack to drive the ball down the field for a try
(term for scoring in rugby) is a beautiful example of a team
working together for success.
Creating
sales incentive programs that involve the entire sales and
non-sales staff is a positive way to gain the same ultimate
commitment. By working with other department managers, an
incentive program can be designed that contributes to your
sales objectives and their departmental objectives at the
same time. Continually designing programs around common and
mutually beneficial objectives creates tremendous momentum
toward supportive activities and away from combative and
territorial attitudes and other negative situations
exacerbated by heavy workloads and uncertainty.
Tying
everyone together with a shared incentive program helps
non-sales staff to see the appreciation of their efforts.
Even with a tough economy, highly competitive market, and
profit sharing, some individuals forget that their jobs
depend on sales success. Especially when they don't see all
the work the salespeople are doing, yet feel they bear the
burden of special handling, extra service, special discounts
or terms, and last minute rushes.
Shared
incentive programs can be used to increase sales, enhance
team effort, defuse territorial attitudes, and create
empathy while increasing sales and the level of commitment
to the customer.
As
a sales manager, selling a successful shared incentive
program tied to sales may not be as easy as it seems -
unless you want to fund it entirely out of your budget,
which won't gain real commitment from the other department
managers. Additionally, sharing the cost of the
incentive program, introduces that entrepreneurial
commitment to all departments with everyone sharing in the
risk and success of the program.
The
following is a step-by-step outline that you can take as a
sales manager to make your shared incentive program a
success that will really help sales drive to new levels:
1.
Choose a measurable objective from your sales plan that
involves special handling from the greatest number of other
departments (service contracts, new products, new markets,
customized products, etc.).
2.
Outline possible approaches to reaching those objectives:
individual efforts, inter-departmental teams or
intra-departmental teams.
3.
Outline possible sales force incentives and the investment
required to retain your focus on the result you want. Then
outline possible incentives for non-sales staff, the
investment required, and an amount you are willing to
contribute from your budget. The type, value and source of
incentives will depend on your past experience, company
policies and your own creativity.
4.
Meet with senior management for approval of a shared
incentive program and request resources for the program. The
more commitment you gain for the program, the more likely it
will succeed (Besides, you're in sales, they expect you to
ask for money).
5.
Meet with department heads, individually or in a group. Seek
high interest and commitment. Exclude passive involvement -
a shared incentive program with high commitment from all
those involved is critical to success.
6.
Present your ideas, programs, a second meeting date and a
kick off date. Seek their ideas and comments. Try to find
ways to tie their departmental objectives with your sales
objectives. Incentives then bind these objectives into
shared objectives that can be measured and rewarded.
7.
Work interdependently with other departments to build a
final program that retains an ultimate focus on sales and
the shared objectives (quality, accuracy, response time,
etc.).
8.
At the second meeting, finalize a program with all involved
departments. By contributing a portion of your budget to the
incentives for their departments, you are making a strong
statement that you appreciate their efforts and realize
their contribution to your objectives.
With
everyone working toward a shared objective, you ensure
positive interaction in solving issues and problems that
come up in reaching sales objectives. Everyone likes to win,
and by creating a shared incentive program, everyone
understands that they are bound together for success. It
provides you a forum to express your needs and plan for
success with everyone involved. It's not half as scary as
jumping off a precipice into space hoping the rope holds....
but
the rewards are just as great, and it is the best way to
make that sales success drive for the try.
#
# # # #
Jeffrey
Hansler is a professional speaker, author, and consultant.
He is a frequent speaker at association events and is the
author of Sell Little Red Hen! Sell! He can be reached at jhansler@oxfordco.com.
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2004 Jeffrey Hansler All rights reserved |
