It's April and if you haven't sponsored a
sales contest yet this year, you are missing
a real opportunity to focus your sales staff
and have some fun at the same time.
Sales Contests vs. Commissions or
Bonuses
Salespeople expect to be paid commissions or
bonuses if they achieve quota. It comes with
the territory and is one of the attractions
of the profession. Cash can be almost an
intangible. Sales contests, especially those
that offer tangible rewards, help a
salesperson stretch and reach for a goal that
they might have thought unattainable.
Examples of great tangible prizes include
gift certificates to favorite:
- Stores
- Restaurants
- Amusement Parks
They could also include tickets to:
- Sporting Events
- Concerts
- Museums
- Movies
Other ideas can include a dish filled with
the winner's favorite candy, a trophy that
they get to keep until the next contest, or a
coveted parking space.
All of the above work for salespeople no
matter their lifestyle. Offer several choices
because the crucial element here is to let
them decide which of these things they might
like.
Dollars vs. Progress
Salespeople often put in a great deal of hard
work with a particular prospect before they
ever get a chance to make the sale.
Sometimes convincing a potential client to
meet with them or have a discussion over the
phone is a true achievement that many
salespeople feel goes unrecognized. The
sales contest does not always have to be
about closed sales. Mix it up a little bit.
An example of a non-revenue focused contest
might be to offer a prize for a 10% increase
in a month in the number of:
- Product Demonstrations
- Webinars
- Prospecting Calls
- Face-to-face Meetings
Top Producers vs. Everyone Else
Sometimes well-meaning Presidents or Sales
Managers create contests that only a handful
of superstars can win. Once the rest of the
staff catches on to this, they ignore the
contest and continue with their daily work.
Make certain that any contest you create
encourages everyone on the sales staff to
improve their own performance.
Sales contests like these should be held at
least once a quarter, be tailored to the
individual participants, have a relatively
low dollar value ($150 or less), have clear
rules, and be brief (3 months maximum). A
motivated sales staff that feels recognized
for the tough job they have makes the
creation of these contests well worth the effort.
