There are four main business profiles: junior sales people, young people, experienced executives and senior sales people. The expectations and objectives of each of these profiles are very different and personalized. This is why it is essential, in order to motivate them, to use specific tools for each of them.
JUNIOR SALES PEOPLE: TALENTED STAFF IN DEMAND FOR COACHING AND ACCOMPANYING
Junior sales profiles are the youngest recruits in your marketing team.
They have less than two years of experience in their field, and they can still be disconcerted in front of a difficult and undecided customer. Generally, they are eager for knowledge and good practice. They often seek from their manager a guide and an example to follow.
Its essential qualities for your company
These juniors take a fresh look at your practices, they have a strong dynamism they are just waiting to put at the service of your company ... Provided however that you succeed their integration. Difficult for some companies indeed when we learn that 65% of them do not have integration process and that half of the employees has already considered leaving his company during the probation period.
Its weaknesses
A beginner in sales sometimes has a barrier too difficult to overcome for acquiring the sales methods of the pros. Being able to evaluate the sale steps and integrate the qualities of a good salesperson (listening, relationship, ethics, ease, respect for the customer ...) is learned with experience.
The ideal is to assign them a flexible portfolio of customers that they will manage jointly with a member of their team a little more experienced, or directly with their manager. The latter must give him time for personalized coaching. He must from time to time accompany him in the field and provide him with the essential techniques to achieve his objectives.
Their compensation always has a fixed base and a variable part, the variable base being able to be defined according to they keep the customer within the portfolio which is entrusted to them initially, then of its enlargement. Feel free to push managers to accompany their junior salespeople by setting a bonus on achieving a common goal.
NATIVE DIGITAL: ADVANTAGES OF DIGITAL PROSPECTION HIGHLY CONNECTED
Young professionals are commercials with a strong addiction for digital tools, or for anything that is directly related to the use of the Internet. They are generally eager to develop their knowledge in this area and are constantly looking to take responsibility for this sales area.
Its essential qualities for your company
These young active people want to move, and especially to network. Indeed, having a good professional network is the key to success, according to them.
Its weaknesses
Digital is something natural for them. Their interest in your products and services, for your company, will necessarily pass through the web and its associated products. The Big InvaZion study conducted by The Boson Project & BNP Paribas shows that the concept of fun is important, even influential in their decision-making, variety of tasks, daily challenges and semi-permanent mobility. to encourage them to give the best of themselves.
The best way to motivate them is to offer them technological support ahead of their colleagues to become a team of "beta-testers" of new developments in customer prospecting. Do not hesitate to ask them to be proactive and conduct tests to get their feedback. When they are no longer juniors, your young, experienced workers can move the business and pull it up. It is also an opportunity to maintain a young and committed team with a low turn-over. To put in place an effective incentive compensation system, you will need to associate the human resources department. Indeed, an alignment of the HR and commercial teams is often necessary.
The training, the deployment of a test on a tool can act as a direct reward. One can also consider a bonus based on the results they have achieved.
EXPERIENCED EXECUTIVES: EXCELLENT TEAM LEADERS
Experienced managers can be excellent team leaders. They aspire to assume responsibilities as well as to take on new challenges. They can manage portfolios of complex customers or improve those in difficulty.
Its essential qualities for your company
He has a good ability to unify the sales teams around a project, towards a goal and to make sense. He will motivate his teams to achieve goals, congratulate, reframe ... while being reassuring and bringing expertise.
Its weaknesses
Confronted with strict rules, he may be led to less want to work. To better get involved in his work, he needs a strong autonomy, which implies an appropriate management.
In their case, the manager must no longer play the role of master and be omnipresent on their side. As executive managers, they need autonomy and can logically participate in decision-making in the company. It is also important that they have some work comfort. Their compensation generally includes, in addition to the fixed base, a bonus based on objectives attributed to them according to the completion of the latter. Their compensation model is generally different from business profiles, and geared towards the top managers of the company (a high fixed and bonuses on the completion of a reduced lot of objectives).
THE COMMERCIAL SENIORS: YOUR SALES EXPERTS
Senior business profiles are often experts, specialists in the field.
Their expectations are usually focused on recognizing their skills. That said, they need to be given important responsibilities, and they are not willing to have a too demanding manager either. They like to work collaboratively and know that their manager trusts them to achieve their goals.
Its essential qualities for your company
The top sales person has a highly developed skill to evolve the point of view of his customers. He knows how to participate in the prosperity of his clients. His level of integrity, his notion of services and his general or professional technical skills make him an essential advisor.
Its weaknesses
Like the experienced executive, he has strong aspirations for autonomy and a strong desire to recognize his work. It's up to you to make it not a risk of demotivation but a lever for commitment to additional work.
As for the experienced executives, senior business profiles must also be remunerated mainly on the basis of Sales versus Target objectives. But you can also include commissioning and benefits in kind, such as a company car, a gas card, a laptop, etc. They are also good trainers for young recruits. Finally, it is good to allow them from time to time to train the junior salespeople you recruit.
You can also consult our article on motivation of teams by incentive compensation
