A lot of ISP operators believe that salespeople are only motivated by money. This is wrong. The average sales person is motivated by a number of things of which money is but one element spurring them onward.

by Brock Henderson Brock Henderson & Associates [May 20, 2002]

Different things motivate different individuals. Every sales team is comprised of nothing but individuals. Some salespeople are motivated almost exclusively by money. But others are motivated by the prestige of being part of a special group or team. Still others are motivated by recognition and rewards other than money. There even exists the rare few souls that are motivated by the simple act of helping build your ISP business.

Salespeople require praise for their efforts. In order to utilize praise as a source of motivation for your sales team, you have to know what motivates each individual member of the team. Usually, several different things motivate individuals, resulting in each individual having a unique mix of different priorities.

(Chart Source: Maslow.org)

In the late 1960's Abraham Maslow developed a hierarchical theory of human needs. Presented in pyramid form (left), our basic needs reside at the bottom of the pyramid and our more ethereal ambitions are associated with those needs near the top of the pyramid—self-actualization and eventual transcendence.

Salespeople possess the same hierarchy of needs as any other human being. It's important that you take a few minutes to understand these needs in order to create an environment in which your sales team can thrive. Maslow's hierarchy of needs include:

• Physiological Needs: Food, clothing, water, shelter—the most basic elements of survival. Money plays a key role here since it is with money that salespeople can obtain these basic needs.
• Safety Needs: For most people there is not any great insecurity here, but sales people are a different lot of individuals. Salespeople face rejection constantly throughout the day, which is a perpetual assault on their sense of employment security. Because of this, salespeople usually need a lot more reassurance in the form of emotional encouragement and support than the typical office worker who doesn't endure constant rejection.
• Belonging Needs: The sense of being a part of something—whether it's a meaningful relationship, social organization, religious affiliation, athletic team or your sales team—nourishes a sense of belonging. In fact, most individuals require multiple sources of input from these various groups to fulfill their sense of belonging. Since sales people are out there by themselves most of the day and often feeling like they compete with other sales people on the same team, it is important that you foster a sense of fair play at your ISP business. Make sure your salespeople feel like they belong to a successful group and that each individual sales person feels that they are treated fairly.
• Esteem Needs: All people need a strong sense of self-respect as well as respect from others to feel confident, valuable, and emotionally satisfied with their work. Salespeople are often emotionally worn out at the end of a day, having had their esteem ripped apart by prospects. ISP owners need to develop programs that reinforce employee confidence and demonstrate respect and admiration for the sales team from the management. It's a delicate matter since salespeople often appear upbeat and enthusiastic on the outside but maintain low self-esteem on the inside.
• Self-Actualization: This is an ongoing process where the individual becomes something outside of their current state. Often associated with religion or a religious experience. Self-actualization is what trips your trigger—it's what leaves you the most satisfied with your sense of self.

Each level in this hierarchical pyramid is dependent upon another. From basic physiological needs up to self-actualization, each preceding level must be attained before the individual will attempt to fulfill the next level.

For salespeople, this means that their needs of food, clothing, and shelter must be met before they can fulfill their need for security. And the needs of job security must be met before the salesperson can feel like they are a part of something—and so on up the pyramid.

When to start
Ideally, you should get to know your sales representatives and understand their primary source of motivation during the hiring process. Money will probably be a key element, but so will other things such as a need to help grow something—like your ISP business. This way, you can tailor your motivational efforts on an individual basis and not make the mistake of lumping individual salespeople into the same motivational mold.

Even if you have an existing sales team than has never been the target of your motivational efforts you should start a "Get to Know You" program today. Go out and grab lunch together or speak casually, one-on-one. Take some time to listen to each sales person at your ISP business. Then tell everybody you're going to get together once a week to share some of what you learned with the entire team.

It's never too late to start motivating your sales team. Selling is a tough and lonely job. Salespeople need to have time to mingle with co-workers and their supervisors. Unlike everyone else in the office, they don't get to see co-workers or talk with them throughout the day, so be sure there are a part of weekly meetings. Some ISP owners actually have daily sales meetings before the sales staff hits the streets or calls prospects on the phone. This is a time when frustrations can be vented and triumphs shared. This, along with the need for recognition, is why so many companies have so many sales contests—to keep their salespeople motivated.

But repairing bruised egos takes more than a plaque on the wall or honorable mention at a staff meeting. It takes your time and attention to make sure your ISP business is making the most of its salespeople. Letting them know you need them is a great place to start.

—End