You’ve probably got a pretty solid idea of ​​the personality types that make up your team. You’ve probably also figured out what your team’s strengths and weaknesses are. Depending on where your team is located, you can start designing rewards and incentives to produce exactly what you strive for. In doing so, there are some general rules of thumb that are helpful to keep in mind.

First of all, always remember that what counts as a great reward may vary depending on the individual and the particular circumstances. Many successful managers suggest mixing individual incentives with team rewards. In this way, you are meeting individual needs while fostering cooperation and keeping your focus on company goals. Incentives that are based on group performance also help salespeople become better team players and have a sense of ownership in company goals. In this way, they can feel some internal motivation and personal satisfaction in seeing that the work is done well instead of always depending on some external and temporary factor that motivates them.

However, a fair warning that incentives often lead to a warning of the diminishing returns trap. What I mean by this is that a certain reward will lose its impact over time if it is used too much. That is, instead of feeling rewarded, people will expect the incentive as an automatic return for their efforts. The other side of this problem is that when the reward is taken away, the good behavior will also disappear. Reward-based motivation is an external influence rather than an internal one. It’s worth noting here that big, tangible rewards can definitely give your salespeople something to watch out for all year long, but don’t neglect the smaller incentives. Giving thanks, noticing the extra effort of a rep, helping a rep get over a slump, and only day-to-day accolades can be very important and will contribute to your team building efforts just as much as big end bonuses will. of year.

With any great incentive program, you have to take the time to promote it. Obviously, a great one-year incentive program will fail if you only mention it once. If you want an incentive program to produce top performance, you need to promote it by providing your team members with weekly updates, newsletters, short-term incentives, and more. Find ways to keep the momentum going to make sure the program pays off. Anything creative, fun, or different you can do will make your program more effective. It is also very useful if there is a prominent visual reminder where the team can watch the countdown to the end of the program.

Below is an extensive list of reward ideas that you can incorporate into your motivational efforts. Some can be applied in the short term, others in the long term. Some are team rewards; others may be tailored to individuals. Some will work very well for your team; others will not. See what best suits your team situation. Often times, it’s just a matter of finding something fun that breaks the tedium of the sales cycle. In terms of physical merchandise, remember that the value in the eyes of the seller will be much more than the actual price. Cash disappears, but your customer will always remember that their laptop, TV, or whatever came from your company.

Just a few more basic guidelines: 1) Make sure your salespeople understand what is expected of them, whether they are awarded any rewards or not. It is not advisable to reward a salesperson for minimal work. Once the basic requirements are consistently met, then you have a starting point from which you can set higher goals. 2) Make the incentive program timeline clear so everyone knows exactly when it starts and ends and exactly what is required in the meantime. 3) Set the reward early on so that people have a clear vision in their minds of what they are working towards. Remember that while cash is exciting, other incentives can often be more powerful. The actual dollar amount of an item and the value that the recipient places on that item are two different things. If money were enough, why wouldn’t a salesperson who works on commission be excited and motivated enough every day? 4) Whenever possible, use rewards that can be shared with friends or family. For example, such a reward could be a free dinner for two at a good restaurant. If the rep can share the results of their efforts with others, the incentive will be more exciting and will drive them to do better.