MOTIVATION OF SALES

FORCE

BY :- SANDEEP BANERJEE
 MEANING OF MOTIVATION

MOTIVATION IS THE FORCE WITHIN US THAT DIRECTS

OUR BEHAVIOUR. MOTIVATION IS UNIQUE TO EVERY
INDIVIDUAL.

A SALES MANAGER MAY ADOPT DIFFERENT

METHODS TO MOTIVATE HIS SALES FORCE .

SALES MANAGER SHOULD EXAMINE INDIVIDUAL

NEEDS AND USE THEM AS THE BASIS FOR
MOTIVATING HIS SALES PERSONS.
A SALES PERSON MAY BE HIGHLY MOTIVATED THROUGHOUT HIS OR
HER CAREER , BUT THE DESIRED REWARDS MAY BE DIFFERENT.

THERE ARE 4 CAREER STAGES : -

A)EXPLORATION

THIS IS ALSO CALLED THE TENTATIVE STAGE . PEOPLE BEGIN TO CRYSTALLIZE,

SPECIFY AND IMPLEMENT AN OCCUPATIONAL CHOICE.  DIFFERENT ROLES ARE TRIED
AND VARIOUS OCCUPATIONAL OPTIONS ARE EXPLORED .

B) ESTABLISHMENT

THIS IS THE DEVELOPMENT PROGRESS BETWEEN THE AGE GROUP OF 25 AND 40

YEARS, AND IT IS CALLED THE REALISTIC STAGE. BY NOW, THE INDIVIDUAL IS IN A
CAREER AND HAS COMPLETED FORMAL TRAINING AND EDUCATION. HE HAS TO
GAIN VOCATIONAL DEVELOPMENT AND MATURITY. GUIDANCE MAY BE REQUIRED.
C) MAINTENANCE

THIS IS THE STAGE OF STABILITY, BETWEEN AGES 40 AND

65. HE HAS BY NOW ACCOMPLISHED ALL WHAT HE
NEEDS TO AND HAS ALMOST COME TO THE STAGE OF
RETIREMENT. THE GUIDANCE THAT HE NEEDS, AT THIS
STAGE IS WITH REGARD TO ECONOMIC MATTERS .

D) DISENGAGEMENT

THIS IS THE FIFTH STAGE, AROUND THE AGE OF 65 TO

75, WHEN THE ADJUSTMENTS BECOME THE MOST. THE
GREATEST NEED IS TO HELP THE INDIVIDUAL TO FEEL
THAT HE IS WANTED, THAT HE IS STILL USEFUL AND
THAT HIS FAMILY MEMBERS CARE FOR HIM. ALSO
GRADUALLY, HE NEEDS TO BE PREPARED TO FACE
DEATH.
FACTORS INFLUENCING INDIVIDUAL SALES PERSONNEL
A) NATURE OF JOB

A SALES REPRESENTATIVE’S JOB IS USUALLY TIRING WITH IRREGULAR WORKING

HRS. THEY DON’T HAVE THE AUTHORITY TO DO WHAT IS NECESSARY TO WIN AN A/C
AND DUE TO THIS SOMETIMES THEY LOOSE LARGE ODERS ON WHIS THEY HAVE
WORKED REALLY HARD.

B) HUMAN NATURE

DUE TO ABSENCE OF SPECIAL INCENTIVES SUCH AS FINANCIAL GAIN OR SOCIAL

RECOGNITION MOST PEOPLE OPERATE BELOW CAPACITY.

C) PERSONAL PROBLEMS

AS THEY ARE OCCASIONALLY PREOCCUPIED WITH PERSONAL PROBLEMS , SUCH AS

SICKNESS IN FAMILY , DEBT , E.T.C THEY CANNOT GIVE THEIR MAXIMUM OUTPUT . AS
A RESULT THE SALES GET EFFECTED .

HIGH PRODUCTIVITY IN A SALES FORCE COMES NEITHER NATURALLY OR

ACCIDENTALLY . IT REQUIRES MOTIVATION .
3 DIMENSIONS OF MOTIVATIONS
1) INTENSITY : - IT IS THE LEVEL OF MENTAL AND PHYSICAL EFFORT
PUT BY A SALESPERSON FOR HIS / HER ACTIVITY OR GOAL . AS THIS
INNER DRIVE BECOMES MORE INTENSE , MORE EFFORT WILL BE
PUT BY HIM.

2) PERSISTENCE : - THIS WORKS WHEN 1ST DIMENSION – INTENSITY IS

HIGH AND HE WANTS TO RETAIN THIS INTENSITY FOR A PERIOD OF
TIME. IN SUCH CASE PERSON IS SAID TO BE HIGHLY MOTIVATED .

3) DIRECTION : - IT IMPLIES THAT THE INDIVIDUAL CAN CHOOSE HOW

HIS / HER EFFORTS WILL BE SPENT . SALES PERSON WHO ARE
HIGHLY COMPETITIVE AND HAVE HIGH INTENSITY AND
PERSISTENCE WILL DETERMINE THEMSELVES WHAT ACTIVITIES ARE
REQUIRED TO REACH THAT GOAL / TARGET .
MODEL OF MOTIVATION PROCESS

SALESPERSON
 REASONS FOR MOTIVATING SALES
PERSON
1) SALES JOB INVOLES UP’S AND DOWN’S THESE SERIES OF EXPERIENCES GENERATE
FEELING OF DEPRESSION . THEY GENERALLY MEET UNPLEASANT AND ROUGH
PERSONS IN DAILY JOB . MOST OF THEIR TIME PASSES AWAY FROM HOME DUE
TO WHICH THEY MISS THEIR FAMILY LIFE . ALL THESE THINGS MAKES HIS
FRUSTRATED AND THIS MAY EFFECT HIS SELLING ABILITY .

2) MANY SALESPERSONNEL HAVE TO COVER THE SAME TERRITORY AND SAME

CUSTOMER CONTINUOUSLY FOR A LONG TIME . SO THEY TEND TO LOOSE
INTEREST AND ENTHUSIASM. THEY FEEL THAT CUSTOMERS NOW KNOW THEM
VERY WELL AND NOW GOOD SALESMANSHIP IS NO LONGER NEEDED.

3) SALESPERSON WORKING ALONE FOR MOST OF THE TIME FINDS IT DIFFICULT TO

DEVELOP AND MAINTAIN THE FEELING OF GROUP IDENTITY . THE FEELING OF
TEAMSPIRIT AND ENTHUSIASM DIES WITHIN HIM / HER .
 WAYS OF MOTIVATION OF SALES FORCE

1) MAINTAINING JOB CLARITY AND WHAT IS EXPECTED FROM

SALESPERSON IS A GREAT WAY OF MOTIVATION .

2) COMPETITION IS A GREAT TOOL TO MOTIVATE SALESPERSONS. IT

ENCOURAGES A HIGHER LEVEL OF SALES OF SLOW
MOVING PRODUCT .

2) RESPONSES IN FORM OF PRAISE , POSITIVE FEEDBACK AND HUMAN

WARMTH GENERATES A FEELING OF HAVING INDIVIDUAL IDENTITY
WITHIN THE ORGANIZATION.

3) REWARDS AND RECOGNITION IN ECONOMIC TERMS ARE MORE

EFFECTIVE METHOD OF MOTIVATION.