 |  | Retaining Top Personnel MOTIVATION | | ||
|  The Cost of Turnover Orientation Motivation Coaching and Mentoring Training Goal Setting Performance Assessment Resignation and Termination More Resources: Retaining Top Personnel Code of Ethics: Retaining Top Personnel | MOTIVATION Brokers with a background in sales are often successful motivators because they understand human nature and have learned how to empathize with different sorts of people while making sales. Why People Perform Although no two people are motivated by exactly the same thing, some motivators are almost universal. 1. Praise. Do it every day, at every level of the company. 2. Status. Select a salesperson for a special assignment, such as conducting a sales meeting or acting as a mentor. 3. Contests and awards. Try to structure contests so there are several winners at different levels. Otherwise, those at the lower rungs may become discouraged instead of motivated. TIP: Don’t make contests so difficult that they never have a winner; make goals attainable. 4. Compensation. Use bonuses, graduated commissions, or benefits to reward top performance. TIP: Review your compensation plan regularly to correspond to changes in the market. 5. A sense of achievement and an opportunity for personal growth. 6. A need to be valued clients and customers for helping them achieve their goals. Portions adapted from Real Estate Brokerage, 5th edition, John Cyr, Joan Sobeck, and Laurel McAdams, Dearborn Financial, 1999. 10 Must-Do Motivators Here are steps you can take now to motivate your sales force. 1. Provide top-of-the line technology and training to make their jobs easier and give them an edge on the competition. 2. Coach salespeople by meeting with them regularly to review goals and offer advice on how associates can attain them. 3. Recognize accomplishments through public kudos. Announce accomplishments at sales meetings or publish them in company newsletters. 4. Say thank you—in person or through handwritten notes—and praise people profusely and immediately for a job well done. 5. Treat salespeople with respect. It costs nothing, and is probably the most effective motivator you have. 6. Offer prizes—weekend getaways, dinners, event tickets, or gift certificates—for those who attain specific goals. 7. Organize appreciation events. For instance, take salespeople and employees for a special meal or outings to the symphony or sporting events. 8. Stock the company kitchen with people’s favorite fruits, snacks, and drinks. 9. Step in during a personal crisis, and try to offer a short-term fix. 10. Solicit employee feedback through questionnaires and staff meetings on ways to improve the company. And act on those suggestions. TIP: Send motivation thoughts and stories via company newsletter or e-mail. TIP: Help salespeople motivate themselves by offering a lending library of tapes and books for them to use. Intrinsic and Extrinsic Motivators > | |
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