For a business to grow and change, it has to start from the top.
To explain this concept, General George S. Patton said, “A piece of spaghetti or a military unit can only be led from the front end.” Translation: if you take a wet noodle and push the back-end forward, the rest will wiggle in all directions. Alternately, if you pull on the noodle from the front end, the rest will follow along.
When vendors want more productivity from their resellers, it’s up to the vendor to find the best ways to motivate its sales force. Below are five ways to motivate your resellers to push your product:
1. Product Training
How well do your resellers know your products and services? Knowledge is power, so the more resellers understand about the products, the more empowered they’ll be. You can schedule individual or group training sessions to get them up to speed on the details of your latest products. Once they have a better understanding of your products and services, the resellers will have more confidence heading into future sales meetings.
2. Develop Trust & Transparency
Trust is the bedrock of any relationship. If you and your resellers don’t trust each other, your resellers won’t be motivated to go above and beyond the minimum expectations. The best way to build trust is by being honest with your sellers and making them feel like they’re part of the decision-making process.
When meeting with resellers, be straightforward with them about what you expect and remind them that you believe in their abilities. Over time, let your resellers in on higher-level decisions. That way, the reseller can provide their input and feel invested in how things get done.
3. Create a Rewards & Recognition Program
Salespeople are naturally competitive, so use that trait to your advantage. By creating a rewards system, you’ll draw attention to top performers. Rewards are earned when the sales team meets collective goals, individuals hit specific goals or a combination of both.
Recognition can come in the form of bragging rights, such as a “top seller” trophy that sits on the winner’s desk for a month, or take the form of bonuses. These bonuses can be gift cards, money, a meal at a nice restaurant or tickets to an event. Find out which rewards inspire your resellers to stay motivated and clearly explain what they need to do to earn the rewards.
4. Show Appreciation
Salespeople — just like all people — want to be recognized for their hard work. It doesn’t always have to be a material reward; sometimes all it takes is an “attaboy” for their work. When telling a reseller “Thank you” and “Well done,” give specifics as to why they earned the compliment. It shows that you’re paying attention. Don’t only recognize the significant accomplishments — give praise to small wins as well.
5. Create a Strong Company Culture
Who doesn’t want to love what they do for a living? When vendors combine all the previous strategies, it creates a strong company culture that will help motivate the people representing your products and services. When resellers feel like they are trusted, recognized and growing professionally, everyone wins.
For more information on motivating your resellers and how Marketopia can help, contact us today.
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