Summaries

8 ways to motivate your sales team by Jason Lemkin (SaaStr CEO)

1. Deliver them a killer feature (the one they have been asking for). Ask the sales team which feature would be the best for them right now, go build and ship it.
2. Promote your number #1 rep. Even in tough times, the best one still doing better than others - promote this one.
3. Ask the sales team what you can do to do better. Often they know better - ask them how you can help.
4. Get them more leads. Go hire a real VP Demand Gen. If you already have one, spend more time with this person - help increase leads by 20%. With this, you will show sales that you are committed, you help.
5. Modestly reset the plan. You cannot do it every quarter, but you can do it once if the plan is too agressive.
6. Let the worst 1-2 reps go. They will not waste your best leads anymore - you can distribute them between better reps.
7. Drive the NPS up. Start measuring it, set the goal (e.g., from 30 to 40) and monitor that. When customers start becoming more happy, they will start telling about your product. It will not help you immediately, but it will generate more leads for the next quarter.
8. Lead from the front. When tough times come, jump on sales' calls, give the sales team cards and tell them you will do 10 calls with each of them, they can pick the calls you will join (prospects, KAM for upselling - up to them). Customers like talking to CEOs - even if the company is small! Do a weekly webinars where customers can talk to you. Do customer meetings.

Source: SaaStr 440: SaaStr CEO Jason Lemkin Shares 8 Ways to Motivate Your Sales Team

Profile of the author: Jason M. Lemkin