Sales Reps Don’t Require Motivation

 
External Motivation
Motivation is defined as inducement, drive, incentive – something that gets people do think or do things. People think and do exactly what they want. Nobody can make anybody do something they don’t want to do. Threats of violence may appear to do so but only temporarily – lasts as long a s the threat stays real. Money may seem to motivate but only if the individual wants more money.
To most people, motivation is something that happens to them, from some external source. They rely on managers or “motivational” speakers to supply the spark that can ignite a fire under their asses and somehow force or compel them to do something. It should be obvious by now that the entire motivational charade is like the Emperor’s new clothes. Even the emperor can’t see them, as much as he would like to believe that he can. Everybody joins in hoping that the illusion will become reality.

The morning after the seminar is like the morning after an all nighter of binge drinking on the strip in Las Vegas. Under the harsh light of day the fairyland castles of lights and glamour look dingy and decadent. There is nothing of substance to carry forward into the sales battles ahead.

Like a crack addict, the motivational junky is always on the prowl, going from guru to guru seeking a quick fix. The motivational speakers, like the drug dealers, are always there to provide that fix. Of course you must continue to pay for seminars, books, tapes, secret club memberships – the list is endless.

Here are the common external motivators:
Money – Most of us need money, but after enough is earned to pay or base living expenses the motivational value of more money drops precipitously.
Awards – Everybody likes to have their talents and accomplishments recognized. Awards are fun the first few times you get one. After that the shines fades off the trophies and the realization sets in that next month some other rep gets the same trophy. Big deal.
Pep-Talks – Your sales manager may take you aside and give you “the talk.” This can take many forms but the most common is how he overcame great obstacles and slew some dragon or other and how you can do it to if you work “harder and smarter.” Another classic is the “no-pain, no-gain” mantra. Ten minutes later, if you think about it at all, you won’t remember a word, and it won’t matter to you at all.
Contrived Competition – Sales contests, beyond the fame they can bestow on winners, can seem to motivate. This technique works best with sports fans who get easily obsessed with games and scorekeeping. Many reps can care less about sports, perhaps not admitting it for fear of being ostracized. Either way, the contest soon ends, another starts up, and sooner or later even the diehard fans tire of the mouse-in-a-wheel nonsense, realizing that a trip to Hawaii does not pay the bills or build a career. The worse aspect of contest is that for every winner you have a large number of losers. The winner may be “motivated” but what about all those losers? They are at best bored but more likely jealous, resentful, and suffering from bruised egos and damaged self-esteem. What is your guess for the next month’s sales now?
Threats – If you are way behind quota or took too much time off, you will eventually be threatened with this or that “very bad thing.” Ultimately you can be fired. If you don’t like or value the job, because you aren’t good at it, dissatisfied with the pay or working conditions, or are looking for a new job anyway, threats to fire you have the reverse effect of that intended.