Who doesn’t like to be thanked and praised? Always, always, show gratitude and thank your salespeople that you rely upon so much to get the job done. When an employee does a great job, never hesitate to say, “thank you” and to really emphasize it when you say it. A sincere thanks will go a long way.
I would also highly recommend giving thanks and giving praise WAY MORE than you think is necessary. Your salespeople get up every morning and go to work for you. They want to know deep-down inside that they are of high value to you and that you appreciate that. The only way that they will know this is if they hear it! Once a month doesn’t cut it. Only when they close a big deal doesn’t cut it. You want to be singing praises on a weekly basis!
“Joe, you did an excellent job this morning on that call. I loved how you listened so carefully to the client and then with all the confidence in the world, told him we could handle his needs. And then how you moved right into next steps and getting another meeting on the calendar. Absolutely fantastic job!!!!”
The above is one of many examples that I would say to my hard-working rep, Joe. He earned it and I loved giving that kind of feedback and praise to him. And do you know how Joe felt? He absolutely appreciated it and I am sure that it brought us closer as a team. All of this seems obvious, right? But lets do a litmus test here. How many times in the last three days have you gone out of your way to thank and give praise to an employee or team member? Still thinking? This is my point.
In the world of back to back meetings and non-stop distractions and fire alarms, we often forget to do the most basic things. And this is the problem. We get so wrapped up in our own world that we don’t give pause to give thanks and praise. Break this pattern. Make it a habit of always singing praises and doing so directly with a member of your team, or even better yet, on a team call with his or her peers listening in. This shows that you as the leader, truly care. How great does it make the salesperson feel? Here’s the answer: it is more valuable than all the money that you could pay him. That salesperson will move mountains for you and will be a long term employee.
-Give praise and thanks (a lot)!