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Glossary of Employee Recognition, Total Rewards, and Company Culture Terms

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What Are Sales Incentives?

Sales incentives are rewards or bonuses that are offered to employees as a way of motivating them to perform better in their sales roles. These incentives can take various forms, such as monetary rewards, vacations, gift cards, and merchandise. When done correctly, sales incentives can boost employee morale, drive sales performance, and increase overall productivity.

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Types of Sales Incentives

Motivating and incentivizing sales teams is essential for driving performance and achieving business goals. Here are five key sales incentive types that will drive sales success.

1. Role-Specific Initiatives

Role-specific sales incentives for employees are tailored to the responsibilities and goals of different roles within the sales organization. Sales representatives might be incentivized based on revenue generated, while account managers could be rewarded for customer retention or upselling. Organizations can ensure that each role is motivated to excel by aligning incentives with specific job functions.

2. Split Incentives

Split incentives refer to incentive structures that divide sales incentive rewards between multiple parties involved in the sales process. Organizations can encourage collaboration among different stakeholders driving teamwork.

3. Presales Incentives

Presales incentives are designed to motivate sales professionals to focus on activities and behaviors that lead to successful sales before the actual sale is made. By rewarding presales efforts, organizations can ensure that their sales teams are proactive in engaging with potential customers and laying the groundwork for sales.

4. Omnichannel Incentives

Omnichannel incentives recognize and reward sales performance across multiple channels and touchpoints, including online, offline, and hybrid sales channels. This Incentive type ensures a cohesive customer experience across all touchpoints while maximizing sales opportunities and revenue potential.

5. Analytics-Based Target Incentives

Analytics-based target incentives utilize data analytics and insights to set personalized sales targets and reward performance accordingly. These incentives are often dynamic and adaptable which allows sales targets to be adjusted based on real-time performance metrics.

Sales Incentives Ideas

Motivating your sales team is crucial for driving revenue growth and achieving organizational goals. Sales incentives for employees play a vital role in inspiring and rewarding sales professionals for their hard work, dedication, and achievements. Here are some incentive ideas to incentivize and energize your sales force.

  • Sales Performance Bonuses: Offer bonuses based on achieving specific sales targets or milestones, such as hitting quarterly revenue goals or annual sales quotas.
  • Commission Structures: Implement a commission-based compensation system where sales representatives earn a percentage of the revenue generated from their sales.
  • Performance-Based Trips or Incentive Travel: Reward outstanding sales performance with all-expenses-paid trips to desirable destinations, resorts, or international conferences as a way to recognize and celebrate achievements.
  • Customer Referral Programs: Incentivize sales representatives to generate leads and referrals by offering sales incentive rewards or bonuses for successful customer referrals that result in new business opportunities.
  • Recognition Programs: Implement a formal recognition program to acknowledge and reward outstanding sales achievements through certificates, plaques, or awards ceremonies.

What is the impact of sales incentives?

Sales incentives for employees provide tangible rewards and recognition for their hard work, which can lead to increased job satisfaction, higher employee engagement, and improved performance. When employees feel valued and appreciated, they are more likely to go above and beyond in their roles, resulting in increased sales, revenue, and profitability for the company.

How do sales incentives drive employee engagement and motivation?

Sales incentives are a powerful tool for motivating and engaging employees, as they provide a clear and concrete goal for employees to work towards. When employees know that they have the opportunity to earn sales incentive rewards for their efforts, they are more likely to be motivated and engaged in their work. Additionally, sales incentives can create a sense of healthy competition among employees, which can further drive motivation and performance.

What are some best practices for implementing sales incentives?

When implementing sales incentives for employees, keep in mind a few best practices:

  •  First, make sure that the incentives are tied directly to sales performance metrics, such as revenue or new business generated. This ensures that employees are being recognized for their actual contributions to the company. 
  • Second, make sure that the incentives are achievable and realistic so that employees feel motivated to work towards them.
  • Third, consider incentives that are based solely on behaviors that employees can control. For example, they can’t control how many people say yes, but they can control how many calls they make.
  • Finally, communicate the incentives clearly and regularly so that employees understand what they need to do to earn them. 

By following these best practices, companies can create effective sales incentive programs that drive engagement, motivation, and performance. Schedule a demo with Awardco today to learn more.