What will you see in this article?
In this article, we’ve created a practical and strategic guide on how to set goals for reps with a focus on team motivation and increased sales.
We’ll also cover the key benefits of setting goals for salespeople and the consequences of not having an end goal.
Additionally, we will cover key points to consider when setting short, medium and long-term goals.
Finally, we'll present bonus ideas for salespeople and the best tips for monitoring team performance.
Let's go?
Why is it important to know how to set goals for reps?
Knowing how to set goals for outside salespeople is essential for any australia email list sales manager who wants to improve the management of their outside team and maximize monthly revenue. By setting realistic goals, you direct your salespeople’s efforts to the areas that require the most attention.
Furthermore, the challenge of achieving good results is a great fuel to stimulate and engage employees. The benefits that stand out when implementing this strategy in your operation are:
increased sales;
better performance;
optimization of team direction;
efficient monitoring of results.
What are the consequences of not setting goals?
Not knowing how to set goals for representatives brings several problems to your operation, such as communication problems, lack of transparency and a breach of expectations between what the company expects from the sales team and what it can deliver.
Furthermore, the lack of an action plan for an unmotivated team can cause dissatisfaction among employees, generating negative impacts in the long term. Therefore, it is essential that you, as a sales manager, are aware of the possible risks you may face.
Frustrated expectations
Not having pre-established goals causes a great lack of transparency between the sales team and management. After all, salespeople are unaware of the company's expectations and do not know what would be considered good performance, whether individual or collective.
Furthermore, the lack of alignment in expectations causes the performance of external salespeople to become scattered, leading them to decide on their own what they consider a good number of sales. This individual decision-making harms the company's monthly income, as each salesperson will act according to their own perspective.
Demotivation and lack of competition
When salespeople do not know what the company expects in terms of results, there is a great risk that they will become unmotivated, as they are not clear about the performance and impact of their sales on the company's revenue.
Therefore, it is essential that representatives have a goal to achieve each month. After all, having clear and objective goals stimulates the competitive side of the team and maximizes the number of sales at the end of the month.
Noise in communication and failure in targeting
The lack of direction provided by setting goals causes communication and guidance problems, as the sales team has no direction to follow and does not have the freedom to communicate with management.
Therefore, it is essential to improve your management skills and cultivate a culture of clear and objective communication, so that your business does not face the consequences of a disoriented team. After all, it becomes an impossible mission to manage and guide the efforts of salespeople without keeping them informed about what the company wants to achieve.
Difficulty in performance evaluation
The lack of goals not only harms representatives, but also sales management. Without information from sales indicators, it is not possible to monitor salespeople's performance or establish a structured path for the company's future.
Furthermore, without the results of each salesperson, it becomes very difficult to measure team performance and demand changes in approaches and negotiations. After all, there are no real numbers to compare.
How to set clear and objective goals?
Clear communication is the key to success for all managers who want to ensure rapid and continuous growth in their companies. Therefore, it is not enough to know how to set goals for external salespeople; you must also know how to communicate effectively with employees.
To do this, avoid beating around the bush. Be transparent and explain what the goals are, why they are higher or lower, and reinforce the company's expectations regarding the sales team.
Additionally, set aside a portion of the meeting exclusively to answer any questions. This way, all information will be highlighted and everyone will know what is expected of them during that sales period. This action ensures team commitment and improves productivity.