Page 132 - DMGT205_SALES_MANAGEMENT

Sales Management

Notes charm is an important tool in the motivational strategy of the management. It infuses the
images and expectations for extremes of effort, sacrifice achievement and in general "the right
stuff". It is practiced through the use of professional speakers' special audio tapes and video
tapes designed to arouse and stimulate sales persons. It also tries to create and perpetuate certain
corporate myths and success stories, which indirectly motivates sales person to perform at their
best.

Freedom to Work

In order to perform his onerous duties and responsibilities, the sales person must be given a
reasonable amount of freedom and discretion in performing his job. Likert, in his studies, has
mentioned that lack of discretion has a negative impact on employees job satisfaction. Discretion
and freedom may be accomplished by allowing sales person to develop their own call patterns,
more control over the types of promotional packages that they offer to their customers, etc.
Freedom or autonomy satisfies the psychological needs and is like power pay (which is a
reward), making the job of sales person more important in the organisation.

Reward and Recognition

Although the sales quotas, sales contests, convention and conferences have positive carry over
effects, these are short lived techniques of motivating salesmen. On the other hand reward and
recognition of sales persons accomplishments are more enduring and relatively economic
methods of motivation. Some of the ways to extend recognition and honour to sales person
include conferring the title of "salesman of the month/year" congratulation telegrams from
members of top management, sales trophies, offering memberships of social clubs, mention in
company's news letter, certificate etc. Recognition and honour satisfy sales persons need for self
esteem and self respect. These are like status pay – a public acknowledgment of the value that
management places upon an individual.

Persuasion

One of the common and recommended forms for inducing high levels of motivation is through
persuasion. In this situation, managers use rational arguments to convince sales persons that it
is in their own best interest to act in a preferred way. Persuasion has the advantage of getting
people to conclude that their actions were performed out of their own free will. This leads to
higher levels of self direction than reward or coercive modes of influence where one perceives
he or she acts more out of external compulsion than internal volition.

9.6 Financial Incentives

Now we come to the financial aspects of the motivational technique. Financial incentives are
definitely a motivating factor, but they vary at the hierarchical level of the sales person. The
need is great at lower end of the hierarchy. Financial incentives not only keep sales person on
the company roles but also motivates them to contribute to the growth of the company and
thereby get grown individually. It is also an important managerial tool to control and direct
sales force to attain the sales objectives.
A poorly developed or administered financial plan may invite unions to organise sales force as
happened in some of the pharmaceutical companies in India. Therefore in the management and
motivation of sales force, a fairly reasonable financial incentive plan plays a very important

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