Which Kind of Salesperson Are You?

Which kind of salesperson are you? Are you in it for the money? Or do you thrive more on intrinsic motivation to provide great value to your clients (and to your employer and yourself)? And what impact will your answer to these have on your sales performance, career progress, and your overall lifestyle too? This is worth thinking about.

I work with a lot of salespeople and it's interesting to spot the differences in mindset. I've heard some people boldly say, "anyone who says they're not doing it for the money is lying!" I've heard others say, "of course you're doing it for wider meaning, reward or fulfilment."

What's interesting is that recent research, by Dr Valerie Good, has shown that the top performing sales people are more intrinsically motivated. For example, Dr Good describes an interview she conducted with the top salesperson for a wheel manufacturer, who told her:

“Every morning I go into my home office and get right on the phone because I know how important my sales are not just to my buyers but to society. When tractor trailers travel at high rates of speed and hit a pothole, for example, an inferior wheel will bend and even crack, causing the truck driver to lose control... and people in the other vehicles they collide with don’t walk away from those types of accidents. I work hard because I know that moms and dads are returning safely home to their families when I make sales.”

This salesperson wasn't just the company's number one seller, his sales in the first quarter alone exceeded the production capabilities of the company!

But why is intrinsic motivation linked to better performance? Because it's more sustainable. The salesperson’s performance isn't tied to external factors or company reward structures. Instead (or as well) they are more likely to have a fire in their belly that drives them.

It reminds me of an inspiring quote I read years ago: "If two warriors were fighting, one for the purse, the other for a cause, who do you bet on?"

My advice to sales recruiters, managers and salespeople, would be to find the 'cause'. Think about it and talk about it with your team. Get those who are more intrinsically motivated to talk about why they are. Talk about your clients’ problems that you solve, and the knock-on effects of these. Talk about the value you provide and what it means to your clients. Help ignite a flame in your own and your sales team's belly, and if done right as you progress, it will grow.

While introspection is a great first step, wouldn't it be helpful to have a data-driven approach to uncovering your salespeople's intrinsic motivators? The Objective Management Group's (OMG) Sales Evaluation tool delves deeper than just sales skills. It assesses your team across 21 competencies, including those that reveal what truly drives them. Imagine pinpointing the "why" behind your top performers, the cause that fuels their fire. This invaluable information allows you to tailor coaching strategies and create a work environment that ignites their intrinsic motivation.

By understanding your team's "cause," you can empower them to not just meet quotas, but to excel and find deep satisfaction in their work, ultimately propelling your entire sales force to new heights.