Sales teams are like cricket teams; some players score centuries, while others struggle to get off the mark. You can’t just drop a player after one bad innings, right? In sales, like in cricket, you need to motivate and coach your team members, not breathe down their necks like a desperate bowler hoping for an LBW.
So, how do you get your underperforming reps back in the game without suffocating them with constant calls, follow-ups, and “Where is the update?” messages? Let’s dive in.
To motivate your team effectively, understanding their individual challenges is key.
Table of Contents
1. Find Out What is Holding Them Back (Without Being a Detective)
Before you assume your sales rep is lazy or incapable, pause. There is always a reason behind underperformance. It can be lack of confidence, poor training, personal issues, or simply a dry sales pipeline.
When I was a branch manager at ICFAI, I had a sales counselor named Rehana who had been struggling for weeks. She was not converting leads, showed no enthusiasm, and sat through meetings with a blank expression. Instead of pressuring her with more call targets, I took her out for coffee to understand what was going wrong and to motivate her.
That is when I learned she was pursuing an LLB after office hours, leaving her exhausted and suffering from lack of sleep. This made it impossible for her to focus on sales calls. I made a simple change by allowing her a 30-minute power nap after lunch. That small adjustment worked wonders, and soon she became one of the top five performers in the region.
Lesson: A conversation is often more effective than a performance review.
2. Focus on Coaching, Not Controlling
Coaching is an essential part of how to motivate your team and help them reach their full potential.
Micromanagement is like that one relative at weddings who keeps telling you how to dance, eat, and even breathe. No one likes it. Instead of nagging about targets, switch to coaching.
Rather than saying:
“You need to make 50 calls today. Why haven’t you booked meetings yet?”
Try:
“Let’s listen to one of your call recordings and see if there’s a way to improve the conversation.”
Listening to your reps is one of the best ways to motivate them.
In sharekhan education, I would listen to call recordings of my under-performing sales counselors very often. Sales reps don’t need a stopwatch hovering over them; they need actionable insights.
Setting small, achievable goals is a great way to motivate your underperformers.
3. Set Mini Wins Instead of Just Big Targets
Expecting an underperformer to suddenly hit massive numbers is like expecting a gym newbie to deadlift 100 kg on day one. Start small.
Example: Instead of “You need to close ₹10 lakhs this month,” say:
Training to motivate your team should also be a daily routine.
“Let’s aim for one qualified meeting per day.”
“Try getting three referrals this week.”
These bite-sized goals help build momentum. As James Clear wrote in Atomic Habits, “Success is the product of daily habits, not once-in-a-lifetime transformations.”
4. Make Training a Daily Habit, Not a One-Time Event
Most sales training is like New Year resolutions, the impact of which lasts for a week, forgotten after that. Instead of overwhelming reps with one long session, break it into short, daily learning moments.
In my team at ICFAI, we used a simple 1 hour weekly “Vitamin K” where reps shared their toughest objections and how they handled them. Also, case studies and role playing at times. This peer learning not only helped underperformers but also turned top performers into mentors.
According to Sales Readiness Group, continuous coaching improves win rates by 32%.
5. Gamify Performance Without Creating Pressure
People love a good game. That’s why Swiggy gives you reward points, and fantasy cricket makes you feel like a team owner. Sales can be fun too.
Example: Instead of a dull leaderboard, try these:
“Sales Bingo” (Mark off different achievements like ‘Got a referral,’ ‘Handled a tough objection,’ etc.)
“Mystery Reward” (Hit a milestone, get a surprise, this could be anything from a coffee treat to a movie ticket.)
Making progress fun ensures motivation without the stress.
6. Recognize Effort, Not Just Results
Appreciation works wonders. If a rep is improving but hasn’t hit big numbers yet, acknowledge the progress. A simple, “I see you are putting in the effort. Keep at it” can make a huge difference.
In Sharekhan Education, I used to encourage and appreciate maximum attendance for a sales workshop by a sales counselor. It is a law of averages. The more attendees, the more the chance of success.
People will run marathons just for a medal and an Instagram post. Imagine what a personalized appreciation note can do!
7. Lead by Example (Because ‘Do as I Say, Not as I Do’ Doesn’t Work.)
If you expect your team to be proactive, handle objections well, and close deals, show them how it’s done. Join them for sales calls, demonstrate closing techniques, and handle difficult clients yourself.
Transforming underperformers into motivated sales reps is crucial.
Motivating your team effectively leads to fewer headaches and more sign-ups!
Motivating your team effectively leads to fewer headaches and more sign-ups!
At Motilal Oswal’s Unnati project, I once jumped in to handle a hesitant client alongside a struggling territory manager. Seeing me tackle objections in real time gave him the confidence to do it himself.
The result? A signed-up client and a territory manager who felt empowered.
For more tips on how to motivate your sales team, visit AsPerVikas.
Final Thought: Be a Coach, Not a Boss
Micromanagement kills motivation faster than a dry joke at a party. Instead of breathing down your team’s necks, focus on guiding, encouraging, and equipping them with the right skills.
The goal isn’t just to fix underperformance; it is to transform a struggling rep into a self-driven winner. And that, my friend, is how you build a legendary sales team.
Cheers to fewer headaches and more sign-ups!
For more insights on sales, marketing, and professional growth, visit AsPerVikas.
