How to Motivate Your Sales Team

Agnes Lan
Apr 29
7 min read

Motivating a sales team starts with understanding what drives people to perform well. Sales can be demanding, and business owners often struggle to keep their teams focused and productive.

Sales professionals deal with constant rejection, pressure to meet targets, and the need to stay sharp on product knowledge and market changes. Without the right kind of motivation, performance stalls and turnover increases.

You can’t rely on surface-level perks or one-size-fits-all solutions. Every salesperson has different drivers, and successful motivation comes from tailoring your approach to match what matters to them. That includes aligning personal goals with business outcomes and reinforcing progress in clear, measurable ways.

This guide explains what influences motivation in sales teams, how money plays a part, and what you can do to build a motivated team that delivers steady results.

What Motivates Sales People

People in sales respond to direct and meaningful motivators tied to their own sense of purpose and performance. While income is often a factor, it’s not always the strongest one. Most top-performing salespeople work hard because they want to win, grow, or feel a sense of accomplishment.

The most common motivators include:

Hitting personal or team targets

Recognition from leadership or peers

A sense of progress or improvement

Competition, especially on a public leaderboard

Belief in the value of the product or service

For some, alignment with the company’s mission or personal values (such as selling environmentally friendly products) makes a big difference. For others, it’s about beating last quarter’s numbers or outperforming colleagues.

Once you understand what drives each person on your team, you can match your management style to their needs. You’ll also be in a better position to support them when performance slips, because you’ll know what may have shifted in their mindset or priorities.

Commission and Motivation

Commission works best as part of a broader approach to motivation, not the only tool. Many business owners assume salespeople are always chasing money, but research and experience show that internal motivation often runs deeper.

A strong commission plan can boost short-term effort, but it won’t fix long-term disengagement or frustration.

Commission structures that are unclear, delayed, or perceived as unfair can demotivate your team. People lose interest quickly when they don’t understand how they’re being paid or feel they’re not being rewarded properly for their work. Inconsistent or unrealistic targets tied to commissions can also lead to burnout or shortcuts.

You should design your commission model to support behaviours you want to encourage, not just outcomes.

For example:

Offer bonuses for consistent follow-ups, not just closed deals.
Reward high-quality leads or well-documented CRM activity.
Scale commissions to reflect effort on longer sales cycles.

When you pair financial incentives with real coaching, skill development, and personal check-ins, your team will perform better. Use commission to reinforce performance, but don’t expect it to replace real leadership.

How To Assess Motivation Levels of Your Sales Team

Before you can improve motivation, you need to know where each team member stands. Motivation doesn’t always show up in numbers alone—it often reveals itself through attitude, communication, and follow-through.

You may have a high performer who’s close to burnout or a struggling rep who’s still fully engaged. Start by looking beyond quotas and ask the right questions.

Follow these steps to get a clear picture of your team's motivation:

1. Watch for behavioural signals

Changes in behaviour often signal shifts in motivation. Look for increased absenteeism, missed deadlines, lack of follow-through, or reduced participation in meetings.

On the other hand, consistent effort, proactive communication, and curiosity about new techniques often show a motivated mindset—even if results aren't perfect yet.

2. Review performance patterns

Assess whether someone’s output has dropped compared to their usual baseline. Don’t only focus on volume; check how they’re handling different parts of the sales process—are they skipping discovery questions, rushing follow-ups, or avoiding certain types of leads?

3. Have direct one-on-one conversations

The best way to assess motivation is to ask about it directly. Schedule time for short, focused one-on-ones.

Ask how they feel about their current goals, what they’re working toward, and what’s getting in the way. Avoid offering immediate solutions—your job here is to listen and understand.

4. Look for alignment with company goals

A team member who understands how their work supports the company’s larger goals usually stays more motivated.

If someone doesn't see the point of what they’re doing, that disconnect can lead to disengagement. Use your assessment to identify where that link is missing.

Once you understand what’s behind a person’s current effort level, you can apply the right kind of support. This will also help prevent problems from escalating into turnover or low morale.

How to Motivate Sales People to Excel

Motivating your team to exceed expectations requires a mix of clear structure, ongoing feedback, and personal support.

Salespeople don’t respond well to vague encouragement or pressure—they want to know what’s expected and how to improve.

tart with a plan that sets them up to succeed.

1. Set realistic, measurable goals

Give your team targets they can reach with focus and effort. Goals that are too high can create anxiety and push people into shortcuts. Break larger targets into weekly or monthly objectives and track progress consistently.

2. Offer individual coaching

Group training has its place, but personal coaching leads to stronger gains. Identify each person’s gaps—whether that’s closing, handling objections, or staying organized—and help them build a plan. Make time for regular follow-ups to check their progress.

3. Reinforce wins with recognition

People want to know their work matters. Celebrate progress in team meetings or in one-on-one chats. Recognize more than just revenue—acknowledge effort, learning, and improvement. For many reps, this recognition drives more effort than cash bonuses.

4. Give regular feedback

Don’t wait until quarterly reviews. Provide frequent, specific feedback on what they’re doing well and where they can adjust. Make it a two-way conversation—ask how they think they’re doing and what support they need.

5. Align tasks with strengths and interests

Where possible, assign accounts, projects, or outreach types that match each rep’s skill set or interest. A rep who enjoys technical products may do better in software sales than in general services. This kind of alignment boosts both confidence and output.

By applying these steps, you help your team grow from meeting targets to consistently exceeding them. A motivated team becomes more confident, more reliable, and more valuable to your business.

How to Improve Sales Team Morale

Morale affects how your team shows up each day, and it directly influences productivity,

engagement, and retention. Low morale often leads to missed targets, poor collaboration, and avoidable turnover. You need to create a working environment where people feel respected, supported, and heard.

Improving morale requires consistent attention to how your team works and how they feel about their work. Use the steps below to build a healthier, more resilient team.

1. Encourage open communication

Create space for people to speak honestly about what’s working and what’s not. This can happen in one-on-one meetings, team check-ins, or anonymous surveys. Let your team know their opinions matter and take visible action when they raise issues.

2. Acknowledge personal challenges

People bring their full selves to work, and personal issues can affect morale. If someone’s performance drops, ask how they’re doing before jumping to conclusions. Showing empathy—without overstepping—goes a long way in building trust and loyalty.

3. Set achievable short-term goals

When the team feels overwhelmed or behind, short-term wins can rebuild confidence. Focus on smaller weekly goals or daily metrics that show progress. This keeps people focused and gives them a sense of momentum.

4. Reduce unnecessary pressure

Avoid setting aggressive targets during times of uncertainty or transition. Too much pressure, especially when things are already difficult, lowers morale instead of boosting performance. Provide clarity, not stress.

5. Keep recognition consistent

Public praise for a job well done lifts morale across the team. Use meetings, emails, or one-on-one comments to acknowledge strong effort, creativity, or follow-through. Recognition doesn’t need to be flashy—it just needs to be honest and timely.

6. Support peer relationships

Sales can be competitive, but teamwork still matters. Build in opportunities for reps to collaborate, share tips, and support each other. A connected team is more resilient and more likely to push through tough periods together.

By improving morale, you help your team become more consistent and engaged—and that always leads to better business results.

Measure Performance with KPIs

Tracking performance through clear KPIs helps you understand what’s working and what needs attention. It also gives your team a scoreboard, which keeps them focused and accountable.

Choose KPIs that connect directly to activity and outcomes. A few to prioritize:

Conversion ratio – the number of conversations or demos that turn into sales
Activity level – number of calls, meetings, or proposals sent
Average deal size – value of each closed sale
Target attainment – how close each rep is to their monthly or quarterly goal
Cost per lead – how much it costs to generate a new opportunity

Use these numbers in weekly or monthly reviews, not just quarterly reports. When your team sees where they stand, they’re more likely to adjust quickly and stay engaged.

Change Connect Can Help Boost Your Team's Performance

Keeping your sales team motivated takes more than incentives or pressure—it takes structure, communication, and consistent leadership.

At Change Connect, we work directly with business owners to build sales strategies that drive performance and support long-term growth. Whether you're dealing with low morale, inconsistent results, or a team that’s outgrown its current approach, we can help you make the changes that matter.

Our team brings practical tools, hands-on support, and a clear process tailored to your business. You don’t have to solve it alone.