Have you ever felt like you were talking to a brick wall when trying to motivate your sales reps? Any manager, coach, or teacher knows the difficulty of getting people to perform better. It is one thing to get reps excited and energized at a sales meeting-but quite another to maintain their enthusiasm over the long haul. Whether you are trying to motivate your sales team or yourself, consider the following strategies that will drive you to action:

Picture the Possibilities

There are bumper stickers everywhere that call us to 'visualize world peace.' From global harmony to personal performance, visualization is an important step in the realization of any goal. Begin by imagining your company as the industry leader. See each of your representatives as superstars--and treat them that way. Goethe stated the principle this way: "Treat a man as he appears to be, and you make him worse. But treat a man as if he already were what he potentially could be, and you make him what he should be."

Encourage your team to see themselves at the top of the sales chart or accepting your company's highest sales honor. Ask them to think about what they would do with the additional bonus or commission money after they have earned it. The seed of powerful motivation starts with seeing the desired result as if it already happened.

Get Really Personal

As you begin to introduce new sales goals, remember the channel every rep is tuned to: WIIFM-- 'What's In It For Me?' Describe how the new goals will benefit each member of your team in a personal way. You will ignite their energy and excitement needed get the job done. Keep in mind, "Winners are ex-losers that just got passionate." For enthusiasm to stick, the more personal the vision, the more powerful the performance.

Praise Progress

Motivation that leads to peak performance boils down to this basic formula:

Accomplishment + Acknowledgment = Achievement2

Most human beings are driven by an innate desire to make a difference, to be of contribution. By acknowledging the success and good works of your people, you will promote exponential increases inperformance. One easy way to do this is to follow Tom Peters' advice, 'catch your people doing something right.' Be generous with praise. Look for ways to acknowledge people for their performance and effort. If their efforts fall short of your expectations use the 'Stroke and Kick Approach.' "Stroke" by acknowledging something good in their actions then "Kick" with a gentle nudge toward improved performance. For example, "Jerry, your closing skills are the best in the company, but what can be done to improve the number of calls you make?"

Show Me the Money

Salespeople are motivated by money and the opportunity to make more. Financial incentives tied to achievement is just another form of acknowledgment. In fact, bonus money provides a double incentive. The chance to earn more money and receive the recognition that comes with the achievement. Be sure to tie reward to superior work performance. Special bonus rewards received without an extra effort are not special at all. When creating financial incentives to motivate your sales team, remember the German proverb: "He who likes cherries soon learns to climb!"

The Ball Goes in the Cup

In golf, landing on the green isn't enough to win the match. If you want your people to achieve specific goals clearly communicate your expectations and ideals for success. Don Shula attributes his success as the winningest coach in NFL history to the "... result of a strong set of operating beliefs and principles.... You won't be a successful leader if you don't have a clear idea of what you believe, where you're headed, and what you are willing to go to the mat for." Goals that are just out of reach--not out of sight, are the most powerful, so remember to keep them realistic. The more vivid the vision, the more real the results.

No Train No Gain!

Give your people the tools and training to become successful. Top teams learn from top coach's. Provide the best training you can afford. Consider it an investment that will pay higher dividends in outstanding performance. Thomas Jefferson said it best, "Of all of the investments you can make, education pays the best interest". Motivate yourself and your people with these ideas then sit back and watch the mountains move.