What Do Sales People Think Of Sales Contests ?
Up til now we’ve only looked at theoretical reasons and facts about sales contests. Now let’s look at some real world info.
Do salespeople like sales contests ? Your financials will tell you yes, I’m sure. The salespeople themselves have always told me yes, as well.
Do they induce more work ? Yes. Are they worth the extra effort ? Yes.
Here’s some of the answers I found, with regards to actual thoughts of sales people :
” Contests keep a live salesman on his feet - always alert to take advantage of every sales opportunity….. However, the prize won is the lasting symbol of successful participation. ”
One company I was with, years ago, let the leading salesman from the previous month keep a dog bowl on his desk to signify him as the ” Big Dog “. After winning that bowl for 11 of 12 months one year, it disappeared ( jealous co-workers ), so I had a name plate made that said ” Big Dawg “. My Sales Manager, who had up til then called me ” The Living Legend “ and/or ” The Total Package ” started calling me Big Dawg and it’s still with me to this day, when I see someone from Louisville.
Sales people love plaques, trophies, certificates and such. Use ‘em to your advantage. That little bit of wampum will get you lotsa sales.
” … act as a stimulant and contests at regular intervals are very desirable. “
” … promotes rivalry among men, induces extra effort and makes them more money …”
” Can do no harm and makes extra money for those willing to work. “
” … are inspiring in that they offer rewards for extra effort; they show initiative and since nobody cares to be a failure, more enthusiastic results are created. ”
” Contests make the salesman unconsciously work harder. They like the glory of seeing their name as prize winner. “
” Although I always work hard, I find a deep desire to win every contest. This makes me work harder still. ”
” The salesman who is not interested in a sales contest doesn’t belong in sales. Salesmanship is a game of matching wits, both with the customer and your fellow salesmen. It is the race that you run and lose that inspires you to make yourself better fit for the next race. “
” I know they are valuable. Some salesmen do their best at all times, still a contest brings out the best that there is in a fellow, and in most cases enables him to accomplish more. There are salesman who never win a contest, but even so, they are able to see what the other fellows do, and in many cases will make an extra effort which strengthens their will to win and makes them better salesmen thereafter. ”
Seems to me that there is a lot of good karma created by a sales contest and very few drawbacks. Start one next month and see if they work for you.
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4 Responses to “What Do Sales People Think Of Sales Contests ?”
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I remember “back in the day” when I was in sales for BP Amoco (actually I was their first female sales rep in the region).
One year they announced a sales contest and the “prize” was a Seiko watch with the Amoco logo. The sample was a man’s watch and I asked the VP of Sales if they had a women’s sample.
“We didn’t buy any because we didn’t expect any women to win.”
Them’s fighting words, my friend!
Anyway, I won the contest and then they tried to talk me into taking the men’s watch and giving it to my dad or boyfriend. Ended up I made them go to a jewelry store and buy me a women’s Seiko watch.
Oh, yeah. It didn’t have the Amoco logo….
….which worked out fine since I quit that job within a year!
Hi Debbi,
Nothing like a little piss-n-vinegar to make a salesperson work even smarter and harder to win a sales contest.
Thanks for taking time to comment and please come back soon !
I am so glad that reading the articles,I am now working as a salesman at a firm in China. I can learn more knowledge via reading articles and comments.Thanks!
Thanks Abraham, I hope it helps and wish you much success.