A sales team is often referred to as the life source of a company. While all the behind-the-scenes efforts from administrative, customer support, and production teams are extremely important and valuable to the day-to-day operations of a company, the sales team can usually be directly tied to the overall revenue performance.
A sales team drives customer acquisitions, builds positive community relationships, and nurtures referral networks – all of these combined efforts contribute to an increase in revenue. Because of the value a high-performing sales team brings to a company, providing competitive pay to sales reps is crucial for exceeding financial goals and growing revenue.
What is Competitive Pay?
Competitive pay means that the compensation package an employer is offering is equal to or exceeds the industry standard for similar jobs in the same geographical area. By offering competitive pay, organizations in similar industries are competing with each other in order to attract the most qualified employees. When an employer offers competitive pay, it may also mean that they are willing to negotiate a higher compensation package if it means securing an employee thought to be a valuable addition to their team.
In the case for sales reps, competitive pay means more than just a competitive salary with quality benefits. A high-performing sales rep will likely inquire about the specifics of how their sales compensation will be structured. Aside from just learning what the commission rates are, they may want to know that things such as commission tiers, uncapped commissions, and other types of incentives are included in their compensation package.
What Makes Sales Compensation Packages Competitive?
The overall performance of your sales team is dependent on various factors, but one of the most impactful drivers of a high-performing sales team is a competitive sales compensation package. Below are some of the things a qualified sales rep is looking to see in their compensation plans.
Commission Tiers: There’s no better way to recognize and reward high-performing sales reps than offering commission tiers. Commission tiers provide a competitive edge to your sales compensation package by allowing sales reps to unlock higher commission rates when they achieve outlined goals. Seasoned sales reps in particular will look for organizations that provide additional incentives to reps with high close rates.
Uncapped Commissions: The potential for unlimited earnings, as is the case with uncapped commissions, plays an important role in attracting sales reps to join an organization. Uncapped commissions also provide continual motivation to encourage sales reps to keep selling. Capped commissions on the other hand can usually be demotivating to sales reps. If there’s no financial reward to close deals, there’s a strong chance that sales performance will decline, which can impact the company’s bottom line. When a sales rep’s paycheck begins to plummet due to commission caps, they’ll likely start seeking out a new organization to represent.
Spiffs & Bonuses: In addition to regular sales compensation, spiffs and bonuses can be appealing to qualified sales reps looking for work. Knowing that there are additional opportunities to earn incentives will make reps feel that their work is valuable and it can spark immediate motivation to your current sales team to reach whatever your outlined sales goals are. It gives an extra boost to your sales compensation package that will keep your sales reps invested in the company and incentivized to meet sales targets.
Why is Competitive Pay Important?
Offering competitive pay is crucial in helping organizations attract qualified candidates, retain current staff, motivate sales reps, and can play a factor in the overall performance of your sales team. Here’s a deeper dive into the reasons why competitive pay is so important to the success of a company.
Attracts Top Talent: Competitive pay is the cornerstone of attracting top talent in the sales industry. A lucrative sales compensation package should be at the forefront of your hiring strategy for sales reps. This will help attract skilled and high-performing sales reps with valuable expertise to bring to your team.
Improves Sales Rep Retention: Competitive pay also helps with sales rep retention by reducing the likelihood of employees seeking opportunities elsewhere. Sales reps who feel valued and fairly compensated are more likely to stay loyal to their current employer, contributing to long-term stability and success for the company.
Motivates Sales Reps: Sales reps are inherently driven by performance-based incentives. When a company offers competitive pay, it not only motivates sales reps to meet and exceed targets but also fosters a sense of job satisfaction. Feeling adequately compensated for their efforts boosts morale, dedication, and commitment to achieving sales goals.
Increases Performance and Productivity: When sales reps are confident that their efforts are properly recognized through competitive pay, they are more likely to invest time and energy into their roles. This increased motivation translates into improved performance and productivity. Sales teams that feel financially rewarded are driven to go the extra mile, resulting in enhanced sales figures and overall business success.
Building a Competitive Compensation Package
Offering competitive pay goes far beyond meeting industry standards or providing a decent salary. It’s a strategic investment in the success of your sales team and your business. Implementing a competitive sales compensation package is key to developing a strong sales team and will go a long way to achieving your organization’s revenue goals. Attracting top talent, retaining current sales reps, and providing ongoing motivation to your team are all tangible outcomes of prioritizing competitive pay.
Whatever you decide to include in your sales compensation package, Core can help you automate it. Contact us or schedule a free demo and we’ll walk you through the whole process.