9 Sales Incentive Games to Motivate Employees

Businesses often grapple with the question of how to infuse a renewed sense of energy and passion into their teams. If you've ever found yourself pondering this puzzle, especially within the context of sales, you're not alone.

In the workplace, the quest for motivation is ever-evolving. It's not just about hitting targets but creating an environment where every team member feels invigorated, challenged, and driven to excel. That's where the magic of sales incentives comes into play – a diverse array of strategies designed to transform the mundane into the exciting, and the routine into the extraordinary.

It's crucial to recognise that sales incentives are not just an add-on; they are a distinct and vital component of your overarching strategy to motivate and drive your sales team. If you're intrigued by the prospect of redefining motivation within your team, then you're in the right place.

• Why are effective sales incentive games important?
• Best practices for creating sales incentive games
• 9 effective sales incentive games that motivate employees

Why are effective sales incentive games important?

Incorporating sales incentive games into an organisation's strategy yields a myriad of advantages, creating a more vibrant and motivated work environment. Let's delve into these benefits:

Increased Motivation

• Recognition and Rewards: Sales incentive games offer a platform for acknowledging and rewarding outstanding efforts. This recognition serves as a powerful motivator for employees.
• Healthy Competition: The inherent competitive nature of incentive games injects a dynamic energy into the sales team, fostering increased motivation among members.

Enhanced Performance

• Clear Goals and Incentives: The structured nature of incentive games for sales teams sets clear, achievable goals, driving employees to perform at their best.
• Focus on KPIs: With a game-based approach, there is a heightened focus on key performance indicators (KPIs), leading to improved overall performance.

Better Employee Satisfaction

• Recognition and Rewards Impact: The tangible rewards and recognition garnered through incentive games for employees contribute significantly to overall job satisfaction.
• Positive Work Environment: As employees feel appreciated for their contributions, the workplace transforms into a positive and fulfilling environment.

Team Collaboration

• Encouraging Collaboration: incentive games for sales teams promote collaboration as they work towards shared goals and rewards.
• Strengthened Team Bonds: The collaborative nature of these games strengthens team bonds, fostering a sense of unity and shared success.

In conclusion, the implementation of effective incentive games for sales teams goes beyond mere rewards; it cultivates a culture of motivation, excellence, and collaboration, ultimately benefiting both employees and the organisation as a whole.

Best practices for creating sales incentive games

In the ever-evolving landscape of sales, harnessing the full potential of your team requires more than traditional strategies. The implementation of well-crafted sales incentive games can be a game-changer, but the key lies in their effective integration.

Here are the best practices for creating sales incentive games:

'Move the middle'

We’ve found one of the biggest mistakes sales incentive creators make is directing all of the awards towards the top 10-20% of their sales audience. If you want to get the most from your sales contest, you need to move the middle by engaging the additional 60% of your audience.

Prioritise the lower 80% of your sales team to maximise overall performance. Inclusive incentive games for sales teams motivate everyone, ensuring a collective effort towards success.

Adopt a targeted approach

Not every approach is effective for everyone. It's crucial to select the right strategy that aligns with the specific objectives and audience. By tailoring incentives to tackle both individual and team challenges, organisations can ensure their incentives are not only impactful but also directly connected to the intended results.

Take a data-driven approach

A data-driven approach is crucial as it enables organisations to leverage insights to design targeted and effective incentive programs. By analysing real-time data, organisations can make informed decisions, identify areas for improvement, and optimise incentives to maximise the overall impact.

Create an effective communication plan

Participants need clear communication about incentives, including rules like time periods and eligibility. To track ongoing performance, a transparent system should be established.

Communicating results effectively is vital; this requires vivid, memorable, and targeted messaging. The format of communication, be it through a web-based platform, email, or print, should align with the audience's preferences for optimal engagement and understanding.

Measure success

To measure the success of your incentive program, clearly define your objectives and focus on measuring Return on Investment (ROI). Determine specific metrics aligned with your goals to effectively assess the impact and overall success of the incentive initiative.

9 effective sales incentive games that motivate employees

Now that we've laid the groundwork for the significance of sales incentive games and established the best practices, let's delve into the exciting realm of practical implementation.

From interactive challenges to collaborative endeavours, these games are crafted to transform your workplace into a hub of enthusiasm and achievement.

Here are 9 effective sales incentive ideas that motivate employees:

• Do This, Get That
• Step It Up
• GoalQuest®
• TargetPoint
• Stack Rank
• Break the Bank
• Learn2Earn
• Missions and Challenges
• Breakthrough

Do This, Get That

This classic sales incentive structure rewards sales reps for doing as much of an activity as possible while offering payouts for each activity they complete or sale they make – it's as simple as that and incredibly motivating.

The direct link between effort and rewards, simplicity, and a touch of friendly competition makes it a go-to strategy.

Moreover, in situations where you need reps to share their activities or provide proof, like sharing a photo of a sales display or providing an invoice number, introducing a 'claims' functionality ensures accurate data capture. This not only keeps things transparent but also avoids payouts for those not actively engaged in the programme, maintaining fairness and integrity.

Step It Up

Introducing a plateau structure takes your sales incentive games to the next level. With 2 to 5 pre-determined goal levels, reps earn rewards at the highest level they achieve. Ideal for teams seeking a new twist after running 'Do This, Get That' contests, this flexible structure offers a mix of points, merchandise, or travel awards at different goal levels.

This sales incentive game adds a dynamic touch to motivation, allowing reps to set their sights on higher goals and enjoy varied rewards based on their performance. It's a refreshing strategy for teams ready to step up their sales game and embrace new challenges.

GoalQuest®

This unique, patented sales contest structure is carefully designed to engage your entire audience and drive incremental performance by moving the middle.

Tailored for broad engagement and incremental growth, this sales incentive game taps into behavioural economics, grouping similar-performing reps, encouraging self-selected goals, and adopting an all-or-nothing reward approach.

'GoalQuest' ensures tailored goals for everyone –motivating top performers, preventing frustration for lower-level performers, and creating a sense of inclusivity. Not only this, but you also ensure your investment directly correlates with impactful sales achievements. It's a practical and results-driven game plan for elevating your sales game.

TargetPoint

'TargetPoint' is another great sales incentive game that follows a dynamic content structure breaking away from a single-metric focus. Leaders can assign reps up to five goals simultaneously, tailoring them universally or uniquely for each rep.

This flexible structure lets you concentrate on crucial products and metrics, rewarding diverse behaviours, and constructing a balanced scorecard for both sales reps and non-sales team members. 'TargetPoint' is a strategic game-changer, fostering a holistic approach to success that aligns with your team's unique strengths and objectives.

Stack Rank

Also known as a leaderboard or league program, 'Stack Rank' is the most commonly used sales incentive game. While it's a common approach to reward top performers, it's crucial to use it thoughtfully. A leaderboard can unintentionally discourage sales engagement in the broader team.

To maximise effectiveness, consider using it in conjunction with other contest structures. Offer motivational rewards such as points, merchandise, or travel incentives. To keep motivation high among team members, pre-determine points throughout the contest period, resetting the leaderboard and providing multiple groups with a chance to win.

Break the Bank

'Break the Bank' is a competitive variation on the 'Do This, Get That' sales incentive game, ideal for sparking a quick start among your reps. This game involves posting a banner or tracker on a programme website, displaying a total amount of points or rewards in the bank'.

The urgency kicks in as reps race to complete activities or make sales before the bank runs out. This creates a sense of excitement and competition, pushing your team to maximise their efforts in a limited timeframe. 'Break the bank' is a strategic way to energise your sales teams and drive rapid, impactful results.

Learn2Earn

Recognising the pivotal role of product knowledge in sales success, 'Learn2Earn' emerges as a contest structure that seamlessly blends learning and motivation. Sales reps are rewarded for actively participating in training activities, ensuring they possess the essential knowledge required for successful appointments and sales.

This effective strategy not only encourages continuous learning but also reinforces the connection between knowledge and success. 'Learn2Earn' is a powerful incentive game for sales leaders aiming to equip their teams with the expertise needed to thrive in the competitive landscape, making it a win-win for both personal and collective success.

Missions and Challenges

Missions and Challenges is a versatile approach that works great for gamifying the onboarding journey for new reps, encouraging valuable activities, and injecting urgency into the sales process. A mission could be to schedule five client meetings, and the challenge is to close three deals by the end of the week. As your reps follow this clear path, they earn rewards at each step.

This incentive game not only enhances engagement but also transforms the sales journey into something exciting. By providing a roadmap with rewards along the way, 'Missions and Challenges' becomes a powerful tool for steering reps towards success while infusing an element of fun and motivation into their daily tasks.

Breakthrough

Combining the plateaus of 'Step It Up' with the power of 'Do This, Get That', the 'Breakthrough' structure allows reps to earn cumulative rewards as performance targets are hit. Let's say your reps start with a goal of 10 sales, but as they achieve it, they're motivated to set a higher target, say 20 and beyond. Each level they reach unlocks more rewards, challenging them to break through their comfort zones and aim higher.

As they reach each plateau, the cumulative rewards keep adding up, creating a sense of achievement and motivating them to strive for more. 'Breakthrough' is an effective game for pushing your team to new heights and encouraging continuous improvement in their performance.