5 Sales Motivation Tips to Get You Out of a Slump

Learn five sales motivation tips to implement into your routine and improve your productivity and work life.

Even the most seasoned insurance agent finds themselves in a slump once in a while. Hopefully, you have a sales team or sales manager that can offer guidance when you hit a road bump or two and lose your focus. But sometimes the inspiration needs to come from within. Just like coaching and mentoring others, there are simple ways to coach and mentor yourself and boost enthusiasm. Here are five sales motivation tips to get you out of a slump and back in the game.

1. Set SMART goals

One of the easiest sales motivation tips is to set SMART goals. SMART Goals can be used in team settings or on an individual basis. Setting SMART goals means creating objectives that are:

• Specific – Create goals that are well-defined. Who is involved in the goal? What do you hope to achieve? How do you plan to achieve it?
• Measurable – What metrics will you record in order to measure your goal progress?
• Attainable – Make goals that will challenge you to grow and develop, but that are also achievable. Do you have the resources and bandwidth necessary to attain your goals? Be careful. Setting unattainable goals will do the opposite of motivate you or your team.
• Relevant – Why did you choose to focus on this particular goal? How is it connected to the company’s mission, vision, or future planning?
• Time-based – In what timeframe do you hope to achieve your goal? Having a time-based goal will help keep you motivated and focused.

2. Track your data

Ever wonder why “before and after” photos work so well at motivating folks to test a new cleaning product or try a new exercise routine? It’s because the motivation to act comes directly from evidence. Of all the sales motivation tips, this is probably the most important. Tracking data helps you see your progress from month to month and year to year. It also helps you isolate areas for improvement which is helpful during goal-setting times when you’re looking for ways to develop your skills and talents further. Stay motivated by checking in with your data periodically throughout your goal timeframe.

3. Protect your calendar

When it comes to sales motivation tips, you might not be thinking that your calendar is particularly motivating. If anything, a calendar that is full of unnecessary meetings and other busy work can cause you to become less motivated in your day-to-day work. Protect your calendar by reviewing your weekly appointments. Are there any meetings that could be moved to phone calls or emails? Are there any tasks you could cluster together to be more efficient? Sitting at your desk in the morning and seeing a calendar of wall-to-wall meetings can be really depressing. On the other hand, seeing a manageable calendar with an even disbursement of calls, meetings, and tasks can inspire you to tackle the day with a positive attitude.

4. Keep learning

When people get bored with their work, they’re less likely to put all of their efforts into it. It may not seem like the most obvious of sales motivation tips, but continuing your education is a great way to stay engaged in your work. Learning can take on different shapes and styles. For some, it’s tuning in to an industry-specific podcast or reading the latest sales advice book. For others, lifelong learning is achieved by attending conferences, webinars, and training. But don’t forget the most motivational part of learning something new. Come back to your sales team and share what you’ve learned. Studies show that when people teach others, it helps them retain information and apply it more directly in their own work.

5. Quit the negative thinking

It happens to the best of them. Sometimes folks get stuck in a rut and seem to only focus on the negative aspects of their work. Everybody’s going to have a bad day now and then. But if you notice yourself constantly complaining or worrying about work, it will begin to affect your productivity. Talk with your supervisor or a trusted colleague. Maybe all you need is a simple mindset shift or maybe you need external assistance. Try to look at the positive in each situation and highlight the good qualities of each day. Build this into a habit and over time you should notice a more consistently positive outlook that will improve your work life.

Need time to implement these sales motivation tips? Contact HBW Leads to find out how their technology and insurance experts can deliver double-verified and exclusive leads to you and your team.