Tag: sales motivation

83 Sales motivational quotes that will fire up sales reps

Posted on by vishal arora

Sales is one of the most challenging jobs to do. It requires a lot of dedication and commitment to succeed in this field. Sales motivational quotes are a great way to inspire your sales team. With these quotes, you can ensure that your salesforce is on the right track and know what they need to do to close deals. 

Best general sales inspirational quotes

thomas edition quote

What to say to motivate salespeople? Check out the following potent quotes.

#1. “I cannot give up now because if I do, then there will be no point in starting at all.” – Author unknown

#2. “If you don’t have a competitive advantage, don’t compete.” – Peter Drucker

#3. “In the end, it’s not the years in your life that count. It’s life in your years.” – Abraham Lincoln

#4. “The only way to succeed is to try just one more time.” – Thomas Edison

#5. “It’s not about how hard you hit. It’s about how hard you can get hit and keep moving.” –Rocky Balboa

#6. “Success is a journey, not a destination.” – Ben Sweetland

#7. “Success is not final, and failure is not fatal: it is the courage to continue that counts.” – Winston Churchill

#8. “The difference between successful people and unsuccessful people is that successful people say no to almost everything.” – Steve Jobs

#9. “It always seems impossible until it’s done” – Nelson Mandela.

#10. “A goal is a dream with a deadline.” – Napoleon Hill.

#11. “Always do your best. What you plant now, you will harvest later.” –Og Mandino

#12. “You must expect great things from yourself before you can do them.” – Michael Jordan

#13. “Success looks a lot like failure up until the moment you break through the finish line.” – Dan Waldschmidt

#14. “Excellence is not a skill. It’s an attitude.” – Ralph Marston.

#15. “The difference between a successful person and others is not a lack of strength, not a lack of knowledge, but rather a lack of will.” – Vince Lombardi

#16. “Be passionate and move forward with gusto every single hour of every single day until you reach your goal” –Ava DuVernay.

#17. “Don’t say you don’t have enough time. You have the same number of hours per day that were given to Pasteur, Michelangelo, Mother Teresa, Helen Keller, Leonardo da Vinci, Thomas Jefferson, and Albert Einstein” – H. Jackson Brown, Jr.

#18. “The harder the conflict, the more glorious the triumph”- Thomas Paine.

#19. “Winning isn’t everything, but wanting to win is” – Vince Lombard.

Best sales motivational quotes for prospecting

Ben friedman quote

Sales prospecting is the process of finding potential customers. It involves researching and identifying potential prospects and then contacting them to determine their interest in the offered product or service.

There are many challenges in sales prospecting. You may have to deal with rejection, not getting responses, and having to keep track of progress. These quotes can inspire you to keep going.

#20. “Prospecting – find the man with the problem.” – Ben Friedman

#21. “I had to make my own living and my own opportunity. But I made it! Don’t sit down and wait for the opportunities to come. Get up and make them.” –Madam C.J. Walker

#22. “It’s not about having the right opportunities, but about handling the opportunities right.”- Mark Hunter

#23. “Don’t expect to be motivated every day to get out there and make things happen. You won’t be. Don’t count on motivation. Count on Discipline.” – Jocko Willink

#24. All things being equal, people will do business with, and refer business to, those people they know, like, and trust.”– Bob Burg

#25. “Successful people are always looking for opportunities to help others.”- Tom Peters

#26. “What differentiates sellers today is their ability to bring fresh ideas.”- Jill Konrath

#27. High expectations are the key to everything.”- Sam Walton

#28. “Today, the salesperson isn’t the sole conduit of information to the firms.  If the buyer has a poor experience with a seller, they’ll simply move onto the next channel.” – Mary Shea, Principal Analyst, Forrester Research.

#29. “If you want to make money, you have to help someone else make money.” –Russell Simmons

#30. “You don’t have to be the smartest person in the room. You don’t have to rely on luck or getting a better territory. You just have to plan your work and work your plan. It works every time it’s tried.” – Kelly Riggs, Founder & President, The Business LockerRoom

#31. “The first and foremost challenge of selling products is to convince the customer that the product is worth buying. The second challenge is to convince them that it will be worth their time and money.”

Best sales motivation quotes for selling products

Seth godin quote

The first and foremost challenge of selling products is to convince the customer that the product is worth buying. The second hurdle is to persuade them that it will be worth their time and money.

High prices, competition, and a lack of interest from buyers also challenge sellers. The following sales motivational quotes can keep you focused.

#32. “When reps take the role of a curious student rather than an informed expert, buyers are much more inclined to engage.” – Jeff Hoffman

#33. “Most people think ‘selling’ is the same as ‘talking.’ But the most effective salespeople know that listening is the most important part of their job.” – Roy Bartell

#34. “Approach each customer with the idea of helping him or her to solve a problem or achieve a goal, not selling a product or service.” – Brian Tracy

#35.  “Sellers who listen to buyers carefully and then give them the missing ingredients – those are the ones who stand out.” – Deb Calvert

#36. “Selling is really about having conversations with people and helping improve their company or their life. If you look at it like that, selling is a very admirable thing to do.” – Lori Richardson.

#37. “Don’t find customers for your products; find products for your customers.” – Seth Godin

#38. “Value The Relationship More Than The Quota.” – Jeff Gitomer

#39. “If you don’t believe in what you’re selling, neither will your prospect.” – Frank Bettger

#40. “Make a customer, not a sale.”-Katherine Barchetti

#41. “How you sell is more important than what you sell.” – Andy Paul, author, speaker, and strategist, Zero-Time Selling

#42. “Don’t become a wandering generality. Be a meaningful specific.” – Zig Ziglar, legendary sales author and speaker.

#43. “Ninety percent of selling is conviction, and 10 percent is persuasion.” – Shiv Khera

#44. “To be seen as a credible and trusted advisor, every touch you have with a customer should provide added value.” – Sharon Gillenwater, Co-Founder, and Editor-in-Chief, Boardroom Insiders

#45  “Sales are contingent upon the attitude of the salesman, not the attitude of the prospect.”- William Clement Stone

#46. “The best way to sell a product is to make people want the product.” – Ted Nicholas

#47. “Successful selling is not so much what you say, but what you prove.” – David Ogilvy

#48.  “You don’t need to be a great salesperson. You just need to be better than the other guy.” – Jeff Bezos

#49. “Selling is not about convincing people that your product is flawless; it’s about making them believe that your product will solve their problem.” – Geoffrey James

Best sales inspirational quotes for closing

Alice Heiman quote

The process of closing a sale is not just limited to the salesperson; it’s a joint effort from both sides. The customer also needs persuasion to buy the product or service. Check out the following quotes to motivate you.

#50.“There is no magic to closing. There are no magic phrases. Closing the deal is completely dependent on the situation.” – Alice Heiman.

#51.  “Customers don’t care at all whether you close the deal or not. They care about improving their business. It’s easy to forget this in the heat of a sales cycle.” – Aaron Ross.

#52. “It’s no longer about interrupting, pitching, and closing. It is about listening, diagnosing and prescribing.” – Mark Roberge.

#53.  “Great sellers go into a meeting with multiple next-steps; this allows them to respond if a plan does not unfold as planned proactively.” – Tibor Shanto, Chief Sales Officer, Renbor Sales Solutions

#54. Every sale has five basic obstacles: no need, no money, no hurry, no desire, no trust.” – Zig Ziglar

#55. “To build a long-term, successful enterprise, when you don’t close a sale, open a relationship.”

#56. “Don’t try to do everything by yourself, but try to connect with people and resources. Having that discipline and perseverance is really important.” –Chieu Cao.

#57. “Customers don’t care at all whether you close the deal or not. They care about improving their business. It’s easy to forget this in the heat of a sales cycle.” – Aaron Ross.

#58. “You don’t need a big close, as many sales reps believe. You risk losing your customers when you save all the good stuff for the end. Keep the customer actively involved throughout the presentation, and watch your results improve.” – Harvey MacKay.

Related: 11 Super easy steps to hitting your sales quota

Motivational quotes with a twist

Winston churchill quote

#59. “If you are not willing to risk everything, then you are not willing to have anything.”-Author unknown

#60. “If you don’t ask, the answer is always no.”-Nora Roberts.

#61. “You miss 100% of the shots you don’t take.”–Wayne Gretzky 

#62. “Don’t let your dreams be dreams.”- Shia LaBeouf

#63. “The only way to get started is by stopping talking about it.”-  Walt Disney, Co-Founder Of The Walt Disney Company

#64. “You don’t need someone else’s permission before you can live your life.” – Author unknown

#65. “The best way to predict the future is to invent it.” – Alan Kay

#66. “The only thing we have to fear is fear itself.” – Franklin D. Roosevelt

#67. “You can’t sell what you don’t have.” – Author Unknown

#68. “It’s not the will to win that matters–everyone has that. It’s the will to prepare to win that matters.” – Bobby Knight

#69.  “I’ve missed more than 9000 shots in my career. I’ve lost almost 300 games. 26 times, I’ve trusted to take the game-winning shot and miss. I’ve failed over and over and over again in my life. And that is why I succeeded.” – Michael Jordan

#70. “I’m not a salesman. I’m a salesman’s son.”- Author unknown

#71.  “If you’re not willing to risk everything, then you’re never going to do anything great.” – Author unknown

#72. “The first step in selling is sincerity, and the second step is sincerity.”- Author unknown

#73. “There are three things that can happen in a sales call: they say yes, they say no, they say maybe. The only way to get a yes is by asking the right questions.” – Author unknown

 #74. “If you’re going through hell, keep going.” –Winston Churchill

Top inspirational quotes on sales strategy

Zig Ziglar quote

#75. “If you’re not a little bit scared, then you’re not challenging yourself.”-Author unknown

#76. “You have to believe in yourself when no one else does, or no one else will.” -Author unknown

#77. “I always tell people that the most important thing is to never give up on your dreams because dreams do come true.” – Author unknown

#78. “The best way to get what you want is to help other people get what they want.” –Zig Ziglar

#79. “Don’t let someone tell you that something can’t be done.”- Author unknown

#80.  “You need both a plan and the willingness to change it.” –Author unknown

#81. “Successful salespeople know how to make things happen for their customers.” – Author unknown

#82. “The sale is not over until the customer says yes!” –Author unknown

#83. “You will attract way more buyers if you are offering to teach them something of value to them than you will ever attract by simply trying to sell them your product or service.” – Chet Holmes

Over to you

Sales reps are often the most overlooked members of an organization. They’re the ones out there in the world, talking to people and closing deals. To be successful at their job, they need to have a lot of motivation.

Motivational sales quotes can be helpful to inspire salespeople. Also, they can provide a boost in productivity and help them stay positive.

Quotes are not the only way to motivate sellers. The best way is to show them that your company appreciates and respects their efforts. A little thank you can go a long way for the sales team. Also, you can include one or two sales motivational quotes in an email to inspire your salesforce.

Related: 9 Incredibly useful tips on sales incentive programs

The complete guide to understanding sales motivation

Posted on by vishal arora

Sales motivation is the driving force behind any salesperson. It ignites a fire in the belly, making them work hard and achieve their goals. It’s critical because it influences a seller’s performance. Also, it affects how they interact with customers and communicate with them. In this guide, you’ll discover impactful ways to motivate your sales team. Continue reading.

What is sales motivation?

The term sales motivation or sales drive refers to the feeling or state of mind one has when they are eager to commit to doing something that’ll help them achieve their goals.

Sales motivation is the need to keep going in the face of difficulty. It’s the feeling that’ll sustain you even when things are not accessible. It can be a sense of duty, a sense of purpose, or just the desire to succeed.

Sales motivation may differ for each individual, and it can change over time. For example, when a person starts working in a new job, they may be motivated by the opportunity of earning more money than they used to. Later, they may get inspired by recognition from their boss or coworkers.

What’s the importance of sales motivation in your company?

Sales motivation stimulates, arouses, and directs a salesperson’s energy and emotions to action. Salespeople need plenty of incentives to find the best ways to close deals and maintain customer relationships. They’re human beings, so they need to feel motivated to do their job well.

Types of motivation

What motivates a salesperson the most? There are two types of motivation: intrinsic and extrinsic motivation.

Intrinsioc motivation
Source

However, extrinsic motivation involves external factors, such as money and the desire to boost your commissions or bonus. As a sales manager, you should focus on the two forms of sales motivation as they contribute various factors that drive sellers to hit sales goals.

Source

How can you know if your salesforce lacks motivation? Check out the following warning signs.

Six signs that your sales team is unmotivated

signs of unmotivated sales team

1. The sales aren’t coming in

Low or poor sales show that your salesforce cannot meet your sales targets. Your sales team suffers from low motivation-it’s not at its best performance.

2. Sales are taking longer than expected

Your sales reps can initiate conversations with prospects and even schedule meetings with them. But they develop cold feet to lead the potential customer to the closing stage. Sellers stop persuading them to buy- one sure sign of demotivation.

3. They display a negative attitude

Excuses galore. Salespeople avoid taking accountability for low performance – they make lame excuses. And they say negative things about the business itself or the leaders. 

4. Productivity and attendance at the workplace are low

Constant low productivity and absenteeism from work are telltale signs that the sales engine isn’t firing from all cylinders. The salesforce may even display boredom with their work while on duty. Their body language shows a discouraged sales team.

5. Clients have specifically brought it up

Your clients can see the lack of zeal and enthusiasm in your employees. And when they inform you about it, it’s a genuine warning that the cockpit lacks motivation.  

6. Teamwork is lacking

It’s a no-brainer that if one or tw0 salespeople on the team lack motivation, teamwork becomes challenging. Sellers can’t collaborate on anything. 

With these matters in mind, how can managers motivate their sellers?

How to motivate your sales teams

tips to motivate sales teams

Invest in the right software

Equip your sales team with the right technology to perform their roles efficiently and quickly. You can subscribe to or buy sales management tools that allow your reps to collaborate marketing efforts and automate admin tasks. Your sellers can feel motivated when they become good at what they’re doing.

Successfully track your progress

Tracking systems can help you monitor and display your team’s sales performance. For example, use a physical display board to demonstrate and recognize success or milestones visually. It can lead to sales motivation as each seller sees their results or what others have achieved.

Hold motivational sales meetings

Conduct sales meetings every month or quarter to boost your rep’s morale. In these sessions, you can talk about their achievements, tactical changes, new products, etc. Also, share info on sales lead opportunities, regional sales, and recent developments in the sector.

Motivational sales meetings offer opportunities to say kudos to top performers and those whose performance is getting better. Use these forums to encourage your team to keep pushing.

Emphasize company values

Inspire your salespeople by informing them about your company values, mission, and overall objectives. It helps them align their personal goals with what your business wants to achieve.  Also, sellers can know what they need to do to be part of your business’s success. Use meetings to re-emphasize these matters and explain how your team can meet the strategic goals.

Establish weekly, monthly, and quarterly goals

Work with your team to set clear and specific weekly, monthly, and quarterly goals. Try to establish high sales goals in busy times, like the public holidays when people tend to spend more.  Again, break down the targets into daily tasks to make them manageable and achievable. Reasonable goal-setting can be a source of motivation.

Consider sales activities

Earlier, we mentioned that realistic and measurable sales goals could inspire your salesforce. But sales results can be challenging to achieve. Instead, focus more on sales activities because reps can control them. E.g., they can decide on the number of sales calls, schedules meetings, demos, etc. 

Provide rewards for good performance

It’s a brilliant company practice to recognize outstanding performance when your salesforce has made sales.  That’s because securing deals is challenging in a stiff business environment. So, offer your team financial and non-financial rewards to spur them on. Examples of non-cash sales incentives include weekend or holiday breaks, vouchers, etc.

Monday sales motivation

Take advantage of Mondays to inject a huge amount of motivation into your salespeople. Before they launch out into their sales field, hold a brief meeting to say one or two words of inspiration. Remind them that maintaining the right mindset can succeed against all odds.

Friday sales motivation

Salespeople are likely to lose focus on Friday due to the upcoming weekend. They can lose momentum and become unproductive. Do your best to motivate them on this particular day, and if possible, give them a day off. It allows them to rest and recharge for the following day.

Share responsibilities

A rigid relationship with your employees can create a sense of aloofness and the bystander effect. When they feel that they’ve no part in making big decisions for your company, they become onlookers. By delegating challenging tasks to your reps or new team leaders, you can avoid this. Involve them in all your marketing efforts to encourage a sense of ownership.

Remind your staff about their autonomy

It might seem an obvious thing that sellers understand that they’re independent. But you may be surprised that they’re not entirely using their freedoms in their work. Find out if your sellers are taking advantage of this autonomy. 

Motivate hybrid and remote sales teams

Inside sales teams working remotely also need constant motivation. That’s because face-to-face sales meetings are a challenge to implement. Sales leaders can use team engagement tools to develop a sense of community and belonging. You can produce and share a 90-second video regularly with individuals and the entire team.

Aim to minimize meetings as much as possible

Regular sales meetings are fine, but they can lose purpose if they become endless. Also, salespeople can be overwhelmed and develop a negative attitude. Try to have a few structured meetings to give your team a breather.

Communicate, train, and provide feedback as soon as possible

Communication is vital in sales motivation and managing a team. Give immediate feedback if you notice that a rep faces challenges meeting their goals. Create a   personalized training program if the same problems keep cropping up. Or give the salesperson a day off to reflect and refocus. 

Related: “Turn your sales coaching into a high-performing machine.”

Have fun with your team

Sometimes too much seriousness at work can be stressful-all work, and no play makes Jack a dull boy. It’s an old saying, but still relevant. As a sales manager, you can g0 to the gym with some reps, attend a sports game, or watch a movie together. Find something fun to build and strengthen relationships and allow the salesforce to relax and unwind.

Energize your sales drive with these inspirational quotes

What do you say to motivate a sales team? Sales motivational quotes are quotes that inspire salespeople to do their best. You can use them in various contexts, from presentations to emails to social media posts. 

Here are 11 potent sales motivational quotes to inspire your salespeople. 

sales quotes

Use the following ways to share the inspirational sayings with reps.

  • Send an email every day.
  • Publish on the company intranet
  • Share daily in a meeting.
  • Create a whiteboard for your company
  • Put them up in the staff lounge or where the ‘water cooler’ conversations occur.

Let’s wrap up by diving into other critical aspects that affect sales motivation.

Key influences of motivation

According to RAIN Group, sales managers need to consider five primary areas that influence motivation within a company. See the elements below.

Culture and company

Promote a supportive environment for sellers to thrive. Salespeople can succeed when company culture gives them as much encouragement and help as possible. Be available when your sales reps need you and resource them with the necessary tools to achieve their goals.

Management

Management plays a critical role in helping sellers discover and develop their potential. Coach and mentor your team. RAIN Group’s research shows that Elite Performers are “more than 2x as likely to have managers who motivate sellers.”

Intrinsic motivators

Money may not be the only thing that drives your salespeople to crush their numbers. You can try factors like public recognition, winning, career development, etc.  RAIN Group says, “when you know what motivates any one individual person, you can focus on drawing that motivation out on a regular basis.”

Execution

Earlier, we said that sellers need supportive management to execute their plans successfully. But unless they’ve got the self-drive and enthusiasm to excel, achieving their sales goals can be an uphill task. Inform your salesforce that they need to develop a winning attitude towards their work.

Value

RAIN Group discovered in one study that companies that emphasize offering value for their customers have super motivated sellers. “Companies that have a true focus on value for buyers are much more likely to have highly motivated sales forces.”

Check out the following aspects that Elite and Top performers consider a top priority in sales motivation.

RAIN group
Source

Final thoughts

Sales motivation is a critical factor in salespeople’s success, and it’s the fuel that drives them to achieve their goals. Sales motivation falls into two types – intrinsic and extrinsic. 

Inherent inspiration or internal motivation comes from within the individual and involves personal values, interests, needs, desires, or intentions. Extrinsic or external motivation comes from outside an individual and consists of rewards for meeting a specific goal.

To get motivated for sales, you need to find what motivates you intrinsically and extrinsically. It’ll help you find your drive to push you towards success in your sales career.

Related: “How to cope with sales burnout.”