Managers: How to Motivate Medical Salespeople in Tough Times

If I were going to be flip about this, I’d say that the threat of layoffs ought to be enough to motivate sales reps in pharma sales, pathology revenue, biotech sales, imaging sales, hospital equipment revenue, pharma device sales, clinical diagnostics sales, and especially pharma sales, in uncertain economic times like these….but of course, there’s more to it than that.

Any wonderful manager/motivator knows you need a carrot to go with that stick—and not just bonuses, either.  I found a tremendously helpful article by Hal Apiar– Management:  Motivating in Tight Times that will help you reach your sales reps on a more personal level and guide your team toward greater success. 

Hal points us back to Maslow for inspiration (remember Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs from Psych 101?).   

Briefly:

(1)     Our first need is SAFETY.  These are the basics–food, shelter, protection from harm.

(2)    If your safety needs are met, then you’re concerned with your SOCIAL NEEDS.  Friendship, acceptance, affection, reputation and recognition matter here. 

(3)    If you’re physically safe and emotionally secure, then you move on to SELF-ACTUALIZATION.  This is all about individuality and self-esteem.  You become interested in fulfilling your potential, in expressing your creativity, in achieving personal satisfaction in a balanced life.

We can move up or down within these levels depending on our own personal circumstances on any given day.  For example, someone at the third level can be yanked back down to the first one by any number of events:  job loss, injury, loss of a home, problems with their children, and so on.  So (to paraphrase Hal), recognition that works for one person won’t work for someone else who is in a cash crunch, and cash won’t work as a motivator for someone who has enough money, but needs acceptance.  (Click here for some creative ideas.)

How do you put this into practice?  I can’t do any less than a direct quote here:

“To motivate people in ways that are most appreciated and most productive requires the motivator to be tuned in and aware to what need level someone is at on any particular day and reward that individual at that level!”

This is what it means for you:  To be a great manager, meet people where they’re.  Get to know your sales reps and what’s going on with ‘em.  I’m certainly not saying to have group therapy sessions as part of your sales discussions, but a little genuine conversation is a great thing.  The ability to individualize  your motivational tools where needed can go a long way toward ensuring the success of your team.

Article courtesy of  Peggy McKee - Owner / Senior Recruiter at the nationally
recognized clinical and laboratory sales recruiting team of PHC Consulting.
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