About motivating, motivation, sales, marketing, workplace, workforce, bonus, achievement reward, incentive, management, boss.

Motivating Your Workforce

By David Kingston

It is true that in business, the motivation to get things done is more likely when greed is involved. When I do this, maybe the boss will give me a raise. Honestly, I have also been motivated by the same thought myself. But, I have also thought that if I don't get something done, maybe I will lose my job. The greatest motivation seems to be tied to having enough cash and living well.

Sales or Marketing

Motivation in the sales or marketing workplace is not significantly different in concept. Start by building a bonus system where the top sales person gets the top bonus, and on down the scale until at some point, there is no bonus. This may turn the work environment into a "dog eats dog" atmosphere, but it guarantees results. You can give a bonus for projects completed in 3-days verses the normal 5- day work week, or a certificate of achievement reward for the number of sales they've made in a month. The reward doesn't even have to be something expensive in order for the concept to work - just coveted.

The bonus can be a simple certificate the top selling person getting their name on it. The incentive need not be terribly elaborate or expensive in order to be effective, people just have to want it. Different groups of people will be motivated by different incentives.

The Motivational Performance Factor

Gauge Accordingly

Some people simply don't have the ability to perform at rocket-science levels every day, or even some days. It's best to gauge your motivational technique to the workforce with which you are dealing. For instance, an announcement to your office staff on Monday that 100% attendance for the entire week receives a reward like a "gift certificate worth $50" is bound to encourage an increase in attendance.

Even the little things will surprise you at how effective they can be. Showing some empathy and compassion for people is vital but can also be very motivating. A great deal is said about your ethics and management style by the way you communicate with people.

I like it best when I am told what needs to be done and left to my own devices to see it through to completion. Unless I said something to him, my boss would leave me alone to do my work. But, if I shot him an e-mail stating that I needed to talk to him, you can bet he was giving me a call within an hour because he knew I was not the type to just talk to people about things unrelated to work.

I have built this type of relationship with all of my employers. They always knew that if I didn't talk to them, then everything was fine and on schedule. They always honored my decisions but when I sent them an e-mail, it was time to give me some help. Then again, I am the type of person that generally goes well above the call of duty. I guess that is why I always made bonus!

David Kingston is the chief writer for, and editor of FAT Marketing, there's a wealth of knowledge on the website, plus their free newsletter is well worth signing up for too. Read many more interesting articles on Business at: http://www.fatmarketing.com/articles There's also a free mini-course available that will teach you how to get loads of free targeted traffic.

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