6 Communication Tips to Drive your Compensation Plan across the Finish Line

“The single biggest problem in communication is the illusion that it has taken place” wrote playwright George Bernard Shaw. Sometimes, that illusion comes crashing down with the simplest of sentences, such as “Huh? You never said that,” and whether you did or didn’t really doesn’t matter because somehow the meaning was lost in translation.

In sales, the stakes are high when it comes to miscommunication. Any leader who’s spent time and energy designing a gem of a comp plan that should motivate reps to sell now, sell big, and align selling behaviors with corporate goals, only to realize that hardly any of the specifics got through to the team, can end up just as confused and frustrated as the people it was intended to guide.

Even the most well-designed plan can fail to achieve its purpose if it’s not communicated clearly to your team. When sales reps can’t figure out the goal(s) they’re expected to focus on, or the commission they’ll be paid upon closing a deal, mistrust and confusion ensue. People can’t implement what they don’t understand. So, with no clear direction and purpose, your sales people will turn to selling the only way they know, disregarding the new company strategy. You may even find your reps selling products and services that you’re phasing out.

Their limited or incorrect understanding of the plan, combined with distrust of the accuracy of commission, may even take them on another route you couldn’t foresee, with attention lost to shadow accounting and frequent grievances reported to the heads of their accounts.

Other issues, such as poor customer targeting and disagreements about plan results, may also increase, ultimately impacting sales outcomes.

In contrast, when the comp plan is communicated well and its details reinforced, reps stop worrying about their pay. And spend more time selling.

Watch this video to find out how you can ensure that you don’t alienate your salespeople, but instead gain their buy-in and push them to reach their goals.

Learn the key elements of an efficient communications strategy and give your salespeople the tools and information they need to succeed. Because ultimately, their sales success is the best guarantee your company will not only grow, but thrive.