cover of incentive program research on ipad

sample of interior pages of incentive program research

Find out what sales reps really want from sales incentive programs

Is your sales incentive program meeting sales reps’ expectations?

Use the data-backed insights in our new research to see how your program compares to others and where you have opportunities to grow.

Our exclusive report reveals:

What influences sales reps’ product recommendations
What motivates sales reps to participate in sales incentive programs
What drives more sales reps to engage with your program
What challenges get in the way of program participation
What can you do to improve your sales incentive program

Drive sales with smarter incentive strategies

Uncover which incentive program elements fully engage sales reps

80%+ of sales reps consider personalized sales incentive programs extremely important.

But nearly all sales reps (96%) reported challenges with sales incentive programs.

Unclear rules. Overwhelming promotions. Competing objectives. Limited visibility of their progress toward their goals. These are just a few of the barriers that prevent sales reps from engaging with your incentive program.

By directly asking sales reps which program elements hinder their participation, our experts identified the most common obstacles and how much they affect performance.

The report includes clear, practical strategies to begin addressing these challenges if they appear in your programs.

"If the award distribution speed could be faster, I would be more willing to participate. If it's too long, I won't be enthusiastic anymore."

—Manufacturer Sales Rep of rubber products

Understand the unique needs of both distributor and manufacturer sales reps

As independent participants, distributor sales reps have different needs than manufacturer sales reps do. But just how different are the needs of the two sales rep types?

We investigated the program expectations of both groups to answer that question, including looking at how significant any differences were to their overall program experience.

In many cases, both groups were motivated by similar things. For example, financial compensation is a universal motivator with 61% of recipients listing it as a top factor. But, on average, manufacturer sales reps ranked product and development support higher than direct sales representatives did.

Knowing the key elements that motivate direct sales reps will help you customize your program where it matters. This optimization helps you reach the most sales reps without incurring extra costs on ineffective or redundant elements. And, with more than 80% of sales reps reporting they find personalization highly important in a program, it’s a great way for your program to stand out as one they should focus on.

"Offering rewards that cater to individual preferences can make the program more appealing."

—Distributor Sales Rep in chemical manufacturing

Improve your incentive program experience to grow sales

While cash and monetary rewards are important to sales reps, they aren’t enough to inspire greater participation. The most effective programs offer a comprehensive experience that helps reps meet their goals.

This experience includes straightforward promotions, personalized awards, training opportunities, meaningful recognition and clear communications. The result is a stronger bond between sales reps and your brand, which ultimately leads to higher sales and greater market share.

Our guide’s actionable strategies will help you address each of those desired elements to build a program that consistently motivates the majority of reps. Each recommendation can be started immediately so you can improve your program quickly and start seeing the benefits.

Learn how to:

Pinpoint sales reps’ top motivators
Achieve higher engagement by removing program obstacles
Use actionable strategies that don’t require a large investment

"Letting me select from a wide range of rewards and immediate benefits for specific efforts would encourage me to engage more frequently."

—Manufacturer Sales Rep of office supplies