November/December 2005

FEATURESTORY

Payday

For all of the changes the business world has seen over all of the years that companies have done business with other companies, little has changed about how salespeople are compensated. Businesses typically follow one of four models: salary-only, base salary plus commission, commission-only and commission plus a draw on future sales. Which system works best?

Payday: Bonus Interview with Paul Dorf

Paul Dorf is the Managing Director of Compensation Resources Inc., an Upper Saddle River, N.J., company that provides compensation and human resource consulting services, including executive compensation, sales compensation, salary administration, performance management and litigation support.

Payday: Bonus Interview with David J. Cichelli

David J. Cichelli is Senior Vice President of The Alexander Group Inc., a national sales effectiveness consulting firm. He specializes in designing effective sales compensation plans, and is the author of Compensating the Sales Force: A Practical Guide to Designing Winning Sales Compensation Plans (McGraw-Hill, 2003). We spoke with him by telephone in October 2005.

Publisher’sNote:

Money Matters  *

The most creative and generous non-cash incentive program is useless if a company does not have a competitive, equitable compensation plan in place.
 

ScratchPad:

Can Customers Reach Your Salespeople?  *

Business owners and salespeople universally want one thing – more prospects. But when you dive into their business practices, a funny thing emerges: Owners and salespeople aren’t as easy to reach as you would think.

The 8 Leadership Secrets of Santa Claus

Read my success secrets in how I deal with increasing demands, competing priorities and ever-growing performance expectations and still remain jolly.  -Santa Claus

Moving Up?  Not So Fast  *

Great sales managers aren’t created in a day, but that doesn’t stop some people from trying it. If you are preparing to promote a top salesperson to manager, do it in steps.
 

SalesU:

You Have A Solution… So What?

Do you ever get an uneasy feeling about the “solutions” you bring to the marketplace? That maybe they really aren’t all that special or different anymore?  You don’t have a single competitor clueless enough to not at least claim to offer “solutions” to customer problems. A few might not have the wherewithal to actually deliver, but most probably can to some degree.
 

IncentiveTravel:

Meetings & Travel:  What’s In Store for 2006?  *

The impending new year has businesses assessing their travel needs, intent on staying current with trends while remaining vigilant about cost-saving opportunities. We asked hospitality providers and event-planning experts to discuss what lies ahead.
 

NewProducts:

Incentive Product Focus:  Last-Minute Holiday Business Gifts

Another annual chore that many companies don’t pay proper attention to is holiday gift-giving. Done correctly, gift-giving can reaffirm a business relationship, maintain good rapport, increase customer loyalty, and stimulate referrals. Last-minute decisions don’t have to be poorly made. Read our nine great gift ideas just in time for the giving season.

Incentive Alley  *

Get a jump on motivating the sales force in 2006 with great non-cash incentive ideas available direct from the manufacturer.
 

CoachesCorner:

Let’s Review

Performance appraisals should build better relationships between salespeople and their managers. We present some practical ideas for avoiding the arm-wrestling mentality.

 

SALESFORCEXP Advertisers

Visit http://www.SalesForceXP.com/AdIndex for more information from this issue's advertisers!
 

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