In a BLR webinar entitled "Sales Compensation Strategies: How to Motivate and Re-Energize Your Sales Staff in a Challenging Economy," Dan Kleinman, principal of California-based Dan Kleinman Consulting, asked the question, What do you want your sales to produce besides revenue?

Do you want transactions based on:

• Best product?
• Best price?
• Best service/follow up?

Do you want relationships based on:

• Value-added service to customers?
• Perception as a solutions provider?

You can minimize your vulnerability and maximize your compensation flexibility when the company "owns" the book of the business through a company-wide team orientation and separate reward structures that recognize team.

In a team-oriented sales approach, everyone grows the relationship.

• There is a "for the common good" ethic.
• There is a focus on new services and sales.
• There is a drive to ensure that every action supports customer loyalty.

Before the sale closes, multiple skill sets are at play:

• Producing and qualifying leads
• Presentations
• Technical pre-installation sessions
• The close

Before the sale closes, multiple functions are at play:

• Account management
• Operations and technical support
• Logistical support
• Integration support -- whole solutions

Dan Kleinman is the principal of Dan Kleinman Consulting (www. dankleinmanconsulting.com), a California-based compensation and human resource consulting firm. For the past 18 years, he has served as an independent consultant for a broad spectrum of regional, national, and international companies, providing compensation, performance, organizational planning, and reward-system design services. His last assignment was serving as vice president and manager of compensation, benefits, human resources information systems, and payroll for Charles Schwab.

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