When the constant hustle of the B2B sales rat race looks like it’s draining everyone’s spirits, it’s time to refuel with some high-octane sales team motivation.
With the help of our Global Inbound Manager, Hugh Campbell, and VP GTM at DinMo, David Bentham, we’ve compiled ten ideas to increase the motivation of your sales team.
After all, as David says:
“A motivated team is a happy team, and a happy team will produce results. Happy and engaged people will always perform better than anybody else.”
Let’s start 👇
1. Communicate with your team
When morale is low, it’s often because people feel disconnected—from the goal, process, or even each other.
To fix that, communicate better, but not in a way that feels like a corporate textbook. Make it human, authentic, and, most importantly, two-way.
Weekly check-ins and regular one-on-ones are essential for sales team motivation. But they must be more personable. Encourage honesty by being honest yourself—it’s a conversation, not a data transfer between Androids.
Useful tips:
Be specific with feedback
Instead of saying, “You need to improve your numbers,” give actionable, specific advice.
Try, “I noticed your sales pitch on X product could use some tweaking. Let’s work together to adjust it for next time.” This shows you’re invested in their development rather than just pointing out issues.
Check-in regularly (without the pressure)
Don’t wait for quarterly reviews to have meaningful conversations. Regular check-ins (without an agenda) allow you to gauge your sales reps’ morale and level of sales stress. Then, you can offer guidance before things go off track.
A genuine “How are you doing?” can sometimes uncover potential problems before they snowball.
Use active listening
When your SDRs bring up issues or concerns, don’t just nod along—really listen.
Repeat what you’ve heard, validate their concerns, and offer support.
A simple “I hear you, and here’s what we can do about that” can make all the difference in showing you’re invested in their success.
Understand their personal and professional goals
Everyone has unique ambitions, both personal and professional. Take time to understand what drives them—a specific career path, a financial target, or personal achievements outside of work.
When you align your team’s goals with the company’s objectives, you’ll boost motivation and build stronger, more invested employees.
2. Offer great rewards, incentives and benefits
Rewards should feel rewarding, right?
But they also need to motivate sales reps. If your perks are staid and boring, it’s time to change them—not everyone wants or needs a pair of AirPods.
Offering sales incentives is a great way to introduce fun, healthy competition to your team. Instead of providing gift cards or generic swag, find out what excites them.
David highlighted:
“If you’re going to use incentives, make sure that every person in your team could win it. We reward the highest performers through their commission. Extra incentives should be available to any member of the team.”
One way of maintaining a level playing ground is by incentivising input rather than output.
For example:
Give a prize to whoever makes the most cold calls in a month rather than whoever closes the most deals. Less experienced employees will be motivated by the chance to compete with the top performers and win!
Want a creative way to motivate a sales team?
David regularly runs a scratch card incentive. He pairs the team based on experience and buys one scratch card for each pair. Whoever has the best numbers at the end of the month gets to scratch it.
It’s a fun competition which motivates the team to outperform their peers, especially when the alternative could be missing out on a £1 million winning scratch card!
However, everyone’s incentives are different.
For some, it could be an extra day off; for others, it could be a unique experience like a cooking class or tickets to a sporting event.
Make the reward feel like it’s for them, not just for hitting a number.
Additionally, consider different benefits like continuous training and development opportunities for your sales professionals.
This will encourage positive sales team motivation because it assists in growth.
David explains:
“It’s common for sales professionals to feel their progress stagnates over time. By providing training, you will help them to unlock their potential. As they progress, your team will feel more confident and motivated.”
Useful tips
Surprise rewards
Don’t just wait until big milestones to offer something fun—spontaneously reward smaller wins. You can even introduce a “spin-the-wheel” or mystery prize box mechanism to inject some intrigue.
Gamify the sales process
Create a point-based structure to make your rewards system more interesting. Every win (like closing a deal or setting up a new SQL) earns points. At the end of the month, your team can cash in points for prizes of their choosing.
Spot bonuses
Reward the unexpected wins—like someone handling a grumpy customer with grace. Instant recognition, instant smiles.
Customise rewards
Offer team members the chance to choose their reward from a curated list (spa day, game night, whatever). Personalised incentives show you care about your team’s passions and will be more appreciated.
3. Build genuine relationships and teamwide trust
The SDR role is already challenging—don’t let your team feel like they’re in it alone. Trust and building strong relationships are key for motivated salespeople.
A connected, cohesive team that genuinely enjoys working together is a powerful, motivated force. When people feel supported, they push harder and are happier doing it.
Trust is built when people are allowed to share not just their wins but also their struggles.
Encourage openness and honesty in team conversations so team members feel safe enough to seek help instead of quietly burning out.
Useful tips
Create a mentor system
Pair newer reps with more experienced ones to help them learn the ropes, share insights, and foster relationships.
Hold “wins and woes” meetings
These are quick team huddles in which everyone shares a recent win and a challenge they’re facing. They help normalise vulnerability and strengthen bonds across the team.
Work buddies
Pair people up as accountability partners. They help each other stay on track and build rapport in the process.
Collaborative challenges
Organise team tasks that require collaboration—bonus points if it’s fun, like creating a goofy sales pitch for a fictional product.
4. Ensure your revenue goals are attainable
It’s one thing to push your B2B sales team towards ambitious goals, but another to set them up for burnout by aiming too high.
Lofty, unattainable goals can quickly drain your sales team’s motivation. It’s also important to be transparent about the company’s revenue goals.
David adds:
“If your team understands the company’s goals, they will understand their individual goals. This prevents demotivation, as team members will better understand their impact on the company’s growth.”
Set your goals in smaller increments like stepping stones—within reach but challenging enough to inspire growth.
Breaking big targets into smaller, manageable chunks allows for more frequent celebrations and a clearer sense of progress.
Here’s a trick for how to motivate a sales team to achieve more business goals:
Once your team starts reaching their sales goals early, increase the bonuses exponentially. This will reward employees who go above and beyond, ingrain high performance, and increase the ARR of the company’s culture.
Additionally, consider introducing customised recognition awards to further incentivise exceptional work.
Useful tips:
Incorporate “stretch goals”
These slightly more ambitious targets than the base quota are designed for your top performers. They let them push for more without overwhelming the whole team.
Small wins become big gains
Break massive goals into smaller weekly or daily milestones. Smaller victories along the way keep morale up.
Visual progress trackers
Use a public leaderboard or visual tracker to highlight progress in real-time. Watching those numbers tick upward will boost positive sales team motivation.
Adjustable targets
If a goal feels like a concrete wall no one can crack, don’t be afraid to reassess and adjust your sales targets. Flexibility isn’t failure—it’s smart management.
5. Put an end to all those meetings that could have been an email
Excess meetings are productivity killers. If the average meeting drags on with no clear outcome, you’ll see sales team motivation dip.
So, it’s time to set your sales reps free from being stuck in meetings and allow them to spend more time focusing on their core tasks.
Not all meetings need to be eliminated, but they do need a purpose. If a meeting doesn’t require everyone’s input, send a quick email instead.
If it’s more of a status update, consider using collaboration tools like Slack or Microsoft Teams.
And for the meetings that do need to happen, keep them short, focused, and actionable.
Useful tips:
Meeting-free days
Implement one day a week where no meetings are allowed with your team fully focused on uninterrupted work. It’s amazing how much they can get done when their day isn’t broken up by calls.
Meeting shot clock
Set a time limit for meetings using a countdown timer for 15-20 minutes and stick to it. When there’s a time limit, people stay focused, and your meetings stay productive.
No agenda, no meeting
If there’s no clear agenda, it’s not a meeting—it’s a waste of time. Always have an outline of what needs to be done.
Asynchronous communication
Encourage team members to use voice notes or quick Loom videos for updates instead of dragging everyone into a conference room.
6. Encourage friendly competition
SDRs thrive on competition, but if you’re not careful, it can turn toxic.
The key is keeping things lighthearted and fun while maintaining a competitive edge. Friendly competition taps into that natural drive, giving your team something extra to strive for, especially when you gamify it.
Hugh gives us an example:
“We’ve got SalesScreen - gamification software that tracks SDR activity. It has a leaderboard and notifies us when people have booked a meeting.”
“We have that on all day buzzing around, and it’s a bit of fun that keeps people engaged and motivated to keep going.”
Create leaderboards, but make sure they focus on different areas—like calls made, deals closed, or even improvements week over week.
You can also host team-wide challenges where the whole group strives for a collective win, like setting a record for the number of sales demos booked in a day.
Useful tips:
Recognise improvement
Include rewards for improvement, not just the sales performance of the top sellers. By championing growth, you’ll demonstrate that effort and progress matter.
Daily or weekly challenges
Set up quick-fire sales challenges like “Most Cold Calls Made Today” or “First to Close This Week.” Keep the prizes fun and lighthearted—think goofy trophies or funny titles.
Team battles
Split the team into groups and run short-term contests for fun prizes that require collaboration. It’s all about winning using teamwork.
Random acts of kindness points
Make it a rule that team members get extra competition points for helping each other (e.g., covering a call, sharing a lead, etc.). This will boost collaboration and lift everyone’s spirits.
7. Offer support with tech and training
Nothing squashes sales team motivation like outdated tech or feeling lost when using new tools.
If your team spends more time battling their CRM than using it to close deals, you need help. The right technology in your sales stack will make sales easier to execute and more efficient.
David adds to this:
“If the team needs something to improve their job, we’ll provide it. This means investing in the best CRM, providing the best outreach tools and accurate B2B data.”
Invest in user-friendly sales tools that streamline processes, not complicate them.
For instance, Cognism is the ultimate prospecting tool, helping SDRs build lists faster, connect with the right prospects, and build confidence when cold-calling.
Just ask GWI:
And equally important, give your team the training they need to leverage these tools entirely. There’s nothing more frustrating than not knowing how to use a system that’s supposed to help you.
Useful tips:
Tech clinics
Run a short, focused tech refresher session once a month. Let your team ask questions, get help with issues they’re facing, and get tips on using their tools.
Internal resource hub
Create a space where your team can access tutorials, quick tips, and FAQs on all your tech tools. This will give them an easily accessible resource for troubleshooting without feeling overwhelmed.
Ask for feedback on tools
Before investing in new tech, ask your team what SDR tools they’d love to use. They’re the ones who’ll be working with it, after all.
Tech troubleshooting buddy system
Assign a tech-savvy team member as the go-to person for any tool-related issues. You’ll save time, and they’ll feel like a guru.
8. Hold social meetups
Sometimes, your team just needs a break to recharge and reconnect with each other to boost sales team motivation.
Social meetups allow them to bond as people, not just coworkers. Whether it’s a Friday happy hour, a virtual trivia game, or an off-site lunch, blowing off steam and hanging out builds camaraderie and injects some fun into your team dynamic.
Keeping these social events light and completely unrelated to work is important. The goal is to help your team unwind, laugh, and remember that they’re more than just quota-chasers.
Useful tips:
Rotate the organiser
Give everyone a chance to suggest and plan a fun activity or host a virtual event. It spreads the responsibility and makes sure the activities appeal to everyone.
Themed meetups
Add some spice to your social events with themes! Host a virtual ‘90s night or an office scavenger hunt. It’s silly, fun, and gets everyone laughing.
Non-work achievements
Use social meetups to celebrate life outside of work, too—like someone’s new puppy or marathon finish. It brings a new dimension to team bonding.
Invite guest speakers (fun ones)
Occasionally, host an entertaining speaker like a stand-up comedian, trivia master, or mixologist.
9. Create a plan to encourage change
If things are stagnant, morale tends to follow suit.
When your team’s been following the same old routine for too long, it’s time to shake things up.
Introducing well-thought-out changes can help reignite passion and motivation—but involving your team in the process is essential.
Gather their feedback; you may uncover insights that were overlooked. Once you’ve decided on the changes, create a step-by-step plan for implementing them.
By making your team part of the solution, they’ll feel more empowered by the changes they helped design.
Useful tips
Create a narrative
By building a story around the changes, you’re much more likely to get buy-in from the team. Using a story format is more engaging and will help everyone understand the reasons for the change and the way forward.
Choose a change ambassador
Designate a team member to champion new initiatives and help smooth the transition for everyone. Having a peer advocate for the changes can make the process less daunting.
Test the waters
Run small pilot programs for new ideas before overhauling everything. That way, you can fine-tune your approach and gather feedback before full implementation.
Change day
To foster innovative thinking, dedicate one day a month to experimenting with new ideas or improving processes. There are no quotas, just innovation.
10. Build positivity into your daily workflow
Positivity fuels productivity, but it needs to be authentic.
Nobody’s asking for forced smiles or plastered-on enthusiasm, but building genuine positive energy into your daily workflow can transform how your sales team feels about their workday.
A motivated sales team believes in what they’re doing, feels valued, and can see the light at the end of the tunnel.
Make positivity a daily habit—acknowledge small wins, celebrate personal achievements, and encourage your team to uplift each other. Create a feedback loop where positive reinforcement is the norm, not the exception.
Useful tips:
Set a positivity quota
Challenge your team to share at least one piece of positive feedback with a colleague each day. It sounds simple, but it can make a massive difference in morale.
Start the day with gratefulness
Kick-off every morning with a quick gratitude round. Have each team member share something positive (work-related or personal) to set a feel-good tone for the day.
Celebrate micro wins
Don’t wait for big deals to pop the confetti. Celebrate smaller victories—a great sales call, a positive customer email, or even making it through Monday without caffeine overload.
Rotate positive leadership
Have a different team member lead a quick daily or weekly positivity huddle. Let them bring their flair—whether sharing an inspirational quote, a joke, or a fun fact. It keeps things fresh and engaging.
Final thoughts
Motivating a sales team isn’t a one-size-fits-all solution. It takes thoughtful communication, tailored incentives, and tools to get them back on track.
Low morale doesn’t have to be permanent. In fact, with the right strategies in place, it can be a temporary blip that leads to even greater success down the road.
Remember, when in doubt, listen, support, and celebrate the small wins. Those victories, big and small, are what keep the sales engine running smoothly. And that’s how you go from surviving to thriving.
David shares some final thoughts on how to motivate a sales team:
“You can cultivate a motivated team through a combination of company and individual goals and providing incentives and great tools. They all serve the same purpose: developing a positive mindset.”
“SDRs face a lot of rejection and, in the wrong conditions, can quickly become demotivated. Every motivational technique you use should make your team’s lives easier. Once you’ve done that, they can focus on fulfilling their ultimate goal - selling!”
Keep your sales team motivated with more insights
If you enjoyed this article, you’ll love The Blueprint.
It contains invaluable insights that helped Cognism increase its ARR from $10 million to $40 million in under two years.
It’s sure to help keep your team motivation going!
Click 👇 to check it out.
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