Sales contests can be a tricky game. Big corporations often go overboard, using them so much that they lose their spark, while small businesses might skip them altogether, buried in day-to-day tasks.
To really make these contests work, we reccomend using them wisely and strategically. Here are some exciting sales contest ideas that will not only ramp up team engagement and spirit but also give your company’s revenue a healthy boost.
Let’s dive in!
Why Run a Sales Contest?
Sales contests, when done right, can amp up your team’s energy and deliver amazing results. Here are some perfect times to roll them out:
New Product Launch or Promotion
Launching something new? A sales contest is a fantastic way to get your team up to speed on all the features and benefits.
Offer a bonus for every sale of the new product to get everyone excited and focused. Take it a step further by awarding triple points for the new product compared to others—this makes sure it gets the spotlight it deserves while keeping the value of other sales intact.
Seasonal Revenue Boost
Need a revenue bump during slow times or before big sales events? A well-timed competition can be a game-changer.
Set clear goals, deadlines, and conditions, and watch the magic happen. For example, targeted sales contests during Black Friday often lead to a significant increase in sales.
Entering a New Market
Expanding to new areas or niches? Send your top performers on a mission with a high-stakes contest. This not only bonds the team but also puts your brand on the map in the new location.
It helps in building strong market presence, boosting brand recognition, and generating local contacts and leads. Plus, rewarding top performers with bonuses gives them a sense of achievement and strengthens their loyalty to the company.
Long-Term Benefits of Sales Contests
Well-designed sales contests do more than just give your sales a quick boost; they bring lasting benefits that can truly transform your team.
First, they help your team focus on clear goals, making it easier to hit targets. They also get everyone more comfortable with keeping track of sales numbers, turning them into CRM experts.
Plus, these contests encourage your reps to think on their feet and solve problems independently, making them more self-reliant and resourceful. By adding these contests to your sales strategy, you’ll build a more focused, capable, and confident team.
Ideas for Sales Contest Prizes and Incentives
Choosing the right prizes for your sales contests can make all the difference in motivating your team. Here are some effective prize ideas, along with their pros and cons:
Monetary prizes, like significant cash rewards, are always a hit because, let’s face it, who doesn’t love extra money? The downside is that cash prizes can sometimes feel a bit impersonal and might not build long-term motivation.
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Recognition and status prizes, such as public acknowledgment, exclusive parking spots, or VIP tickets, can make winners feel truly valued and appreciated. These prizes have a lasting impact because they highlight personal achievement and offer a sense of prestige. However, they may not appeal to everyone, especially if your team values financial rewards more.
Inclusion prizes, which offer access to exclusive company events or trips for top performers, can drive ongoing motivation and foster a sense of belonging. These experiences create lasting memories and strengthen team bonds. The con? These prizes can be costly and might not provide the immediate gratification that some team members crave.
Creative Sales Contest Ideas
Engage your sales team with these innovative contest ideas:
Daily Flash Contest – Go Home Early
The “Go Home Early” Daily Flash Contest is designed to inject a burst of energy and focus into your sales team’s day. This contest can be especially motivating for teams that work long hours and value work-life balance. It not only encourages quick, efficient work early in the day but also promotes a competitive, yet friendly atmosphere among team members.
Activity: Each morning, set specific, achievable targets for key sales activities such as meetings booked, calls made, or emails sent. These targets should be aligned with the day’s overall sales goals and designed to be attainable within a shorter workday to ensure fairness and encourage participation.
Reward: The first team member to reach the daily target earns the privilege of going home early. The exact departure time can be flexible, depending on when the target is met and standard work hours. This reward not only offers extra personal time but also reduces commute time, making it an attractive prize.
Benefit: This contest promotes focus and a results-oriented mindset. Knowing there is a tangible, immediate reward for reaching targets quickly motivates employees to start their day with high energy and a focused mindset. This can lead to more productive work hours and less procrastination.
Quid Pro Quo
The Quid Pro Quo contest is designed to offer tangible perks during low business seasons, acknowledging the dedication of team members while maintaining their motivation.
Activity Details: During slower business periods, allow team members to start their day later or leave earlier. This approach helps manage the workload efficiently while providing a well-deserved break for the team.
Benefit: This contest encourages appreciation for management decisions by showing that the company values work-life balance. It also highlights the result-driven nature of the business, as the perks are tied to maintaining productivity even during slow periods.
Sales Week
Sales Week focuses on maintaining consistent motivation and effort by assigning specific daily targets and offering cumulative rewards.
Activity: Each day of the week, assign a different sales activity such as calls, emails, meetings, or demos. These activities should be strategically chosen to drive overall sales performance.
Cumulative Prizes: Offer rewards that accumulate over the week. For example, daily winners could receive smaller prizes, while the top performer of the week earns a significant monthly or annual prize.
Benefit: This contest maintains consistent motivation and effort. Daily targets keep the team engaged and focused throughout the week, while cumulative rewards encourage sustained effort and consistent performance.
Upsell Targets
This contest rewards team members who achieve the highest upsell revenues each month, driving incremental revenue growth.
Activity: Set clear targets for upselling existing customers. Track and reward the team members who generate the highest upsell revenues each month.
Benefit: This contest drives incremental revenue and encourages team members to proactively seek additional revenue opportunities. It promotes a culture of upselling, which can enhance customer relationships and increase overall sales.
Battle of the Offices
Battle of the Offices is a short-term contest designed to foster friendly competition between different office locations, enhancing team spirit.
Activity: Organize a competition between different office locations, focusing on specific sales metrics such as the number of deals closed, revenue generated, or new clients acquired. Keep the contest short, ideally lasting a week, to ensure intense focus and high energy.
Reward: Offer a team dinner or a similar group reward to the winning office. This prize should be something that promotes team bonding and celebration.
Benefit: This contest enhances team spirit and friendly rivalry. It encourages a competitive atmosphere that can lead to higher performance and fosters a sense of unity within each office.
Mentor-Mentee Contest
Pair experienced sales reps with newcomers in a mentor-mentee setup, fostering teamwork and knowledge transfer through competition.
Activity: Match seasoned sales professionals with new hires to create mentor-mentee pairs. These teams compete against each other based on their combined performance. Set specific targets for the pairs to achieve, such as reaching certain sales numbers, completing training modules, or closing deals.
Benefit: This contest facilitates knowledge transfer and teamwork. Experienced reps share their expertise and best practices with newcomers, helping them ramp up quickly. It also encourages collaboration and strengthens team bonds.
Learn & Earn
Learn & Earn focuses on continuous learning by rewarding sales reps for completing training courses.
Activity: Set goals for completing specific training modules or courses that are relevant to the sales process. Offer rewards such as certificates, bonuses, or additional vacation days for achieving these educational milestones.
Benefit: This contest encourages continuous learning and expertise development. It ensures that sales reps keep their skills and knowledge up-to-date, which can lead to better performance and higher sales. It also promotes a culture of ongoing education within the team.
Nimble: Your Best CRM for Tracking Results of Sales Competition
Using a CRM like Nimble can streamline your sales contests. Here’s how:
- Mass Email Marketing Module: Keep your team informed about new contests with ease.
- Calendar Feature: Plan events and schedule meetings for activity-based contests seamlessly.
- Nimble Prospector Tool: Rapidly expand your prospect database to book new leads effortlessly.
- Robust Reporting Module: Monitor team results and visualize progress with comprehensive daily graphs.
Nimble helps over 140,000 professionals achieve their goals, with over 1,800 positive reviews on Capterra. Try Nimble for free for two weeks and see how sales contests can be a win-win for your team, business owners, and clients!
