ITA Group, which focuses on incentive and loyalty solutions, published new research on the essential elements that help make sales incentive programs most effective.
The report – dubbed Effective incentive programs for sales reps – surveyed over 200 distributor and manufacturer sales reps, finding that 96 percent of sales reps encountered challenges with their sales incentive experience.
“ITA Group’s survey report gives manufacturers an insider view into what sales reps really want from sales incentive programs,” said Kristin Brandenburgh, ITA Group’s VP of channel partner solutions. “With data-driven insights into motivators, barriers and program best practices, manufacturers can design incentive programs that get real results.”
Among the key survey findings were:
- Over 60 percent of sales reps citing rewards and incentives as the strongest participation motivator for sales incentive programs.
- Experiential awards (e.g. travel and exclusive experiences), cash and personalized incentives ranked as top reward types.
- More than 90 percent of respondents are likely to engage in training, if incentivized.
- Nearly 40 percent of sales reps prefer weekly updates on program progress, promotions and new opportunities.
- Key barriers including difficult program navigation, lack of progress tracking and competing promotions.
At the same time, actionable manufacturer recommendations included:
- Offering personalized rewards tailored to reps’ preferences and performance.
- Providing regular, clear updates through mobile-friendly notifications and email communications.
- Making participation requirements clear to ensure reps can track progress.
- Offering rewards for completing training modules and certifications, thus encouraging skills development and deepened product knowledge.
- Incorporating peer and manager recognition.
“Sales reps want to feel seen, supported and rewarded in ways that matter most to them,” said Brandenburgh. “By aligning incentive programs with sales reps’ motivations and addressing key barriers, manufacturers can create a winning formula that drives engagement and increases sales.”