Q1. The quarter where ambitions are high, pipelines are fresh, and motivation is… running low?
The first few months of the year can be brutal for sales teams—holiday fatigue, dark nights, long sales cycles, and that never-ending push to hit new targets. If your team’s energy is fading, it’s time to shake things up with fresh incentives that work.
Let’s get into it…
Cash isn’t king (well, not always) 👑
Yes, commission matters. But let’s be real—dangling bigger bonuses isn’t enough to keep your reps engaged all quarter long. Studies show that while money is a short-term motivator, recognition, autonomy, and purpose drive long-term performance.
So, what else can you do?
Creative incentives that keep sales energy high 🚀
🔹 The experience reward – A paid trip, concert tickets, or an adrenaline-filled day out (think race car driving or skydiving) to allow your team members to feel recognised for their hard work.
🔹 Surprise incentives – Announce unexpected "mini-competitions" to keep energy levels up—first deal of the week? Highest activity day? A prize for fastest follow-ups? Small wins add up.
🔹 Custom recognition – Not everyone is driven by the same rewards. Some want cash, some want time off, and some just want a killer LinkedIn shoutout from leadership. Find out what motivates each team member and tailor rewards to fit.
Motivation = momentum 🎢
Q1 is all about setting the tone for the year. The more engaged and motivated your team is now, the stronger your pipeline will be in Q2 and beyond.
Challenge for this week: Ask your team what would actually motivate them—then test a new incentive to see how it impacts energy levels.
Use the right tools
Motivation isn’t just about incentives—it’s also about removing friction from the sales process. Nothing kills a rep’s energy faster than chasing lost email attachments or wondering if a prospect even opened their deck.
PDFs and email attachments? Outdated.
The best sales teams use Digital Sales Rooms (DSRs) like trumpet to keep deals moving. With a single, trackable space to share content, collaborate with buyers, and get real-time engagement insights, your team can focus on selling smarter, not harder. Because nothing fuels motivation like seeing exactly when a prospect is engaged and ready to buy.
Until next time. đź‘ŠUntil next time.
... as per, if you want to talk about all things Digital Sales Rooms (you know you want to) book a quick call with our awesome Account Executives:
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