Question: What’s better than being a good salesperson?
Answer: Being a good salesperson and liking it.
The sales profession has one of the highest burnout rates of any industry in the nation. No matter who you are and what you sell, potential sales apathy can be a killer for your business. That’s one of the reasons why companies like Paypal and Black & Decker have invested in the trend of sales gamification. Basically, these and thousands of other companies have turned their sales process into what it truly is at its core – a game.
Does Gamification Work?
According to a research report by the Tas Group, most sales professionals are not motivated by financial gain alone. In fact, 40% state that their primary reason for being in sales is to “make progress or win.” Intrinsically, sales managers have known this for a long time, setting up sales contests and awards for those who can “win” the quarter or year of sales.
Yet, gamification is not just the next level of sales contest. It is a way for sales managers and CEOs to train their teams and “nudge” them to learn skills and exhibit behaviors that they may not currently have. In an article from Gartner researcher Brian Burke, he says:
“Gamification can be used to nudge salespeople to enter client information, assess the quality of sales leads, and follow-up after sales meetings. Following these steps leads to a more effective sales process, benefiting both the salesperson and the company.”
You don’t make your sales team more effective by just adding a virtual leaderboard or a few online award icons. True gamification works by setting up your team to become more involved in the sales process and to increase its collective skill through specially designed games. Then, you can use the data from those experiences to track how the new skills improve the team’s effectiveness. This makes your team feel good about its growth, and generally, you see better sales.
10 Great Apps to Gamify Your Sales Process
- Fantasy Sales Team –This app takes the idea of Fantasy Football and applies it to sales so that your team can be more motivated to take actions that will lead to sales success. It is an SaaS program, so it integrates with almost any CRM, including Prophet. One great feature is that you can create specific sales metrics, quotas, and prizes for each player on your team.
- GamEffective –This app was designed to improve your sales team’s behaviors when it comes to sales process, operations, and customer service. It is completely customizable, so it works just as well with small businesses as it does with large ones. You can also choose your own game theme, custom activities, and metrics.
- Badgeville –Badgeville is all about making your CRM more effective and minimizing the loss that comes with poor CRM adoption. Your sales team gets points for inputting customer information, following up with tasks, and other “missions” you designate. All games are in real-time, so rewards are instant. This is an Enterprise-level application.
- Q-Stream — Based on brain research, this application sends sets of questions to your team quizzing them about common customer concerns, product information, and other sales topics. You can use one of the hundreds of ready-made courses or create your own. It also offers “lightning rounds” for fast play, leaderboards, and individual and group reporting.
- MySalesGame –In the MySalesGame system, users learn the skills and perform activities that will lead to business success. Along the way, they complete missions and earn badges and points that can be redeemed for real-life prizes designated by management. This app also integrates the MySalesSherpa digital selling adviser to give reps tips on how to be more successful.
- PAKRA Simulation Games –These web-based games are designed to improve your sales teams’ customer service, problem-solving abilities, and selling skills. Choose from simulations that teach tech support, outgoing call etiquette, overcoming customer concerns, and much more. This is a widely used app and has past clients like NBC, JP Morgan Chase, and Pitney Bowes.
- Xactly Express — Players can earn badges and receive social notifications each time they accomplish one of the pre-set or individually-created goals on their list. This app also includes a commission spreadsheet so reps can instantly see their financial gains in relation to their sales activities. This product integrates with most CRM applications.
- Apparound CPQ –Connect your digital catalog, contract generation, and a guided selling solution with gamification and you get this handy little app. You can set up missions like Bundling, Survey Completion, or Upselling so that your reps can earn points and rewards. Reps can also “level up” after hitting enough smaller goals. Totally mobile and supported by all SaaS platforms.
- MindTickle –When it comes to gamifying sales force training, MindTickle is among the best at making the experience fun and seamless. You can use it for sales onboarding, assessing sales readiness, measuring activity, and pitch testing. And, since it’s mobile-integrated, you and your team get real-time success stories and insights.
- Monitae –If worldwide sales goals are on your docket, then Monitae’s sleek look and language enablement is the right choice. It is available in English, Portuguese, Spanish, German, and French. Its main goal is CRM adoption and best practices, and integrates with a variety of CRM and ERP platforms.
Get Your Game On
No one wants a burned out, ex-awesome sales pro. In order to keep your team happy and engaged, gamification is a great solution that leads to proven results. You’ll be shocked by just how much your sales can improve with a couple of digital badges and a fantasy leaderboard. And, your employees will be more motivated to achieve in the ultimate game of sales success.