3 sales KPIs to animate with a gamification tool
Challenges are often the first method that comes to mind when deciding how to animate sales KPIs. But gamification offers much more than just this mechanic! Points, objectives, notifications or badges can all be used to maximize performance.
To achieve this, three main categories of KPIs must be managed:
- Strategic KPIs (annual objectives).
- Commercial intensity (day-to-day efforts and actions).
- Seasonal KPIs (short-term performance).
The aim of this article is to analyze how to harness the right gamification tools to animate each of these categories.
1. Boost strategic KPIs with gamification
Strategic KPIs correspond to key objectives for the year. Here are a few techniques for animating them effectively:
Red thread challenge
These are annual challenges, often competitive and offering valuable rewards. Each participant (individual or team) earns points according to the level of performance achieved. The gamification platform has the advantage of displaying results in real time and sending out regular notifications, for example when the salesperson gains places in the ranking.
👉 Gamification's advantage: visibility and real-time feedback.
Gamified objectives
Using gamification means going further than simply tracking objectives in Excel. On the one hand, the gamification tool enables a more "user-friendly" and entertaining display. On the other hand, other functionalities enrich the experience of progressing towards objectives: points associated with completion, notifications, comparison with colleagues.
👉 Gamification's strength: offering more than just objective tracking.
Coaching notifications
Like consumer applications, sending timely notifications encourages sales reps to persevere. They are personalized and based on the performance data collected. These include weekly summary emails and, of course, push notifications. For example: "2 more sales to reach your target!".
👉 Gamification's advantage: continuous support, like a real coach.
2. Improve sales intensity KPIs with badges and challenges
Perseverance also involves a sense of success: if I'm successful, I'll continue my efforts. Sales-intensity KPIs, such as the number of contacts created or appointments booked, are often the key to success. In fact, they depend above all on the efforts made, and as such are under the control of sales people.
To reward these efforts, we prefer symbolic rewards; we keep reward budgets for results-based KPIs. Here are three approaches to try out:
Badges: virtual recognition
Badges symbolize efforts made and goals achieved; they're a kind of virtual medal or trophy. Their value is both personal (sense of achievement) and social (recognition by colleagues).
Examples:
- Networker" badge: awarded for 20 new lead appointments in a month.
- Hunter" badge: awarded after 50 cold calls.
Goodies: personalized symbolic rewards
To reinforce the symbolic impact of badges, they can be combined with goodies: caps, mugs or other goodies sent automatically to the winners. A gamification platform facilitates automation, adding surprise and immediacy.
Flash challenges: driving sales intensity
The aim here is to organize short mini-challenges (1 to 2 days) to boost a specific sales intensity KPI, such as calls, appointments made or contacts created. These challenges offer symbolic rewards: badges, boxes of chocolates, etc.
👉 Benefit of gamification: boost motivation linked to sales-intensive activities.
3. Boost seasonal KPIs with flexible sales promotion
Gamification enables agile management of incentives throughout the year, ideal for steering seasonal KPIs and seizing performance opportunities.
Examples of seasonal KPIs to animate:
- Sales during product innovation launches; for example, in the FMCG (fast-moving consumer goods) sector.
- Sales during promotional campaigns in sectors such as insurance or automobiles over a given period.
These challenges lend themselves particularly well to the organization of one-off challenges with appropriate rewards. Depending on the context, one motivational lever or another is favored.
👉 Gamification's advantage: flexibility and responsiveness to adapt to business priorities in real time.
Conclusion on the key role of managers
Whatever the type of KPI to be managed (strategic, sales intensity, seasonal), managers have an important role to play. Indeed, they are close to the ground and know their teams and the motivational levers to which each employee is sensitive. Gamification is therefore a relevant tool to put in the hands of managers. The aim is to give them the autonomy to organize their own activities, notably through challenges.
To continue exploring the topic of animating sales KPIs with gamification, feel free to watch the replay of our webinar with our customer MGEN by clicking below 👇
