Making your numbers . . . better

Thresholds

How do we keep high earners motivated when their goals keep going up each quarter/year?

The problem occurs when stellar performance this year results in a very high quota next year (calculated as a percent increase over this year’s results), and so a significant risk that the new higher quota will not be attained next year.

What is the ideal quota attainment distribution?

This is a topic on which sales leaders and finance people have strong opinions. While I’ll discuss some of the nuances around the topic below, my bottom line is that most people should achieve or exceed quota.

Are sales organizations utilizing more attainment thresholds in their sales compensation plan designs as the result of the current recession?

The logic for raising thresholds in this economy would be to protect profit. The logic for lowering them is that we are not nearly as confident in our quota setting accuracy in this economy…