Making More Than The Boss: Sales Incentive Pay
How much cash should a top sales person potentially earn in a given year? More than her manager? More than the head of sales? More than the CEO? The answer to this question is indicative of an organization’s pay philosophy and its ability to attract and retain the best talent in the industry. We recently surveyed C-level executives in top companies around the country, and nearly all agreed that a top sales person could earn more cash in a year than the head of sales. While that high earning rep may be a different person each year, and that earnings level may not be attained every year, the event would not be unheard of in the organization. In fact, many C-level executives said that these events would be motivational to the organization.
As for earning more than the CEO, many C-level executives philosophically agreed that this wouldn’t be an issue given the right level of sales production, but it’s not usually realistic. Nevertheless, “sky’s the limit” potential is inspiring to reps who see no limits to their capabilities.
Organizations that know how to use the Reverse Robin Hood Principle typically set the pace with the leaders in their industries. One director of compensation told us, their top performer made $4.5 million in one year. “We had another person who made $2 million, another who made $2.5 million and then we had about 10 to 15 people that made over $1 million,” he said. “That’s probably eight to 10 times their target. So, there’s no question; we have a very aggressive comp plan that pays well. The incentive plan is a motivator. That’s the bottom line.”
How much can top performers earn at your company? More than the head of sales? More than the CEO?
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