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bution. Figure out what really drives your
Millennial salespeople so that you can moti-
vate them in the most effective ways possible.
2. Help them see the client’s perspec-
tive. Because Millennial salespeople are
often selling to older clients, it is critical that
they understand and connect with those in
older generations. Teach your Millennial sales
team that 55-year-old prospects will not have
the same outlooks or aspirations as 27-year-
old prospects. For example, a 55-year-old
Baby Boomer client might be highly motivat-
ed by financial security, while a 27-year-old
Millennial client is more likely to be driven
by convenience and flexibility. If Millennial
salespeople fail to understand the perspectives
of older generations, they will struggle to
maintain relationships with clients and close
sales with a large demographic of prospects.
3. Train, train, train—and then train
some more. Millennials are often over-edu-
cated for their entry-level jobs, but you should
still provide them with extensive work train-
ing for two key reasons. First, Baby Boomer
parents have imbued their Millennial kids
with an appreciation for continued education.
By offering comprehensive training to new
hires, top young talent will actually be attract-
ed to your organization. Second, Millennials
are typically enthusiastic learners who will
implement the strategies and techniques they
are taught. The more training you give them,
the more effective they will be at sales.
4. Focus on what they do—not when
they do it. The idea of a 9-to-5 work day is
not merely foreign to most Millennials, it’s
completely abhorrent. When left to their own
devices, these young salespeople might head
off to the gym at noon—but that doesn’t
mean they’re not hardworking. It just means
they’re likely to stay late at work to finish
what they have to do. Many organizations
struggle to manage their Millennial salespeo-
ple by requiring that they work certain hours.
Not only is this unnecessary, but it’s also
harmful to work productivity. Millennials are
known for demanding work-life balance. If
they sense that their employer lacks an appre-
ciation for work-life equilibrium, their morale
will plummet and they’ll consider other job
options. Instead of setting a rigid work sched-
ule, give your Millennial sales team members
specific daily or weekly sales activity goals. For
example, tell them to make a certain number
of calls, conduct a certain group of meetings
or attend a certain type of event. Then let
them work according to whatever schedule
will make them most productive.
5. Give them lots of feedback. There’s a
reason why Millennials are called Trophy Kids.
This generation wants recognition—and lots
of it. Remember that your Millennial salespeo-
ple grew up receiving awards and trophies for
nearly every endeavor, whether coming in last
place at a Little League tournament or taking
fifth place at the science fair. To be a successful
manager, you must capitalize upon this deep-
seated Millennial trait: Give your sales team
lots of feedback. Knowing that their manager
thinks they’re doing a great job is often more
motivation for Millennials than a monetary
bonus. And don’t shy away from giving your
Millennial salespeople constructive feedback,
either. Millennials aim high when it comes to
work achievement, and they are exceptionally
open to constructive criticism if it will trans-
late to more success, faster.
6. Set their expectations for success.
Instant gratification: Millennials grew up
with it, whether it was fast food, instant mes-
saging or the 24-hour news cycle. As a result,
this generation looks for fast results and is
likely to get bored quickly. In the workplace
this translates to what’s known as job-hop-
ping, where Millennials stay at each job for
only a few months to a year, leaving for
greener pastures if their expectations aren’t
met in a timely manner. Instead of viewing
this as a negative reality, consider that this
mindset can be an asset to your business.
Millennial salespeople start every new job
with enthusiasm and high hopes—if you can
help shape their expectations for the job, you
can more consistently retain Millennial tal-
ent. Set realistic expectations early on for
Millennial salespeople, and you will lessen the
likelihood that they’ll leave for greener pas-
tures in the near future.
7. Ask for their help. One of the best
qualities of the Millennial generation is that
they are collaborative, team-oriented work-
ers. This means they are likely to want to
help others in the workplace. Once your
Millennial salespeople have shown superior
skills in particular areas, invite them to train
others on the team. For example,
Millennials will likely be strong with tech-
nology such as your CRM system or social
media. Let them contribute to the team by
helping veteran salespeople master whatever
technologies they might struggle with.
Because Millennials are highly driven by
community contribution and social impact,
the opportunity to improve the sales team
with their knowledge and skill is very
rewarding for them.
68 • PPB • NOVEMBER 2015 THINK
Marc Wayshak is the bestselling author of two books on sales and leader-
ship, Game Plan Selling and Breaking All Barriers. As a sales strategist,
Wayshak created the Game Plan Selling System to revolutionize the way
salespeople, entrepreneurs and companies approach selling. His sales strat-
egy is based upon his experiences as an All-American athlete, Ivy League
graduate, startup entrepreneur and years of research, training and selling.
He holds an MBA from the University of Oxford and a BA from Harvard
University. Get his free eBook on 25 Tips to Crush Your Sales Goal at
. Contact him at 617-203-2171 or
or follow him on Twitter: @MarcWayshak
Remember that your Millennial salespeople grew up receiving awards and tro-
phies for nearly every endeavor, whether coming in last place at a Little
League tournament or taking fifth place at the science fair. “
”