How Salespeople Should Ask For a Promotion

Asking for a promotion can be daunting. Any good salesperson knows that good salespeople are tough to come by, so if you’ve been smashing all kinds of records without fail every month, a promotion is probably inevitable. But what about if you’re doing very well, but maybe falling just a little short of target occasionally? What if you’re the best in the team and feel like you could get so much more from the guys if you were in the management seat? Let’s see how things should be done properly to make sure you land that important promotion.

Timing is Everything

Needless to say, if you’ve just had the worst month of your career, it’s probably not a great time to have a sit down with the boss and ask about a raise. Timing is everything when it comes to this request, and opportune moments for a salesperson include:
  • Recently winning an epic battle, maybe landing a massive new account
  • Exceeded target and beating a company record
  • Hitting your 7th or more consecutive monthly target in a row
In short, you need to have done something amazing to highlight how great a salesperson you really are. But there are other factors to consider. Any good sales manager will wonder if it was really you who did all the work, or if someone else has paved the way for an easy ride…

Get Credit Where Credit is Due

Good lead management software is more important than ever. This is especially true if you have a different person calling and warming up leads before they’re passed to the salespeople. If you know the new guy you’ve been teamed up with is calling leads and doing an incredible job getting them on-side and building rapport, you need to be sure you’re doing something exceptional at your end to contribute to these stellar sales figures.
This point really is for managers and salespeople alike. If you’re a manager, you should be tracking the first point of contact effectively to see if the apparent star salesperson is really just taking orders after the first person has done the real sales work.

If at First You Fail…

No matter how favorable the circumstances, your attempt may not be successful right away. Maybe the boss had a really bad day or maybe something unfortunate happened and you were just unlucky. If for any reason your request gets turned down, don’t let the opportunity slip through your fingers so easily. See if you can get a conditional raise.
If you’re in the office face-to-face with your boss making this request, you’re probably on a winning streak at work anyway. Make it count. Suggest that if you hit your target for the next two or more months running, or reach a certain amount of commission, you can get the pay raise on that condition. This gives you something to work towards and gets your boss excited about improving his or her numbers.

One Final Point

I recently stumbled across research that said just 31% of people negotiate their salary after a job offer is received. This seems to me like a huge missed opportunity. Maybe people are nervous asking for too much or maybe they’re worried about losing the chance they’ve been given. You’re a sales professional, and negotiation is what you do. Calculate favorable terms and get your negotiating up-front. Good luck. 
Timing is crucial when seeking a promotion. Choose moments of exceptional achievement, like winning major accounts or consistently surpassing targets. Ensure proper credit for your accomplishments, even if others contributed. If initially unsuccessful, consider a conditional raise tied to specific targets or commission goals. Embrace negotiation to secure favorable terms, as many miss this opportunity. Best of luck in your pursuit of a promotion!