Making your living as an elite athlete may be rewarding, but even at the professional level, there are still prizes that seem out of reach even to the most accomplished players. Awards like the Stanley Cup, FIFA World Cup, and Commissioner's Trophy are some of the most coveted ones in professional athletics. What do these awards have in common, and what do their winners have in common? Here are some secrets to claiming even the toughest sports awards.

What are the toughest sports awards to win?

Most experts agree that the most difficult awards to win in professional sports are the following:

• Stanley Cup. The culmination of the eight-week hockey playoffs, this award goes to the first team that can boast sixteen wins.
• Vince Lombardi Trophy. The Super Bowl prize, this trophy goes to the American professional football team that can emerge undefeated from the NFL playoffs.
• FIFA World Cup Trophy. Every four years, 32 finalist teams out of a pool of more than 200 from around the world battle it out in “the other kind of football” for this trophy.
• Commissioner's Trophy. The baseball team that wins the grueling World's Series also takes home this trophy after defeating the other 29 teams.
• Larry O'Brien Championship Trophy. The winning team of the NBA finals receives this trophy after four punishing rounds: first round, semifinals, conference finals, and NBA finals.

How to claim the toughest sports awards in the world

Notice that all these awards are for team-based sports. So, what differentiates one top-notch professional sports team from another?

1.      Start with world-class talent

There's no getting around the fact that to win one of the toughest sports awards, your team must begin with world-class talent, and that's dependent on recruiting—the ability to draw talent through attractive compensation, good coaching, and a solid athletic program.

2.      Add elite-level coaching

To paraphrase an old saying, a team rises to the level of its talent, but falls to the level of its coaching. This means a team must invest in coaching with a ruthless emphasis on results, no matter the methods. And effective coaching techniques tend to change over time.

3.      Develop leadership that gets things done

A team needs leaders as well as coaches, and surprisingly, leadership is not always about being the best player on the field, court, pitch, or rink. Sure, being able to lead by example is crucial, but good leaders also must be able to bring the best out of their teammates, even if it means giving up the spotlight sometimes.

4.      Hang in there

Even if your team has all these elements, you cannot avoid the fact that you are competing with other teams that are literally the best in the world at what they do. So, the final thing your team needs in order to claim a top award is perseverance and tenacity. That means no matter how hard things get, you keep giving it everything you've got until the game, get that crystal trophies or when the match is over.

Companies must optimize their marketing operations in a competitive business to stay ahead of the curve. To achieve remarkable success and skyrocket sales, it's essential to employ strategies that go above and beyond the ordinary. In this comprehensive guide, we will unveil powerful and unique techniques that will supercharge your marketing operations, allowing you to achieve exponential growth in sales.

Unleashing the Potential of Data-Driven Insights

One of the most effective ways to gain a competitive edge is by harnessing the power of data-driven insights. You can make informed decisions and tailor your marketing efforts by analyzing customer behavior, market trends, and competitor strategies. Investing in robust analytics tools and employing skilled data analysts will provide invaluable insights to optimize your marketing campaigns.

Personalization: Going Beyond Traditional Marketing

In the age of hyper-personalization, generic marketing tactics are no longer enough. To stand out from the crowd and connect with your target audience on a deeper level, you must embrace personalized marketing strategies. Leverage customer data to deliver highly tailored and relevant content, offers, and recommendations. By making customers feel valued and understood, you can foster stronger relationships, enhance brand loyalty, and drive exceptional sales growth.

Ignite Customer Loyalty and Engagement

In pursuing customer loyalty and engagement, the presentation of crystal trophies can be a game-changer. Recognizing and rewarding top-performing employees, loyal customers, or brand advocates with these exquisite trophies demonstrate your appreciation and foster a deep emotional connection.

The Power of Influencer Marketing

Influencer marketing has emerged as a game-changing strategy to reach and engage consumers authentically. Level up your marketing game by teaming up with influential personalities who share your brand's values and boast a dedicated following. These influential individuals have built trust and credibility with their audience, and partnering with them can provide invaluable exposure, boost brand awareness, and generate substantial sales.

Harnessing the Potential of Voice Search

As voice assistants become increasingly prevalent, optimizing your marketing operations for voice search is no longer optional. Voice search technology, powered by artificial intelligence, transforms how users find information and make purchasing decisions. Optimize your website content for voice search to capitalize on this trend by incorporating long-tail keywords and conversational phrases. Doing so can position your brand as an authority in voice search results, driving organic traffic and increasing sales.

Leveraging Augmented Reality (AR) and Virtual Reality (VR)

Elevate your customers' experience to new heights by embracing the world of augmented reality (AR) and virtual reality (VR). By incorporating these cutting-edge technologies into your marketing operations, you can create immersive and unforgettable interactions. By offering a unique and captivating experience, you can differentiate your brand, boost engagement, and drive significant sales growth.

Empowering User-Generated Content (UGC)

User-generated content (UGC) has become a powerful tool for marketers looking to build trust, authenticity, and social proof. Encourage your customers to share their experiences, reviews, and testimonials across various platforms. By leveraging UGC, you can showcase real-life stories and create a sense of community around your brand. This fosters trust, influences purchasing decisions, and drives exponential sales growth.

Embracing Emerging Technologies

Staying at the forefront of technological advancements can give your marketing operations a competitive edge. Explore emerging technologies such as artificial intelligence, chatbots, blockchain, and machine learning. These cutting-edge tools can streamline processes, personalize customer experiences, and optimize marketing campaigns. By embracing innovative technologies, you position your brand as forward-thinking and attract tech-savvy consumers, propelling your sales to new heights.

Implementing these unique and powerful strategies can supercharge your marketing operations and achieve exponential sales growth. Embrace data-driven insights, personalize your marketing efforts, leverage influencer marketing, optimize for voice search, harness AR and VR technologies, empower user-generated content, and embrace emerging technologies.

Remember, success in the digital landscape requires continuous adaptation and innovation. Stay ahead of the competition by exploring new possibilities, experimenting with novel approaches, and analyzing the results. By thinking outside the box and implementing these proven strategies, you will outrank your competitors and achieve unparalleled success in your marketing endeavors.

Trade shows remain one of startups' best branding, selling, and marketing opportunities. How popular are they? Trade show statistics show that the average organization in the United States attends no fewer than eight regional showcases and five national ones. Yet it can be difficult for younger founders to figure out how to navigate the unique challenges they face. Stepping into the trade show world as a “newbie” can be intimidating and confusing.

Try the following tips if you’re getting ready for your first convention, conference, or similar multi-vendor event. They’ll help you overcome the biggest obstacles you will likely face as an emerging industry leader.

1. Spend wisely. 

Trade show budgets can get out of hand if you’re not careful. You need to spend your money judiciously and plan well. In general, you want to put the bulk of your funds into sales and name-recognition items such as customized trade show displays, sales takeaway items, and any digital marketing tools you’ll use with your trade show attendance. Try to minimize the money you put into travel, housing, and other necessities prospective clients, and investors won’t see.

2. Be brand-consistent. 

Before creating anything, you’ll showcase or give away at a trade show and identify your company’s brand. This includes everything from logos and color schemes to taglines and mottos. You won’t have instant brand recognition like other vendors and participants. Consequently, you need to make sure your branding is consistent. A good tip is to ensure all your employees — you included — wear branded t-shirts or other types of apparel. People will be more likely to start recognizing your business, which will help you get the word out about your startup.

3. Divide tasks.

Unless you’re the only one going to a trade show from your company, you should always divide the responsibilities between your team members. Brainstorm this well ahead of time and try to anticipate all the roles that will be necessary. The last thing you want is everyone doing the same thing and missing key duties. For example, you may name one person to drive traffic to your booth and another person to be at the booth to talk to people who visit. This way, you optimize your time instead of wasting it. 

4. Follow up. 

What you do after trade shows is even more important than when onsite. Ideally, you’ll have met people and gathered leads during the event. Immediately afterward, you should be ready to follow up appropriately. This could mean calling an investor to set up a Zoom meeting or sending emails or texts to attendees who showed an interest in your product or service. The sooner you start following up, the better. Some trade show exhibitors set up their after-trade show communications to begin while the trade show is still happening. In other words, building engagement and connections is never too early.

Going to your first trade show can be a huge step toward validating your company as a solid competitor in your marketplace. Just ensure you anticipate the challenges you’ll face as a first-time participant at your chosen event. You can overcome those challenges through a more thoughtful planning approach.

The safety of employees must always be a top priority. According to research by Occupational Health Science, workers are more productive in businesses focused on health and safety. The financial benefits of reducing downtime caused by illnesses or accidents are twofold: it minimizes disturbances and saves significant company expenses.

Workplace safety guidelines can teach employees (and employers) how to do their jobs safely. These protocols must cover workplace safety, operating equipment, and workplace precautions. However, developing safety protocols doesn't imply they are followed. Increasing adherence to safety protocols begins with identifying which best practices workers ignore the most frequently and why. 

Understanding the Importance of Workplace Hygiene Protocols

When safety takes precedence and there is a culture of well-being in the workplace, employees can focus on the quality of their job rather than the concern and stress that comes with potentially hazardous work situations. 

Poor safety management can jeopardize team members' well-being, operations, and productivity. Moreover, hefty fines can be imposed, which are likely to cripple an organization if not fully shut down. While organizational transformation requires time and patience, implementing a plan that supports and encourages workplace safety is the first step.

 4 Steps You Can Take to Improve Health and Safety Procedures in Your Organization

Organizations have learned many vital lessons, including how continuing, well-planned employee safety affects productivity and work quality. Every business is unique, but there are some common actions that any industry can take to benefit all employees. 

Promoting Personal Hygiene Along with Training Programs 

Every workplace has a hygiene standard that displays the organization's standards. You can create a documented hygiene policy informing them of expectations for a clean work environment. This communicates to employees that you, too, take workplace hygiene seriously. 

This hygiene policy might be promoted in the workplace through posters or reminders. Another way to do this is to provide comprehensive training on hygiene protocols and safety measures. 

If you want your program to flourish, you must actively encourage employee participation. Hold everyone accountable and ensure that everyone is doing their part. Those performing well can even be put up for an employee recognition award. Maintaining a Clean and Sanitized Work Environment

Employees must maintain hygiene, and their workplaces must also be clean and safe to allow them to operate safely. Future-proofing the cleaning of offices and work areas will help to avoid forced shutdowns in the case of any epidemic.

Working with the cleaners can significantly impact keeping desks tidy and floors clean. It's a good idea to ensure everyone knows the cleaning system or routine and get everyone on board. Employees must also remember to wipe up any spills and fully sanitize their desks if they share them with coworkers. 

Preventing the Spread of Communicable Diseases

With the COVID pandemic, more and more people have been educated on the dangers of contagious diseases. So, businesses should frequently focus on cleaning high-traffic spaces such as corridors, bathrooms, canteens, and common facilities. Those feeling unwell or poorly should either be on leave or wear masks to prevent spreading. Establish clear policies to outline appropriate actions for employees when they are unwell. 

Monitoring and Evaluating Hygiene Protocols for Continuous Improvement

It's important to have procedures for regularly monitoring, measuring, and protocols to see what works effectively and what could be improved. Employees often have a deeper understanding and insight about safety than their supervisors. So, employees must contribute to the program's review and improvement.

 If there is a change that requires the addition of a new safety protocol, make sure it's updated regularly. This means leaving no opportunity for accidents caused by a lack of knowledge or abilities. Safety regulations are in place for a purpose, so personnel must take them seriously. Remind employees to follow these guidelines so that everyone gets home safely at the end of the day.

Walls of fame aren’t just for athletic venues. They can play a vital role in creating your company's positive, energetic, and productive culture. And whether you’re a manager or not, you can try to get one started.

What does a corporate wall of fame look like? Though it can have any shape or form you like, it serves as a bulletin board to celebrate and honor employees who have gone above and beyond. For instance, many healthcare facilities use walls of fame to highlight nurses and doctors who have achieved professional milestones. Often, these types of walls of fame are in public spaces so patients, caregivers, and other providers can share in the celebration.

Whether or not a wall of fame is visible to all or only to internal stakeholders, it can still become a source of greater engagement. According to a recent Gallup study, worker engagement has dropped 32%. From a practical standpoint, that means about six or seven out of every 10 of your colleagues are disengaged. That’s not good for morale, performance, or loyalty. With a wall of fame, you can show how much you appreciate all the team members’ contributions to your organization.

This doesn’t mean a wall of fame will do all the heavy lifting to foster a stronger sense of community and collaboration within your workplace. A wall of fame must be part of a broader initiative to increase camaraderie, showering your employees with gratitude, and hopefully lowering attrition. That way, all your team recognition vehicles, including the support of a trophy company, can combine to motivate and uplift employees.

If you like the sound of a wall of fame, consider implementing the following strategies. Most don’t take much time to launch, although they should all be backed by you or your company’s leaders. Having an executive-level champion ensures that the wall of fame, with the help of a trusted trophy company, becomes a supported part of your culture rather than a one-and-done experience.

1. Explore different wall-of-fame ideas.

A wall of fame can be anything you want. Your goal should be to incorporate some creativity into the design of your wall of fame. Below are a few concepts to springboard your brainstorming:

• Update a whiteboard weekly with employees who achieve specific metrics (e.g., best customer satisfaction rating scores, the highest number of conversions, largest sales)
• Name an employee of the month and add the employee’s picture to a large bulletin board
• Display customer “thank you” notes that contain employee names on an accessible in-person or virtual board
• Put a wall of fame plaque featuring engraved names or placards that can be updated quarterly in your lobby or public space.

2. Create a video montage of employees.

It’s okay to get digital with your wall of fame. For instance, you may want to make a video shoutout to workers. Every video you make should be unique but doesn’t need to take up tons of time. Once developed, it can be shared online or promoted on any TV screen in your facility. Over time, all the videos can become a nice montage highlighting employees who have done great work.

3. Keep adding to your walls of fame.

You may discover that your initial wall of fame strikes a positive chord with your colleagues and, if you’re a supervisor, your direct reports. In that case, feel free to incorporate other walls of fame throughout your office space. Each wall of fame can be devoted to a specific honor or achievement, such as tenure. In time, your company’s walls of fame will become part of the fabric of your overall culture.

Your business couldn’t stay ahead of the competition without its team members. By setting up a wall of fame, you can show everyone their talents aren’t going unnoticed.

 

In today's highly competitive business environment, it's important for companies to continuously seek ways to streamline their supply chain to remain relevant and efficient. Supply chain optimization can reduce costs and improve customer satisfaction by ensuring products are delivered on time and in good condition. Explore some best practices for streamlining your supply chain to improve customer satisfaction.

1. Embrace Technology

The use of technology can greatly enhance the efficiency of your supply chain. Technology can help reduce errors and improve the speed of your supply chain operations from automated inventory management systems to transportation management software.

2. Optimize Your Inventory Management

Efficient inventory management is key to streamlining your supply chain. You can reduce excess inventory and avoid stockouts using tools such as demand forecasting and just-in-time inventory.

3. Partner with Reliable Suppliers

Your suppliers are a critical part of your supply chain. Choosing reliable and trustworthy suppliers can help reduce the risk of delays and product quality issues. It can also lead to cost savings in the long run. Suppliers consistently providing high-quality materials or products on time can reduce the need for expensive rush orders or rework.

4. Implement a Clear Communication Strategy

Clear communication is essential for a smooth supply chain. By establishing open lines of communication with your suppliers, customers, and logistics providers, you can quickly address any issues and keep everyone informed about the status of orders and deliveries.

5. Reduce Transportation Costs

Transportation costs can be a significant expense for companies. Optimizing your transportation routes and modes can reduce costs and improve delivery times. Moreover, it can help minimize your carbon footprint and create a more sustainable supply chain. By choosing more efficient modes of transportation and optimizing routes, you can reduce fuel consumption and greenhouse gas emissions.

6. Focus on Sustainability

Sustainability is becoming increasingly important for customers, and a sustainable supply chain can improve customer satisfaction. By implementing eco-friendly practices and reducing waste, you can show your customers you are committed to environmental responsibility.

7. Monitor Performance

To continuously improve your supply chain, you must regularly monitor performance metrics such as delivery times, order accuracy, and customer satisfaction. This data can help you identify areas for improvement and make adjustments as needed. It can also help you identify potential risks and proactively mitigate them. Regularly evaluating supplier performance can ensure they meet your expectations and maintain the high standards for a streamlined and efficient supply chain.

Streamlining your supply chain is an essential part of improving customer satisfaction. By embracing technology and monitoring performance, you can create a more efficient and effective supply chain that meets your customers' needs. Following these best practices, you can improve customer satisfaction, reduce costs, and improve your bottom line. That’s why supply chain optimization is important

Running a setup without good employees to help you stand up can be tricky. Studies show that acknowledging employees can lead to higher productivity and a 20% increase in business outcomes. Organizations with concrete steps to recognize team members enjoy the more robust engagement, increased employee morale, better customer service and even higher turnover.

Every setup has stand-out employees even though they don't recognize it. By taking note of the qualities that help your team stand out, you can identify and encourage them. The best employees might seem easy to spot, but traditional worker characteristics that companies have held dear only sometimes make for the best team long-term.

How do you reward an employee for a good job? However, you might think employees only want monetary rewards or promotions to celebrate success. Still, workers also appreciate public recognition for their wins, which can come as corporate awards. With this in mind, here are four ways to recognize stand-out employees in the workplace:

1. Consistent High Performance: Stand-out employees are consistently high performers who consistently exceed expectations in their work. They take ownership of their tasks and work towards achieving their goals with great attention to detail and a commitment to excellence. They consistently produce high-quality work that is error-free and completed promptly.

2. Positive Attitude: Stand-out employees have a positive attitude towards their work and colleagues. They exhibit a positive and enthusiastic demeanor towards their work and are always eager to assist others, even when not required. They are eager to learn new things, take on new challenges, and always look for ways to improve their skills.

3. Leadership: Stand-out employees demonstrate leadership qualities, even if not in a formal leadership role. They are proactive in identifying problems and taking steps to resolve them. They are also excellent communicators who clearly and effectively articulate their ideas to others. They motivate and inspire their colleagues to perform at their best and are respected and trusted by their peers.

4. Innovation and Creativity: Stand-out employees are innovative and creative thinkers, unafraid to try new things. They bring fresh ideas and are not afraid to take risks. They are curious and constantly seek new ways to improve processes and procedures. They are adaptable and can think independently, making them valuable assets to the organization. They are often recognized for their ability to develop innovative solutions that positively impact the organization.

Anyone can perform well only when they feel valued, respected and appreciated for their efforts.

As a manager or head of departments, ensure to always provide the best work culture for your employees and credit their work. Focus on effective employee engagement and retention techniques and engage them in fun activities that will break the monotony, infuse enthusiasm, and make them enjoy their work. It's the least you can do to let them know you care for them.

Leaders agree: creativity and innovation are critical to success. If your company isn't constantly brainstorming new ideas and ways of thinking, it will quickly crumble in a competitive marketplace. It's not surprising since rewarding innovation can also help to motivate and engage employees, encouraging them to work harder and perform better.

So, what can you do to nurture these critical skills? You can create an environment that engages employees and encourages and rewards unconventional thinking with the right strategies. Read on to learn more about how your workplace can continue to grow and thrive.

1. Recognize employees for a job well done.

Long term employee recognition awards provide powerful incentives for innovation: they reward creativity and hard work, remind employees that their efforts are valued, and help improve morale. Tailor these awards to that person's achievements and contributions. Focus on motivation rather than simply rewarding them for a long tenure or past accomplishments. Consider also recognizing a specific project or team effort that truly speaks to their unique skills, talents, and dedication.

In addition to providing recognition, these awards can also include a monetary or tangible reward. This could be anything from a bonus or gift cards to extra paid leave days for vacation or training courses — whatever works best for your organization. Make sure these rewards are more meaningful than just an additional paycheck; they're a way to recognize and honor employees who have contributed significantly to growing your organization.

Involve your colleagues in the decision-making process when considering any type of award; this will help ensure everyone feels involved in making positive changes and an environment where people feel empowered to think differently and develop creative solutions that benefit the entire team.

2. Offer promotions and opportunities to grow.

Give your employees a chance to advance and grow. Internal promotions reward employees for their hard work and achievements and can encourage innovation. For example, you can promote an employee to a new position or project that requires creative solutions or reward an employee who has come up with an innovative solution to a problem.

3. Encourage communication and openness.

Promote open and honest communication between employees and managers. Your employees need the freedom to explore new ideas, take risks, and make mistakes without fear of punishment or retribution. Strive to create an environment where they feel like you value their ideas and opinions. Create a space for employees to express their ideas without fearing judgment. Place suggestion boxes around the workplace, share forms that guarantee anonymity, and demonstrate that you take anonymous comments seriously.

When employees feel heard and see that their ideas lead to tangible changes, they are likelier to keep contributing. Consider Google's famous “20 percent time” policy, which encouraged employees to work on their ideas and created Gmail and Google Maps. However, if they feel that their suggestions are being ignored, they will stop offering them. Communicate when implementing an innovative idea, so they know you value their input.

4. Build a better office space.

When you create an office space that promotes creativity, you send your employees a clear message that their ideas and contributions matter. A creative workspace should be designed to facilitate collaboration and exploration. The physical environment should be comfortable and inspiring and equipped with the latest technology and tools. Consider distraction-eliminating acoustics, relaxing and/or energizing colors, comfortable temperatures, and a good natural and artificial light mix.

5. Strive for diversity and inclusion in hiring.

Drawing from different areas of expertise, educational backgrounds, and personal histories pays off. After all, having too many employees with similar knowledge can lead to ideas that quickly stagnate. To ensure you're actively increasing diversity in your office, consider résumés for what makes them unique instead of focusing on how they're similar to your existing staff.

6. Offer tools for collaboration.

Collaboration allows your employees to share ideas and learn from each other. For example, when employees can access a blank whiteboard and plenty of markers, you never know what innovative ideas may arise. An open canvas for brainstorming can lead to much-needed benefits for your business. Provide employees access to online collaboration tools, or host collaborative meetings or events. Give them the tools and resources they need to be successful, such as access to new technology and the latest training to keep their skills current.

Any successful business relies on innovation and creativity, starting with the workplace. Encouraging collaboration, communication, and flexibility and offering recognition and awards are ways to foster an environment that values ingenuity. With this mindset, your company will continue to thrive and grow well into the future.

As the busy travel season ages, travelers will search for the perfect place to book their next getaway. Grab the attention of future guests by promoting your property on social media. When you start to look at Instagram as the new Google, there are several opportunities for you to creatively use the platform as an outlet to promote your property and stay booked all year long.

Whether you run a five-star hotel or resort, you only need an Instagram account to start creating content. If you aren't already using this as a tool for promotion, the time is now. Today, you don't need much money to produce a commercial attracting guests to your property. Digital marketing is the best way to attract guests, create relationships with existing customers, and reach your target travel audience.

Here are five creative ways to use Instagram to promote a hotel or resort:

1.     Highlight a hotel or resort's unique features and offerings.

Start by creating a snapshot highlight of what the property offers to guests. Hospitality is all about making your guests feel welcome. What unique features do you offer guests when they stay with you? Whether it's special welcome services upon arrival, spa treatments, poolside views from the room, cabanas, or butler services to accommodate guests, these are the unique features to begin promoting on social media. Showcase the unique and welcoming experience they will have when booking their next vacation with you.

2.     High-quality visuals and videos to showcase the property.

It's not enough to just have videos and pictures for content. To help your business stand out, invest in professional photographers and videographers who can capture high-quality content for your account. Guests who see that you have high-quality visuals feel comfortable knowing their vacation will also be a high-quality experience. Your social media tells a story, tell one worth remembering with content that captures their attention.

When booking a vacation, guests want to be able to picture themselves using your accommodations. Think about how you can give them a creative view, such as capturing ideas from the rooms, drone footage of the entire property and video tours of amenities, including the gym, pool, spa, and areas to rest and relax.

3.     Incorporate user-generated content to increase engagement.

Sometimes, the most creative way to promote your account and reach an audience beyond your followers is to incorporate user-generated content (UGC) on your page. Simply, user-generated content is original, brand-specific content created by customers. Images, videos, reviews, and guest testimonials are all user-generated content.

Incorporating content that fits your brand and adding your tone and voice to the image via copywriting is a great way to increase engagement. In the hospitality industry, especially, reviews are everything. Creating a graphic using a Google or website review from a past guest about the hotel or resort is an easy and accessible way to promote the experience others will have when they vacation with you.

4.     Behind-the-scenes content.

This is a creative way to showcase the experience of your hotel or resort. Quotes, videos, or pictures from the hotel staff welcoming guests, showing off amenities, or preparing for a guest's arrival create a relationship between you and the person on your page planning a vacation. Behind-the-scenes content gives future guests a sense of pride in creating a relationship with your brand and inspiring knowledge so they know what to expect throughout their stay.

5.     Instagram influencers or partners to expand reach and credibility.

Lastly, take advantage of the influencer marketing boom. Hire an influencer with a large following to come to stay at your hotel or resort, give them a great experience and simply tell them to post about their entire stay and everything they do. Sharing their expertise through their point of view will help your brand build credibility and give you amazing content to share and expand your reach.

Instagram marketing is here to stay. Social media is meant to be social, so engage with your audience. Interact through comments, posts, and creating engaging content that feels genuine to your brand.

If you found this helpful and would like additional marketing tips to improve your brand's reach and find advanced SEO services, visit our website and learn more.

Motivation can sometimes feel a bit elusive, especially if you factor in recent Gallup findings: 70% of employees consider themselves disengaged. For those leading sales teams, this number can be extremely problematic. The work of salespeople not only impacts the bottom line but also plays a vital role in building customer relationships, strengthening brand reputation, and supporting the overall growth of your operations.

Needless to say, a lack of motivation within sales just won’t cut it these days — as if that ever was the case. Being that no two people will respond to the same motivation tactics in the same way, it’s important to cover your bases and incorporate a number of different initiatives to improve engagement and inspire your sales team to get the word out about what you’re offering. Here’s what we recommend trying:

1. Set stretch goals.

Setting goals for a sales team is a no-brainer. People need some form of framework that constitutes success, and goals offer sales reps something that’s achievable and attainable. However, stretch goals take this idea one step further, as it can push people to achieve even greater results and build enough momentum to support business growth. Consider setting stretch goals in addition to team members’ individual goals to encourage not just motivation but innovation and enthusiasm.

2. Promote healthy competition.

A little healthy competition can go a long way to motivate sales team, while still fostering a sense of camaraderie and teamwork. How you go about doing that will depend largely on your business and its culture — as well as the personalities that make up your team, as some individuals can get a bit cutthroat in their endeavors. A leaderboard can serve as a great motivator. The same can be said for cash prizes, gift cards, custom-shaped awards, trips, and so on.

3. Land on the right incentives.

When sales begin to lag, the time has likely come to reevaluate your incentives program. Whether a bonus, commission, or higher base pay, salespeople will respond to financial rewards — as long as those rewards correspond to their performance. Otherwise, it’s near impossible to motivate a sales team.

4. Acknowledge contributions.

Increasing sales motivation isn’t always reliant on bonuses, commissions, or pay. Many people simply want to feel as if they're a valued member of the team. Take a step back and consider what you’re currently doing to acknowledge your team members’ contributions. If it’s nothing more than signing their checks, your employees can get that elsewhere. Do more to celebrate their successes, and do it publicly.

5. Provide some autonomy.

An increasing number of people want autonomy in the workplace. One study found that 61% of employees would prefer to exercise a greater level of self-government with their jobs. Salespeople are no different. Once you provide your team with the necessary tools and training to do the job, let them run. More importantly, provide them enough room to take risks (within reason, of course) in driving sales.

6. Lean on purpose.

“Purpose” in the workplace has become a buzzword these days, but for good reason: a recent McKinsey study found that 70% workers said their purpose is defined by their daily responsibilities. Look for ways to tie the mission, values, or vision of the company to the work of your sales team. How does their work contribute to any one of these business aspects? Answer that question, and you will more likely inspire and motivate your salespeople to go the extra mile and reach their goals.

With any engagement initiative, creativity will almost always win out. Have some fun with your motivation efforts, explore a variety of options, and make sure you, as their leader, has some sort of presence on the sales floor. Better yet, seek input from team members to determine exactly what may further incentivize work. Shaving your head may not be out of the real of possibilities to motivate your sales team, so be careful what you wish for.