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Sales compensation is the combination of salary, bonuses, commissions, and other types of payments that drive salespeople to work to increase sales and achieve company goals by giving them an incentive for their performance. 

Sales compensation can be an important part of a company's strategy because it helps determine the effectiveness of salespeople in reaching their goals and increasing sales.

What is sales compensation?

Sales compensation is a type of financial reward a salesperson earns for their work. It can include base salary, commission, and other monetary incentives to motivate the sales representative to perform well. 

Sales compensation helps to guide sales representatives towards specific goals that will help increase the company's profits. In short, sales compensation is often a form of reward that encourages motivation and improves employee satisfaction.

What is a sales compensation plan?

A sales compensation plan is a sales strategy that earns a company more revenue from its customers. It includes detailed information about the salesperson’s pay structure, such as their base salary, commission, incentives, and benefits. 

The purpose of a sales compensation plan is to encourage specific sales rep behaviors and communicate expectations and criteria for the compensation of sales team members.

What are different types of sales compensations?

The most common types of sales compensation plans are:

  • Straight salary: Here, a sales rep's pay is predetermined. They earn the same amount no matter how well they do. They are used to protect an employer from fluctuations in business. 
  • Base salary + commission: This is a standard sales compensation plan in which a rep earns a base salary + commission based on the product volume. The higher the volume, the more they earn in commissions.
  • Commission only: A commission-only plan means that reps are compensated entirely with commissions based on their performance and don't receive any base salary. 
  • Highly variable pay: Highly variable pay plans give reps a fixed percentage of sales revenue generated by them or those in their team (or both). 
  • Flat commission plans: These plans offer a fixed percentage of the sale price to the sales rep for each item sold. This type of plan is most often used by retailers who sell one product line or service.
  • Percentage commission plans: With this type of plan, a percentage of each sale is paid out as a commission. The amount paid varies based on several factors, including volume, market conditions, and product/service category.

What is the sales compensation method?

The sales compensation method is a system used to determine and distribute earnings to sales personnel based on their performance and achievements. This method typically includes a mix of base salary, commissions, bonuses, and other incentives designed to motivate and reward employees for meeting or exceeding sales targets.

What are the best practices in sales compensation?

The sales compensation best practices include:

  • Alignment with business goals: Ensure the compensation plan supports the overall strategic objectives of the company.
  • Simplicity and transparency: Design a compensation plan that is easy to understand and transparent, so salespeople know exactly how their efforts translate into earnings.
  • Fairness and competitiveness: Ensure that the compensation offered is competitive within the industry and fair relative to the contributions of the sales team.
  • Regular reviews and adjustments: Continuously monitor the effectiveness of the compensation plan and adjust based on performance data and feedback from the sales team.
  • Motivation and incentives: Incorporate a mix of short-term and long-term incentives to keep the sales team motivated over different periods.
  • Legal compliance: Ensure that the compensation plan complies with all relevant labor laws and regulations.

Pro tip

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What is the difference between sales compensation and sales incentive?

Sales compensation is generally:  

  • Money paid to employees for performing their jobs.
  • A type of compensation based on a salesperson's performance. This can be in the form of commissions, bonuses, and payouts.
  • Based on a formula that considers a salesperson's annual salary and how many hours they work each week.

Sales incentive is generally:

  • A common form of sales compensation that involves paying salespeople based on how much they sell. 
  • A type of compensation that is given to motivate employees to work harder. 
  • Usually based on revenue or profit goals set by management. 

What is the formula for sales compensation?

The sales compensation formula depends on your plan and business goals, but it generally includes a mix of base pay and performance-based earnings:

Total Sales Compensation = Base Salary + Commissions + Bonuses + Incentives + Other Components

Here’s a simple breakdown:

  • Base salary: Fixed pay given on a regular schedule (monthly or bi-weekly).
  • Commissions: A percentage of sales made.
    Formula: Sales Revenue × Commission Rate
    Example: $50,000 in sales × 10% = $5,000 commission
  • Bonuses: Extra pay for hitting goals, closing big deals, or surpassing targets.
    Formula: Sum of predefined bonus amounts for each achievement.
  • Incentives: One-time rewards (like SPIFFs) for specific actions or milestones, often fixed amounts.
  • Other components: May include profit-sharing, stock options, or residual commissions, depending on your sales compensation plan and company policies.

This structure works well across industries, especially when designing SaaS sales compensation models where recurring revenue and long-term customer value are key.

بناءً على الإجابات، يمكن تصنيف الموظفين في ثلاث فئات مختلفة:

  • المروجون
    الموظفون الذين استجابوا بشكل إيجابي أو وافقوا.
  • المنتقدون
    الموظفون الذين كان رد فعلهم سلبياً أو غير موافق.
  • السلبيون
    الموظفون الذين التزموا الحياد في ردودهم.

Why is sales compensation important?

Sales compensation is an important part of sales management. When properly designed and executed, sales compensation plans give the sales team in your organization a clear vision of the goals you want your sales reps to achieve and rewards for achieving them. Compensation is not just about pay—it's about creating an effective program that motivates employees to perform well.

How to set up a sales compensation?

Setting up a sales compensation plan involves aligning your sales strategy with business goals. Key steps include:

  • Define sales objectives: Align compensation with revenue, growth, and retention goals.
  • Segment roles: Differentiate compensation based on sales roles (e.g., hunters vs. farmers).
  • Choose performance metrics: For SaaS sales compensation, focus on metrics like MRR, ARR, churn rate, and customer acquisition.
  • Benchmark pay: Use industry data to stay competitive and fair.
  • Ensure compliance: Align with legal standards and internal policies.

How to structure sales compensation?

Structuring sales compensation involves creating a pay mix that motivates performance while managing costs. Consider the following:

  • Base + variable: Use a split (e.g., 60/40 or 50/50) between fixed salary and performance-based pay.
  • Commission models: Apply flat-rate, tiered, or quota-based commissions.
  • Performance accelerators: Reward overachievement with higher commission rates.
  • Incentives and SPIFFs: Offer short-term bonuses to drive urgency.
  • Clarity and simplicity: Ensure reps understand how they’re paid to keep them engaged.

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