What makes a good sales compensation plan?
Christopher Ramos
Updated on April 06, 2026
A strong sales compensation model should be aligned with company goals, simple to understand and communicate, and give sales reps and managers target objectives to work toward. Ultimately, this will help your plan incentives drive your desired sales behaviors.
How do you structure a sales compensation plan?
How to Create a Sales Compensation Plan For New Reps
- Understand the Basic Requirements of a Good Sales Comp Plan.
- Establish Role Levels.
- Determine Total On-Target Earnings (OTE)
- Decide Base Pay and Sales Commission Structure.
- Set Targets.
- Plan Compensation for Onboarding and Training.
What are the four sales compensation elements?
Here are the four essential components to consider when designing your plan.
- 1) Salary.
- 2) Commission.
- 3) Bonuses.
- 4) Other Incentives.
What are the main components of sales incentive compensation plans?
The Six Components Of Effective Sales Compensation Plans
- Compensation charter. This component connects overall business objectives to sales compensation to ensure alignment.
- Plan design.
- Target setting.
- Deployment.
- Management.
- Governance.
What is a sales compensation plan?
A sales compensation plan outlines your employees’ base salary as well as the company’s commission and incentive program. The commission structure should incentivize employees to reach their objectives in order to earn a deserved reward.
How do you create a compensation plan?
How to develop and implement a compensation plan
- Create an outline.
- Appoint a compensation manager.
- Create a compensation philosophy.
- Rank jobs and place them within a matrix.
- Develop grades for seniority within each job classification.
- Settle on salaries and hourly rates of pay.
- Complete necessary policies.
What should be included in a sales compensation plan?
A sales compensation plan outlines your employees’ base salary as well as the company’s commission and incentive program. The commission structure should incentivize employees to reach their objectives in order to earn a deserved reward.
When do sales reps get their bonus back?
Some compensation plans require that a new customer stays with your company for a period of time before a rep is entitled to their bonus. If a customer churns before the period is up, you can include a clawback. When this happens, the sales rep will have to return the commission they earned on the sale.
Why do you need a competitive compensation plan?
Competitive compensation plans for salespeople are a great way to show appreciation, and happy employees often feel motivated to go the extra mile for your company. Creating a compensation plan that rewards hard work, account growth and a job well done should be at the top of your priority list as a sales business owner.
Which is the best compensation structure for a sales leader?
The commission structure should incentivize employees to reach their objectives in order to earn a deserved reward. There are many types of compensation structures to choose from, and sales leaders should implement a plan that aligns best with their team’s specific needs.