54 and the tools they would have access to. Top sellers want to excel, so be sure they know you’ll be giving them everything they need to succeed. How Much Does Income Potential Actually Matter? In short, the answer is a lot. Nearly all re- spondents in our top performer panel gave answers using some variation of the words “very important,” yet the number of them that simply wanted higher pay for the sake of money were few. While many shared the importance of supporting themselves or their family, most placed their desire for increased earnings in the context of accom- plishing greater challenges. "....Very important as I did not want to be limited, as I was in my previous salaried position. This was riskier, but also up to me to be able to create a higher income based on my work." Their compensation often centered around building their reputation and book of busi- ness, but it also influenced how they per- ceived the company and their future place in it. The more money offered, the stronger the company appeared and the more im- portant they felt they were to the compa- ny. Furthermore, the income potential was often the deciding factor because it made the company they chose more competitive than their other offers. This can be espe- cially important when you are attempting to hire a star seller away from their cur- rent role if they weren’t already looking for a new position. Interesting to note, while most of our respondents pointed to the importance of income, many found it to be less important than other factors such as a strong company culture that they could feel excited about. "Very Important. I was just starting my family and needed to know that the harder I worked the more money I would make." Are You Paying Attention to Company Culture? Consider how many hours successful sales- people put into their job. Given that amount of time, it really isn’t surprising that top sell- ers want to spend their time in a place that’s supportive and friendly. A number of those we heard from even mentioned that the reason they took the job was actually the people they would be working with. Others noted that they needed to know they could trust their peers, and to connect with them in some way to be happy. It was important to have a positive environment where they feel they could grow their career. "It was imperative for me to be in an environment where the people embraced a “team” mentality while still allowed individuality for each person to spotlight his/her talents for the growth and success of the whole." Of course, there are other elements of com- pany culture that are just as important. A