Sales Compensation Strategy: Gross Margin Attainment for Profitable Quotas

Our first article discussed why compensating sales reps on Gross Margin (profit) is better than simple Revenue. This article tackles the next logical step: changing the target itself. Why should a salesperson's quota—their biggest goal—be measured by the Gross Margin dollars they bring in, instead of just the total Revenue?

The shift from Revenue Attainment to Gross Margin Attainment is the single most important change a company can make to drive strategic, sustainable, and truly profitable growth.

The Flaw in the Revenue Attainment System

Imagine your company has a goal: make $1 million in sales this quarter.

• The Rep's Goal: Hit $1 million in Revenue, no matter what it takes.
• The Result: A rep sells many low-margin products or gives huge discounts to hit the $1 million number quickly. They achieve 100% Revenue Attainment, earn their bonus, and everyone cheers.

But if half of that $1 million came from deals where the Gross Margin was nearly zero, the company might have only made $100,000 in actual profit (Gross Margin) after costs. The sales team hit their target, but the finance department missed its profit target—a massive disconnect.

Revenue Attainment rewards the closing of a sale; Gross Margin Attainment rewards true business value and profitability.

The Power of the Gross Margin Quota

Under a Gross Margin Quota system, the company sets the target based on the expected profit.

Example: A Tale of Two Reps

Scenario: The quarterly quota is set at $500,000 in Gross Margin.

1. Rep A (The Value Seller): Sells a mix of high-value products and services. They protect the price, negotiate effectively, and finish the quarter with $550,000 in Gross Margin.
   • Result: They achieved 110% Gross Margin Attainment, earned a massive accelerator bonus, and everyone in finance is thrilled.
2. Rep B (The Discount Driver): Sells large volume but gives deep, unnecessary discounts. They hit $2 million in Revenue, but because the prices were so low, they only generated $400,000 in Gross Margin.
   • Result: They only achieved 80% Gross Margin Attainment and likely missed their bonus tier, despite having four times the Revenue of Rep A.

This system guarantees that every dollar brought in is a high-quality, profitable dollar.

Three Strategic Benefits of Gross Margin Quotas

Moving the target from Revenue to Gross Margin has far-reaching effects on the sales process and the health of the business:

1. Prioritizing the Product Portfolio (Selling Smart)

• The Change: Sales reps stop pushing the easy-to-sell, low-margin "commodity" product and focus their energy on the high-margin strategic offerings (like services, premium packages, or custom solutions).
• The Logic: If Product A has a 20% margin and Product B has a 60% margin, selling Product B gets them to their Gross Margin Quota three times faster. The plan incentivizes them to sell the most profitable mix for the company.

2. Controlling the Discount Authority (Protecting Profit)

• The Change: When a rep has a quota tied to Gross Margin, they understand that every discount granted directly reduces their path to quota attainment. They will become fierce negotiators who fight to maintain price integrity.
• The Logic: The sales leader can trust the rep with discount authority because the compensation plan itself acts as the best defense against margin erosion. No more discounts "just to hit the number."

3. Simplification for Finance and Sales (Clear Alignment)

• The Change: The sales department's goal (Gross Margin Attainment) and the finance department's goal (Company Profitability) become perfectly synchronized.
• The Logic: This eliminates arguments over "bad revenue" or "unprofitable deals." Everyone is now on the same team, working toward the same metric of value. The quota reports instantly show the company how much usable profit was generated, not just how much volume was moved.

Key Implementation Steps for the Shift

Making the switch requires planning and transparency:

• Ensure COGS Clarity: As discussed in Article 1, every rep must have accurate and clear visibility into the Cost of Goods Sold (COGS) for every product they sell. If they can't calculate the margin, they can't hit the margin quota.
• Set Fair, Realistic Quotas: Margin quotas must be set based on achievable profit levels in the market, not just historical Revenue numbers. They must be challenging but fair, reflecting the effort required to secure profitable deals.
• Provide Training on Value-Selling: Reps need to be trained not on how to sell more, but on how to sell smarter. This means training them on product value, handling price objections, and justifying premium costs—skills that maximize Gross Margin.

By tying both compensation and quota attainment to Gross Margin, a business signals that it values quality over quantity, turning every salesperson into a strategic, profit-focused partner.