On-Target Earnings: A Complete Guide on OTE

by Hillel Zafir
  • 04
  • Jan, 24

On-Target Earnings (OTE) are crucial in incentivizing and rewarding performance within various industries.

From sales professionals to executives and HR managers, understanding OTE is essential for evaluating compensation packages, setting realistic targets, and motivating employees.

This guide explains OTE, helping salespeople understand their earnings and employers create competitive pay plans. It covers the importance of OTE, how to calculate it, and tips for confidently designing compensation plans.

What is OTE in Sales?

OTE is the total pay a salesperson can earn if they reach or surpass their sales goals. It is the sum of their base salary and variable components such as commissions, bonuses, or incentives.

base salary + calculating ote

How Do You Calculate OTE?

Add the base salary to the expected performance-based variable earnings to find the total salary.

If the base salary is $50,000 and the expected bonuses are $30,000, the total expected pay (OTE) would be $80,000.

on track earnings for sales manager

Benefits of OTE Jobs

OTE jobs can be beneficial to both the company and sales reps. These benefits include;

  • Competitive advantage: OTE positions often attract ambitious individuals who thrive in a results-driven environment. This fosters healthy competition and drives sales performance to higher levels.
  • Retention and loyalty: The potential for higher earnings and recognition in OTE jobs can enhance job satisfaction, promote loyalty, and increase the likelihood of sales professionals staying with the company for the long term.
  • Performance-based rewards: OTE jobs offer significant compensation, as variable earnings are directly tied to sales performance. This motivates sales professionals to achieve and exceed their targets.
  • Income potential: OTE jobs often have higher earning potential than fixed salary positions, as salespeople can earn additional income based on their sales performance.
  • Merit-based recognition: OTE salary recognizes and rewards individual achievements. Every sales representative can be acknowledged and financially rewarded for their exceptional sales results.
  • Alignment with company goals: On-target earnings align the interests of salespeople with the company's objectives, as their earnings are directly tied to the organization's sales targets and revenue growth.
sales process to calculate on track earnings

How to Determine OTE

Organizations must identify key factors, including base salary, commissions, and bonuses. This helps them determine which employees reach their target earnings.

Next, establish clear performance metrics and targets that align with your business objectives. These can be based on revenue, sales volume, customer acquisition, or other relevant metrics.

You can create commission rates that reward salespeople based on how well they meet their performance targets.

OTE is calculated by adding the employee's base salary to potential extra earnings from meeting or surpassing targets.

Are OTE Jobs Worth It?

OTE jobs may be valuable based on job offers, personal preferences, risk tolerance, and individual career goals.

These jobs can be very rewarding for people who excel in competitive settings and have the skills and drive to achieve goals. The potential for higher earnings, recognition, and professional development can make OTE jobs attractive.

base salary + pay mix

The Importance of OTE

Sales Performance Alignment

On-target earnings ensure that sales professionals' interests are aligned with the organization's sales objectives. It motivates them to work towards achieving sales goals, resulting in increased revenue and business growth.

Performance-Based Culture

OTE salary fosters a performance-driven culture within the organization. Sales professionals are incentivized to improve their skills and continually meet or exceed targets.

Attracting Best Talent

OTE works with lucrative earning potential and attracts ambitious individuals highly motivated by financial rewards. This helps companies attract and retain top sales talent, leading to a more skilled and competitive sales force.

Retention and job satisfaction

The potential for higher earnings and recognition in OTE roles enhances job satisfaction and increases employee loyalty. Salespeople who feel fairly rewarded are more likely to stay with the company. This helps reduce turnover. A stable sales team is beneficial for the company.

Revenue Growth

By linking compensation directly to sales performance, OTE drives salespeople to generate more revenue for the organization. The financial rewards of achieving targets incentivize sales professionals to maximize their efforts, increasing sales and profitability.

The Nature and Necessity of Uncapped Commission

An uncapped full commission rate means sales employees can earn unlimited commissions for their sales.

Unlike structures with predefined earning limits, uncapped commission allows salespeople to earn limitless income based solely on their performance.

It creates a competitive atmosphere, encouraging salespeople to exceed goals and boosting sales, revenue, and overall business growth. This compensation model attracts and retains top talent and aligns individual goals with organizational objectives.

employee engagement + sales leaders

What Does Base Salary Mean?

An employee's base salary is their regular pay for their work, not including extra or variable earnings.

It is typically paid in annual commission, regardless of individual or company performance. Sales representatives receive a stable income with the potential for growth through salary increases or promotions.

OTE is Not Guaranteed

OTE salary is not guaranteed; it shows how much a salesperson can earn if they reach the employer's goals. Actual earnings can vary based on individual performance, market conditions, and other factors.

Other OTE Terms To Know

Other related terms commonly used in the context of compensation and sales performance include;

  • Quota: A salesperson must achieve a specific target or goal within a defined period.
  • Commission: A form of variable compensation that salespeople earn based on their sales performance. It is typically calculated as a percentage of the sales value or revenue generated.
  • Bonus: An additional variable compensation awarded to salespeople for achieving specific objectives or exceptional performance. Bonuses can be based on individual, team, or company-wide performance targets.
  • Accelerators: Also known as accelerator rates or commission tiers, accelerator rates are higher commission rates applied to salespeople once they surpass a certain threshold or annual sales quota.
  • Clawbacks: The process of reclaiming or reducing previously paid commissions or bonuses due to returns, cancellations of sales, or discrepancies in reported sales.
  • Rebates: Incentives a manufacturer or supplier provides customers as a refund or discount.

What is the Average OTE for a Sales Rep Role?

Sales rep pay can differ greatly based on industry, company size, location, sales difficulty, and the specific job responsibilities.

On-target earnings can also vary based on the seniority and experience level of the sales representative.

Bravado reports that account executives earn different average salaries based on their roles. In small and medium businesses, they make about $117,900 a year. In mid-market roles, the average salary is $155,200. For enterprise positions, account executives earn around $212,000 annually.

Earnings can be higher in technology and pharmaceutical sales. This is often because these industries offer larger commissions and bonuses.

longer sales cycles vs higher pay mix

Create Compensation Plans With Confidence

Compensating your employees to hit their targets motivates them, but coming up with those compensation plans is daunting.

Commission plans can be complicated, especially in companies with different sales roles. Challenges include tracking performance, balancing motivation and costs, and handling incomplete data.

But you can eliminate all these complexities with incentX's sales commission software.

Say goodbye to miscalculations and overpayments and make decisions based on actionable data.

You can create and manage compensation plans easily. The interface is simple and has strong features. It can be tailored to fit your organization's needs. You can easily define and configure commission structures, set performance metrics, and calculate on-target earnings accurately.

The software's advanced capabilities allow for flexible commission structures, such as tiered rates or custom rules. This ensures alignment with business goals and incentivizes desired sales behaviors.

You can see sales and earnings in real-time, which helps you better track and analyze individual and team performance. Consequently, you can make data-driven decisions, optimize sales efforts, and enhance performance.

By automating commission calculations, tracking sales data, and generating accurate reports, incentX eliminates manual errors and saves valuable time. With incentX, businesses can confidently create compensation plans that reward performance and drive results.

Contact us today, and let us show you how you can confidently design and manage your commission plans.

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