The article discusses the characteristics and factors affecting the motivation of trade personnel.

Key words: motivation of staff, satisfaction with work, motivational profile of the individual, content of work, hygiene factors, self-development, motivation for success and avoidance of failure, level of claim.

Professional motivation of staff is an important factor affecting company activities. Employees can contribute actively to the organization ' s effectiveness, and may be hindered by opposing innovations and practices. Only an interested person and a satisfied person can truly benefit the organization.

In this regard, a relevant evaluation of the professional staff motivation and analysis components. This article provides an account of the experiment carried out in the study of the motivation of commercial distributors.

The pilot was conducted in October-November 2013 and included psycho-diagnostic testing of company personnel (trade managers) in two cities, Ryazani and Tule. The experiment was attended by 42 persons aged 20 to 35, 15 men and 27 women. All testees have higher education.

The following methodologies were used to conduct the observed experiment: F. Herzberg ' s Dualty Profile [3]; the methodology for studying the personal motivation profile proposed by S. Richie and P. Martin [2]; a survey for the satisfaction of workers with their work; a survey of the motivation and fear of failure A. A. Reana [5]; the methodology for self-assessment of the claim level2