Sales Onboarding Is Essential
You’ve been through a long, exhaustive process finding the right salesperson for your team. They’ve accepted your offer, and now it’s time to get your new salesperson on board and producing revenue for you and your organization.
Providing a smooth start is essential to new hires’ sales success – and yours. When it comes to sales on-boarding, the first thing you should realize is when a new salesperson starts with the organization, there’s going to be a ramp-up time. This is the time it will take for that new salesperson to start producing the revenue you so deeply desire. The goal of your sales onboarding program is to provide new salespeople with a smooth, informative integration into your organization in order to reduce ramp-up time and get them producing.
Sales onboarding isn’t a one-day program
When you talk about sales onboarding for new salespeople, some people think it’s about getting the correct paperwork filled out when new hires first come in the door. That’s part of it. Some people think a good sales onboarding process consists of uploading as much information as you can in a couple of days, and then throwing them in the field. While this seems ideal for managers, for new salespeople, trying to absorb too much information in a short period of time is like drinking from a fire hose. At the end of their first week, they’re overwhelmed, underprepared, and in no way ready to successfully represent your product or service.
A good sales onboarding process should be a development program that can last 30, 60, 90, or even 120 days. During that time, new hires will become fully integrated into your organization by absorbing information in digestible pieces, mastering the tools they will need to produce the revenue you’re expecting, and learning how to contribute as a valued member of the team. You want revenue quickly, but you also want sustainable, repeatable revenue. A good sales onboarding process gives you that.
What should you expect from a good sales onboarding program?
- Reduced ramp-up-time: By presenting quality information over a period of time pace, you’ll give new salespeople the tools they need to provide you with positive return on your investment.
- Reduced turnover in your sales department: Preparing your salespeople for success keeps them happy – which keeps them producing and, in turn, keeps you happy.
- Stronger sales results. What’s the best way to get million dollar producers? Build them. Natural sales talent can only go so far, but there’s no limit to what a good salesperson armed with the proper tools and a consistent territory can do.
- More engaged salespeople. When you invest your new hires’ training, they will learn to understand and appreciate your organization. When they’re proud of what they’re selling, they’re more likely to meet and exceed goals, as well as generate new approaches and ideas to help you grow your revenue.
- Ability to attract top salespeople. When they see the results your sales organization produces, they’ll want to be part of it.
You want them to be reassured that they’ve joined the right organization, that your company will provide them with the tools for success, and that your leadership will offer the support they need to produce exceptional results. Don’t be in a hurry to get them on the street; be in a hurry to get them productive.
What do they need to learn in the sales onboarding process to be successful?
Mostly, new hires are left to learn on their own by asking others and employing a process of trial and error. This leads to unsatisfactory sales results, low morale, and a high turnover rate.
So how do you make sure your new salespeople get what they need to be successful? Start by reviewing the job description you developed for the position. Based on the description, develop a list of objectives to meet, during the sales on boarding process, in five categories: administrative, company information, products and services knowledge, sales position training and support.
ADMINISTRATIVE
- Fill out new-hire paperwork
- Complete drug test, background check, driver’s license review
- Learn history, structure, values, and purpose
- Learn office basics like voicemail, email system and location of supplies and sales material
- Master tools like CRM system, reporting systems, standard contracts and established proposal-generating practices
- Review compensation program and individual quotas by month, quarter and year
- Meet all department heads in a formal setting to understand their roll and how they interact with sales
- Understand how to present pricing and cost-justification
- Learn the features and benefits of each product and service by application
- Explore advertising programs, promotions and company website
- Attend in-person and online product training
- Perform ride-alongs to learn product delivery or installation processes if applicable
- Master your company’s USP and sales processes
- Perform a product presentation in role play with you before heading into the field alone, as well as several times over the course of a set introductory period
- Review territories and customer bases
- Perform several ride-alongs to listen in on prospecting calls, client visits, and presentations
- Develop a territory planner
- Present the company in a five-minute role play
- Demonstrate the ability to effectively prospect in person, via telephone, and through email
- Develop a clear understanding of the buyer
- Understand who the customers are and why they buy
- Assign mentor for technical issues
- Assign mentor for sales development
- Assign mentor for administrative duties
Related podcast:
SMW 006 Hiring The Right Sales Person – Sales Onboarding
Related Articles:
Has Your Sales Planning Allowed You to Build Your Sales Team for Success?
Hiring Sales People? Know What You Are Looking For
Creating a Sales Job Description That Fits Your Needs
Hiring Salespeople as Employees or Independent Contractors
The Sales Interview – Telephone Screening
Conducting The Sales Interview, Are You Ready?
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