9 Steps to Effective Sales Onboarding Program
If your company is like the majority, your sales rep onboarding program is challenging in the first few days and weeks. However, businesses that handle rep onboarding in a more comprehensive, long-term manner will have the best opportunity to accelerate time to productivity and reduce turnover.
Using onboarding software for sales teams is rapidly becoming one of the hottest trends in sales workforce training.
To help you reach that goal, here are nine steps for sales onboarding program activities.
1. Create a Progressive, Targeted Program
What if the new employee loses enthusiasm? Creating a long-term plan in advance can help you onboard sales reps more quickly and develop strategies to keep them engaged and learning after their official launch date.
2. Determine the Training Period
Integrating onboarding training with the normal sales cycle helps recruits learn as they work and interact with clients. Every business is unique in terms of complexity, cycle time, and desired outcomes. So, customize the duration to match the goals you have for the onboarding process of your new hires.
3. List Actions For Each Result
Working with top sales performers and sales managers can help you discover and document these key actions. Experienced sales reps will appreciate the opportunity to participate in this process and can support the onboarding program after it’s over.
4. Learn The Skills to Perform Activities
Prior knowledge will be required for many tasks. Your prospect needs to know who to contact and what to consider if you want them to set up a meeting with your SDR or BDR.
In this situation, the SDR or BDR will need details about the clients who frequently use the product for their business.
5. Share Tribal Knowledge
Every sales company has tribal knowledge. Therefore, it’s essential to share your best practices and advice widely, with guided courses, videos, or other interactive activities to uncover buried concepts. Top achievers should be rewarded for their achievements and encouraged to participate.
6. Focus On Your Sales Expertise
According to research, sales reps spend 19 hours a year on product training but just 14 hours on sales training. As a result, they become experts in the product line but are not able to interact with customers. As soon as new salespeople are on board, make sure they are aware of the sales process and assist them in qualifying for opportunities.
7. Participate in Startup Communities
Reps typically start in groups of other reps, known as “start groups,” and these connections provide a solid support system for the duration of their employment with the organization. Support this by establishing regular, structured opportunities for peer-to-peer collaboration and small group communication.
8. Encourage Reps to Develop Their Sales Strategy
Sales goals can seem impossible at first, especially if a new salesperson is expected to achieve them. Encourage your sales reps to create their own “plan” using your major sales goals and strategies. If they make their way to it, they are much more likely to succeed.
9. Encourage New Learning on Each Step
Reps stay engaged when new learning is encouraging, inspiring, and provides a clear path to implementation. Repeat the basics and build on them over time. Your best reps eventually leave because boredom causes disengagement.
Conclusion
Sales onboarding is an important step in helping new sales reps settle into their position. Although it can be overwhelming to process all the information at once, doing so will help them succeed. These tips can help hiring managers make the process more manageable and guarantee that their new hires are ready to start.
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