Some old-school sales managers believe in a “sink or swim” approach to new sales team hires. Their idea is that great salespeople are born, not made, and either they’ll figure it out or they won’t.
This kind of approach doesn’t build a consistent and cohesive salesforce, not to mention what it does to employee turnover – and your company’s bottom line. The sink-or-swim approach is for ducks, not sales agents.
By helping your new sales team members understand the culture, processes, and expectations in which they are now immersed, you will see them striking out on their own with more confidence, and meeting with more success.
Countdown to Sales Agent Productivity
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Help them get oriented. New hires are often just as overwhelmed and intimidated by acclimating to the new workplace as they are by the work itself. Someone who is just starting out in sales may be starting from square one – they not only need to know where the restroom is and what time to break for lunch, but they may need to learn new terms like “opportunity” and “pipeline.” Even experienced sales agents will need to adjust to the company culture and a new management approach. Make sure all new reps are acquainted with the organization’s mission statement, and let them know who they can ask for help when they get stuck.
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Train them on what they’re selling. Get your new reps up to speed on the products and services they will be selling. Not only is this knowledge useful when they start interacting with customers, it’s ideal for building up their confidence. Product specifications and pricing are usually a fairly concrete realm with right-or-wrong answers – a patch of solid ground where new agents can plant their feet.
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Train them on who they’re selling it to. New agents need to have an understanding of your target market. Who do you sell to, and why do they buy? Train them about your market, your customer base, and your territories or segments. They should know who your most important customers are and where you are hoping to break new ground.
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Train them on how to sell it. Give them a process and help them to learn it. A solid, defined sales process is one of the most critical tools for any sales professional’s success. Being able to follow steps in a well-designed sales process will keep your new sales reps from drowning in uncertainty.
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Show them what the high performers do. Have your new agents ride along with or shadow your more experienced and successful salespeople while they work. This will allow them to start picking up best practices, and also reinforce their training on products and processes. They’re also likely to hear some success stories, and perhaps a cautionary tale or two.
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Set appropriate goals and expectations. Sales managers should meet with new agents and set reasonable, very clear expectations. Sales reps should know exactly what their roles and responsibilities are, who they report to, how their performance will be assessed, and what standards they will be held to. Setting specific goals for the coming months as they ramp up into their new position.
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Give them a mentor. Find someone on your sales team who gets along with and can act as a mentor for the new hire. This person can help them with day-to-day challenges, answer questions, pass on best practices, and help ensure that they are adhering to company processes while they are learning the ropes.
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Monitor their progress. Track their performance against your expectations. Check to make sure they are learning company processes and procedures, and meet with them frequently one-on-one to find out how they are adjusting to their new role.
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Provide coaching and feedback. Make sure to communicate with them about their performance and provide coaching in any areas where they need help. If they aren’t achieving the goals you set for their ramp-up period, make sure to investigate why, and provide training reinforcement as needed.
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Motivate them to succeed. Be a cheerleader! Always make sure to recognize sales agents’ victories and encourage them to keep making progress. Find out what your sales reps’ personal goals are, and start helping them work towards reaching those goals.
You can’t expect brand new sales reps to make quota immediately, but you can help them reach greater productivity faster by using a strategic onboarding process.
Bonus Tip: Depending on the speed of your usual sales cycle, the amount of time it may take for a new agent to start hitting quota varies. As a rule of thumb, expect it to take about six months before they will be performing at a similar level to the rest of the team; if your sales cycles are especially short or long, adjust expectations accordingly.
Baker Communications offers leading edge sales training solutions for sales makers and sales managers that will help you address the goals and achieve the outcomes addressed in this article. For more information about how your organization can achieve immediate and lasting behavior change that will uncover new opportunities, drive revenue, and boost your bottom line, click here.
