Sales onboarding: succeed in integrating your new salespeople

The first impression is crucial to make salespeople want to stay in your company and give 1000%.

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Imagine for a moment: it’s your first day and you arrive brimming with enthusiasm for this new professional adventure.

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They have you fill out some administrative paperwork, hand you your prospect file and a 10‐page deliverable about the company. Then, at noon, you are told: “Get to work!”.

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It’s… unsettling.

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And that might not work in the company’s favor.

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The example is extreme, but according to a study conducted by LinkedIn, nearly 5% of salespeople decide on the first day not to stay in the company.

And that figure rises to 22% during the first 45 days.

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Onboarding represents much more than just the end of recruitment.

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💡 Sales onboarding is the process of integrating and training new salespeople into their team and the company. A sales onboarding plan can last 30, 60, 90 days or more.

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The main goal of properly welcoming your salespeople is to ensure they feel at home, remain motivated for the long term, and are eager to push themselves beyond their limits.

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Summary:

• Why implement effective onboarding for your salespeople?
• The 5 advantages of successful sales onboarding
• What are the steps of a good sales onboarding process?

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Why implement effective onboarding for your salespeople?

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It is undeniable that proper integration within the team and a company that fosters a welcoming environment conducive to personal growth makes you want to stay. Furthermore, being guided during your first days helps you save time in terms of autonomy, followed by productivity.

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Getting acquainted with the tools, adopting the sales techniques and processes, and understanding the products or services along with the company culture are the foundations of sales performance.

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Onboarding is the foundation that gives salespeople the momentum to hit the field, build their confidence, and develop their skills.

A strong onboarding truly makes a difference!

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And the added bonus of effective onboarding: team cohesion. What could be better than working in an environment where everyone gets along, communication flows smoothly, and everyone lifts each other up?

The 5 advantages of successful sales onboarding

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Effective onboarding of your sales team has a positive impact on various aspects of your business.

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Here are the 5 main advantages:

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Salespeople becoming productive sooner

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When your new hires have all the tools they need to feel confident in their roles, they are ready to hit the ground running and quickly reach their targets.

This is one of the metrics for effective onboarding: ramp‐up time, which is the period required for a salesperson to become fully productive.

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Better sales performance

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Part of the onboarding process is devoted to explaining the sales techniques specific to your company, as well as the company culture and operations. By incorporating training, you create the right conditions for your salespeople to feel motivated to grow, develop their skills, and challenge their performance… and, ultimately, boost revenue.

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The commitment of your sales team

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Onboarding is the chance to welcome an employee in accordance with their added value. Salespeople who are well integrated into the team are inclined to stay. Moreover, within a company that values them, they are motivated to go above and beyond.

The engagement of your sales team involves both their retention and involvement.

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Your customers' satisfaction

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Training allows salespeople to grasp the process of sales, support prospects, and offer a better experience to customers.

Moreover, since onboarding provides the space to assimilate the company’s culture and values, your salespeople will have all the information they need to speak on behalf of the company and forge trust-based relationships with their customers.

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The cohesion and motivation of your team

Sales onboarding is the time to meet the team, interact with your new colleagues, and introduce yourself to your superiors.

Successfully integrating a new salesperson strengthens team cohesion and fosters a supportive and stimulating work environment.

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What are the steps of a good sales onboarding process?

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Integrating a salesperson comprises three main phases: preparing for their arrival, the first day, and then their ongoing support.

But one hack optimizes sales onboarding: Sales Enablement, as we will discuss at the end.

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Preparing for the salesperson's arrival

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On the practical side, preparing the workspace with everything needed for effective work shows the new hire that they are expected. This includes equipment such as a computer, phone, company car… as well as the setup of the professional email address, CRM account, client database, internal software, and sales training.

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On the administrative side, trust is established when everything is already ready and up-to-date: the salesperson’s personal file, the employment declaration, and other important documents.

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Ideally, you should include a concise welcome booklet that outlines internal procedures as well as the roles and responsibilities of everyone in the company.

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Finally, on the human side, best practices involve organizing the first day. Inform accounting, human resources, and IT of the new employee's arrival.

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And organize a welcome reception or lunch with the team to make integration a moment of hospitality and interaction.

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Day One: Team Integration

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The first day is crucial for inspiring newcomers to commit and excel for the company. It is the time to spark enthusiasm and build connections with team members.

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Introductions to colleagues, superiors, as well as clients and suppliers, allow new hires to visualize themselves in the company from day one. Equally important is involving them early in meetings so that they become familiar with the company’s codes and its people.

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The first day is also an opportunity to introduce the company’s culture, values, and purpose.

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Skill Development

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Effective onboarding is a process that includes both training and ongoing support. The training plan may span 30, 60, or 90 days. This time is essential to:

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• master the software
• understand your company’s specific sales methods
• study the profiles of your ideal customers
• internalize the prospecting messages
• memorize the offered solutions

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The support provided to new salespeople accelerates their productivity and performance. For instance, assigning a mentor who has similar responsibilities and a few more years of experience is a time-saver when it comes to addressing questions and clarifications.

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Availability and accessibility are crucial components of a successful probation period, providing the new hire with the space to express their challenges and feedback.

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The onboarding hack: Sales Enablement

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An onboarding process taken care of from A to Z—with training, coaching, skills development tracking, and all on the same platform—is exactly what Sales Enablement software offers.

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All the resources and tools for improvement are provided, guiding salespeople towards quicker performance. Moreover, sales managers can visualize each salesperson’s growth with precise data to offer tailored support.

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For example, with the Cockpit solution, onboarding times are cut in half!

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Sales onboarding is made easier by gathering the best strategies and practices from your company. Engagement, motivation, and performance are boosted by tailored and gamified training sessions.

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This translates to over a 30% increase in conversion observed thanks to Cockpit training.

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