9 Good Things That’ll Come From a Well-crafted Sales Onboarding Program

Here are nine expected results from a well-crafted sales onboarding program.

Revenue investment protection. Onboarding not only protects the new-hire investment, but also helps to ensure a high rate of return on it.
Reduced ramp-up time for new salespeople. One of the biggest executive complaints about new salespeople is the amount of time it takes for them to produce meaningful revenue for the company. By having a structured onboarding experience, companies reduce new-hire ramp-up time. Plus, the dollars invested before receiving a return are also reduced.
Increased revenue performance. Executives also complain that their salespeople cannot sell the value of their products, or that they can’t sell the full solution the company brings to bear. Onboarding is the chance to teach salespeople how to sell effectively for the company.
Improved client experience. We’ve all been on the other side of the desk dealing with an inept salesperson. Because of our frustration, we were open to discussions with the competition. Onboarding ensures that salespeople are both equipped with the knowledge clients expect and are able to deliver a fantastic experience.
Brand protection. When salespeople cannot speak knowledgably about the products, the industry, etc., it creates a negative perception of the corporate brand. Onboarding protects the brand by teaching salespeople what the marketplace expects them to know.
Turnover reduction. In the first year of employment, the most common reason for turnover on a sales team is that expectations are not met. Either the salesperson is unhappy with his income or the company is displeased with performance — bottom line is that this revenue investment failed and it’s most certainly a financial loss for the company. Onboarding helps to minimize these instances impacting both the top and bottom lines of the company.
Increased candidate pool. How does onboarding increase the candidate pool? Many companies limit their hiring scope to just those salespeople with industry experience. The problem with this approach is that it further limits an already small pool of candidates. Onboarding empowers you to consider strong sellers from other industries as well.
Recruitment tool. There is often a concern of regarding how the candidate will get up to speed selling for the company. What is often not realized is that the candidate is wondering the same thing. Onboarding becomes a selling point that can help attract top talent. It demonstrates corporate commitment to the candidate’s success.
Mis-hires found. Salespeople know how to sell themselves during the interview process. Onboarding provides the opportunity to identify concerns early in their tenure with the company and take action. This is true investment protection.

Excerpted from Hire Right, Higher Profits: The Executive’s Guide to Building a World-Class Sales Force.