Get Reps to Hit the Ground Running

Be strategic about getting reps up to speed in their first month

By Ellen Neuborne

Troy Harrison has three clients for whom the clock is ticking. They are all sales managers working with new sales reps, and they are laboring under the old assumption that they have 90 days to decide whether the new hire is working out. But that time frame is outdated, says Harrison, founder of SalesForce Solutions, a sales consulting and training firm based in Mission, Kan.

The first month is the new first quarter. Competition and technology have created a shorter sales cycle in many industries, which means companies demand more from sales reps much earlier in the process. In the past, a new salesperson might have spent time shadowing a more experienced team member, but today a newbie is expected to begin producing right off the bat.

That short-term outlook is a two-way street. As much as managers are judging a new rep, that rep is also evaluating his new position. "What managers fail to realize is that the salesperson is also making a decision as to whether this is the right fit for him," says Harrison. "If you don't demonstrate that in the first thirty days, the salesperson is going to be back out on the market."

Reducing sales personnel turnover is a priority for many companies, but turnover is rarely the result of bad hires. "It's more often a case of failure to launch. I tell managers all the time: It's not bad hires, it's bad on-boarding," Harrison says.

How can managers avoid that scenario? For starters, create a process for integration and training rather than leaving it up to individual managers. Mark Landiak, president of Corporate Dynamics, a sales and customer service consulting firm based in Naperville, Ill., recommends making a detailed calendar of the rep's first weeks that outlines precise daily activities.

Managers should also combine inside and outside training. When a new rep schedules meetings with customers to make his first introduction, be sure that it is more than just a meet-and-greet. "Remember that every meeting has to have something in it for the customer," says Damon Jones, who leads international growth initiatives for sales performance firm Miller Heiman, based in Reno, Nev. "Don't let a new rep take up a customer's valuable time."

Finally, use tools to reduce the ramp-up process. For example, consider personality assessments that allow both reps and managers to get to know one another's communication preferences right from the start. This reduces the getting-to-know-you period and allows the team to work more effectively from day one.