Make sales on-boarding an ongoing process

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Author: Canidium PR

Most companies view sales on-boarding as an introductory procedure for their new employees. Recently hired agents participate in seminars and courses to learn how they should pitch goods or services to their potential clients and work within a corporate culture. Unfortunately, many professionals in the field of sales performance management (SPM) view on-boarding as a one-time procedure. 

Inc. Magazine recently reported on an industry survey that found that 33 percent of third-year salespeople only go through three to six days of training per year. Another poll shows that one out of every seven companies didn't put new hires through any form of on-boarding. 

Managers should constantly educate their employees to ensure that they are equipped to sell in the current market. Changes can come at any moment, and outdated training might not provide representatives with sufficient knowledge to adapt. 

To determine the optimal frequency of new training, SPM professionals should closely monitor returns and individual performance. When representatives aren't meeting expectations or have fallen off-pace from hitting their quotas, managers should schedule performance reviews to decide if additional training is necessary. The Street recommends holding regular meetings to ensure that agents are comfortable and are performing up to expectations. 

Focus on the fundamentals
Even veteran employees can benefit from a refresher course on sales fundamentals. The most basic skill that every representative needs is differentiating between strong and unlikely leads. 

"In 30 years of my research, the number one problem salespeople face is they chase poor prospects," Dan Seidman, a consultant, told Inc. Magazine. 

Agents should understand the qualities of a potential client. Top performers and managers can work together and create guidelines to help others separate the strong leads from the weak ones. Additionally, underachieving salespeople can benefit from joining a team with experienced associates, so they can see first-hand what qualities they should be looking for in a new customer. 

Inc. Magazine also writes that managers should ensure that their staff is motivated to participate in additional training. Supervisors can use rewards similar to their sales incentives to ensure that their entire team is willing to learn. 

Turning on-boarding into a game taps into the competitive nature of every salesperson and ensures that they're actively participating. Contests and quizzes create motivation by allowing representatives to climb to the top spot within their department. Employees will stay engaged in order to win the game and learn from their training along the way.