How to Onboard New Sales Reps Effectively for Faster Ramp
Design and execute a comprehensive onboarding program that accelerates new sales rep productivity and reduces time-to-quota.
When to Use This Guide
- ✓Hiring new sales representatives
- ✓Launching new sales teams
- ✓Improving sales rep retention
- ✓Reducing time-to-productivity
- • Sales playbook documentation
- • Product training materials
- • CRM access and training content
- • Assigned mentor or buddy
Pre-Onboarding Preparation (Week Before Start)
Set up systems, tools, and welcome materials before new rep's first day.
Configure CRM access, email accounts, phone system, prepare welcome packet, assign onboarding buddy.
Day -5: Create accounts. Day -3: Ship equipment. Day -1: Send welcome email with first-day schedule and parking info.
- • Test all system access before day one
- • Assign experienced rep as onboarding buddy
- • Prepare 90-day onboarding roadmap document
- • Rep shows up with no equipment or access
- • No structured plan for first week
- • Overwhelming with too much on day one
Week 1: Company and Product Immersion
Focus first week on company culture, product knowledge, and meeting the team.
Company overview, product deep-dives, meet cross-functional teams, shadow customer calls, learn sales process.
Mon: Company orientation. Tue-Wed: Product training. Thu: Shadow 4-5 customer calls. Fri: Meet marketing, support, product teams.
- • Mix classroom learning with shadowing
- • Include social elements (team lunch)
- • End week with quiz on product basics
- • Death by PowerPoint with no interaction
- • Not letting rep observe real customer interactions
- • No assessment of week 1 learning
Weeks 2-4: Skills Development and Practice
Build core selling skills through training, role-play, and supervised practice.
Sales methodology training, objection handling, demo practice, email and call scripts, CRM proficiency.
Week 2: Discovery skills training + role-play. Week 3: Demo certification. Week 4: Practice calls with mentor listening.
- • Use role-play extensively, not just lectures
- • Record practice sessions for review
- • Provide specific feedback daily
- • Theory without practice
- • No feedback on early performance
- • Throwing rep into real calls too early
Weeks 5-8: Supervised Selling
Begin taking ownership of deals with manager support and oversight.
Lead follow-up on inbound leads, conduct demos with oversight, advance deals in pipeline, participate in team meetings.
Week 5-6: Handle inbound leads only. Week 7-8: Add light prospecting (10 accounts), run demos solo, advance 5 opportunities.
- • Start with easier inbound opportunities
- • Manager shadows calls and provides feedback
- • Set modest activity targets (50% of full load)
- • No supervision during first deals
- • Full quota from day one
- • Not celebrating early wins
Weeks 9-12: Transition to Full Responsibility
Gradually increase quota and reduce supervision to full independence.
Ramp quota from 50% to 100%, own territory planning, reduce check-ins, certify on full sales process.
Week 9-10: 60% quota. Week 11-12: 80% quota. Month 4: 100% quota with continued mentorship available.
- • Use ramped quota schedule (not full quota day one)
- • Continue weekly 1-on-1s for coaching
- • Formal 90-day review with feedback
- • Abandoning rep after onboarding
- • Full quota with no ramp period
- • Not measuring onboarding success
Ongoing Development (Months 4-12)
Continue coaching and advanced skill development beyond initial onboarding.
Advanced training modules, specialized skill workshops, peer learning sessions, quarterly performance reviews.
Month 4-6: Advanced objection handling. Month 7-9: Strategic account planning. Month 10-12: Negotiation mastery.
- • Don't stop developing after 90 days
- • Provide advanced training as skills progress
- • Facilitate peer learning and mentorship
- • No training after initial onboarding
- • Not adapting to individual learning needs
- • Assuming reps are 'done' after 90 days
Formulas & Examples
quota Ramp Schedule
Month 1: 0%, Month 2: 25%, Month 3: 50%, Month 4: 75%, Month 5: 90%, Month 6+: 100%example90 Day Plan
{
"week1": "Company & Product (40 hours training)",
"weeks2-4": "Skills & Practice (60% training, 40% shadowing)",
"weeks5-8": "Supervised Selling (30% training, 70% selling with support)",
"weeks9-12": "Independent Selling (10% training, 90% independent work)",
"successMetrics": {
"productKnowledge": "Pass certification (>85%)",
"skillsAssessment": "Demo certified, objection handling proficiency",
"activityMetrics": "Meet ramped activity targets",
"pipelineBuilt": "$150K+ pipeline by day 90",
"firstDeal": "Close first deal by day 60-75"
}
}Recommended Tools
SalesPro Hub onboarding module
LMS (Lessonly, Thought Industries)
Video recording (Gong, Chorus)
Knowledge base (Guru, Notion)
Frequently Asked Questions
How long should sales onboarding take?
90 days for foundational onboarding, with 6-12 months total to full productivity. Complex enterprise sales may need longer initial onboarding.
Should new reps have quota during onboarding?
Yes, but ramped. Start at 0-25% in month 1-2, gradually increase to 100% by month 4-6. This reduces pressure while maintaining accountability.
What's the most important element of sales onboarding?
Supervised practice with feedback. Theory and shadowing matter, but reps learn best by doing with experienced coaching and feedback.
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