By Arnon Amir

Gone are the days when a company could present its new salespeople with just its product information, ask them to hit the ground running and expect them to grow their business. The demand for business growth today is too significant and the competition is too strong to allow this to happen. 

Therefore, a more thorough indoctrination into the company is needed to better position the new salesperson to succeed. So what is the blueprint to actually get this done the right way?

 

The best possible fit should be meaningful inside and outside the organization. Externally, years of experience and strong selling skills are always desirable, but they become even more valuable if they relate directly to the company’s industry, product or service, and especially to its customers. Internally, the new salesperson should fit easily and seamlessly into the culture and values the company has established. Accomplishing both goals will position all new salespeople in a positive light, both inside and outside the company.

 

Proper Planning and Preparation Prevent Poor Performance: This well-known business adage still rings true when considering how to give new salespeople the best chance to succeed. Establishing an effective New Hire Orientation Program for the company will help ensure that salespeople, as well as other employees, are well-positioned to perform at a high level. 

To ensure Proper Planning and Preparation, the program should always include:

• A written job offer to define the start date, salary and other terms of employment.

• A job description specifying all job functions, responsibilities and reporting lines. 

• Comprehensive training on company products and services, as well as any needed sales training.

• A statement of the marketing strategy and direction for

the company. 

• Sales tools to aid in promoting the company’s products and services.

• Specific business-related goals that are aggressive but attainable.

• An incentive compensation program that will motivate and empower salespeople to achieve their goals.

• An announcement from the company to its customers to introduce new salespeople.

 

Fully indoctrinating new salespeople into the employees and culture of the company will enable them to create strong relationships with key people and understand how they contribute to its business success. This also will demonstrate how well goals are aligned throughout the company and foster an environment in which every employee is pulling in the same business growth direction.