---
name: sales-rep-onboarding-program
description: Accelerate new sales rep productivity with structured onboarding program. Use when creating sales onboarding plans, designing training curricula, building ramp plans, tracking onboarding progress, or improving time-to-productivity for new hires. Triggers on phrases like "sales onboarding", "new rep onboarding", "ramp plan", "time to productivity", "sales training program", "new hire training", "sales curriculum".
---

# Sales Rep Onboarding Program

Accelerate new sales rep productivity through a structured 90-day onboarding program covering product knowledge, sales process, tools, and role-play practice.

## Workflow

1. Pre-board new hire: Send product materials, company overview, and pre-training assignments.
2. Execute structured onboarding: Week 1 (product), Week 2 (process), Week 3 (tools), Week 4 (practice).
3. Assign mentor/buddy for ongoing support and guidance.
4. Set weekly milestones and coaching checkpoints.
5. Track onboarding progress and adjust plan based on performance.
6. Transition from onboarding to active selling with graduated quota.
7. Measure time-to-productivity and refine onboarding program.

## Onboarding Curriculum

```
90-DAY SALES ONBOARDING CURRICULUM
══════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════

PRE-BOARDING (Day -7 to Day 0):
  → Send welcome package:
    Company overview and culture deck
    Product overview and demo video
    Sales process documentation
    CRM tool access setup
    Pre-training assignments (read product documentation, watch training videos)
  → Schedule Week 1 onboarding meetings
  → Assign mentor/buddy

WEEK 1 — Product and Company Knowledge:
  Day 1–2: Company and Product Deep-Dive
    → Company history, mission, values, culture (2 hours)
    → Product overview: features, benefits, use cases (4 hours)
    → Competitive landscape: top 3 competitors, battlecards (2 hours)
    → Customer segments: ICP, target markets, personas (2 hours)
    → Assignment: Complete product knowledge quiz (80% passing score)

  Day 3–4: Customer and Market Knowledge
    → Customer case studies: review 5–10 customer success stories (2 hours)
    → Customer interviews: shadow 2 customer calls with CSM (4 hours)
    → Market research: industry trends, buyer personas (2 hours)
    → Assignment: Create customer persona profile for target segment

  Day 5: Sales Process and Methodology
    → Sales process overview: lead to close (2 hours)
    → Sales methodology: MEDDIC, SPIN, Challenger (2 hours)
    → Discovery framework: question frameworks, pain point mapping (2 hours)
    → Assignment: Complete discovery question framework exercise

WEEK 2 — Sales Process and Tools:
  Day 1–2: CRM and Tool Training
    → CRM training: Salesforce/HubSpot navigation, data entry, pipeline management (4 hours)
    → Engagement tool: Outreach.io/SalesLoft sequence builder, call tracking (2 hours)
    → CPQ tool: quote generation, pricing rules, approval workflows (2 hours)
    → Assignment: Complete CRM certification quiz

  Day 3–4: Sales Process Practice
    → Lead qualification: BANT/MEDDIC qualification framework (2 hours)
    → Discovery calls: framework, question templates, role-play (4 hours)
    → Demo delivery: demo script, product walkthrough, role-play (4 hours)
    → Assignment: Complete 3 role-play discovery calls with mentor

  Day 5: Proposal and Negotiation
    → Proposal creation: template, pricing, value proposition (2 hours)
    → Negotiation framework: BATNA, anchoring, concessions (2 hours)
    → Contract and legal: standard terms, approval process (2 hours)
    → Assignment: Create practice proposal for sample deal

WEEK 3 — Active Selling Preparation:
  Day 1–2: Prospecting and Outreach
    → Prospecting strategy: ICP targeting, lead sourcing (2 hours)
    → Cold calling: opening scripts, objection handling, role-play (4 hours)
    → Cold emailing: templates, personalization, follow-up (2 hours)
    → Assignment: Make 20 practice cold calls with manager feedback

  Day 3–4: Multi-Channel Outreach
    → Social selling: LinkedIn outreach, content engagement (2 hours)
    → Multi-channel cadence: email + phone + social sequence (2 hours)
    → Follow-up strategy: persistence, timing, value-add (2 hours)
    → Assignment: Build personal outreach sequence in engagement tool

  Day 5: Pipeline Management
    → Pipeline management: stage progression, deal hygiene, forecasting (2 hours)
    → Pipeline review: manager review process, deal strategy (2 hours)
    → Forecasting: methodology, accuracy, reporting (2 hours)
    → Assignment: Manage practice pipeline with 10 sample deals

WEEK 4 — Ramp and Active Selling:
  Day 1–2: Shadowing and Co-Selling
    → Shadow top performer: observe 3 discovery calls (6 hours)
    → Shadow top performer: observe 2 demo calls (4 hours)
    → Debrief: discuss observations and key takeaways (2 hours)
    → Assignment: Document key learnings from shadowing

  Day 3–4: First Live Calls
    → First live discovery calls with manager on call (4 hours)
    → First live demo calls with manager on call (4 hours)
    → Post-call debrief and feedback (2 hours)
    → Assignment: Complete 5 live discovery calls with manager

  Day 5: Transition to Active Selling
    → Set 30-60-90 day goals and milestones
    → Assign initial territory and account list
    → Establish coaching cadence and check-in schedule
    → Set graduated quota (25% Month 1, 50% Month 2, 100% Month 3)
    → Assignment: Begin active selling with manager support

MONTHS 2–3 — Accelerated Ramp:
  → Weekly coaching: 60-minute 1:1 with manager
  → Deal review: Weekly pipeline review with manager
  → Skill development: Monthly skills workshop (objection handling, closing, etc.)
  → Quota progression: 50% Month 2, 75% Month 3, 100% Month 4
  → Milestone checkpoints:
    → Day 30: First deal closed (target)
    → Day 60: 50% quota attainment (target)
    → Day 90: 100% quota attainment (target)
```

## Onboarding Metrics

```
ONBOARDING SUCCESS METRICS
══════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════

Metric 1 — Time to First Deal:
  → Definition: Days from hire date to first deal closed
  → Target: < 60 days (world class), 60–90 days (strong), > 90 days (needs improvement)
  → Benchmark:
    → World Class: < 45 days
    → Strong: 45–60 days
    → Average: 60–90 days
    → Weak: > 90 days

Metric 2 — Time to 100% Quota:
  → Definition: Days from hire date to hitting 100% quota in a quarter
  → Target: < 6 months (world class), 6–9 months (strong), > 9 months (needs improvement)
  → Benchmark:
    → World Class: < 4 months
    → Strong: 4–6 months
    → Average: 6–9 months
    → Weak: > 9 months

Metric 3 — Onboarding Completion Rate:
  → Definition: % of onboarding milestones completed on time
  → Target: > 90% completion on time
  → Calculation: Milestones completed on time / Total milestones × 100%

Metric 4 — Training Assessment Scores:
  → Definition: Scores on product knowledge, process, and tool assessments
  → Target: > 80% passing score on all assessments
  → Benchmark:
    → Product knowledge: > 85%
    → Sales process: > 80%
    → Tool proficiency: > 90%

Metric 5 — Manager Satisfaction:
  → Definition: Manager rating of new rep readiness after onboarding
  → Target: > 4.0 / 5.0
  → Measurement: Manager survey at Day 30, 60, 90

Metric 6 — New Rep Retention:
  → Definition: % of new reps retained after first year
  → Target: > 80% retention
  → Benchmark:
    → World Class: > 90%
    → Strong: 80–90%
    → Average: 70–80%
    → Weak: < 70%
```

## Edge Cases

- **Remote onboarding**: Remote hires lack in-person shadowing and social integration
  - Resolution: Virtual shadowing via call recording tools; video-based training; virtual mentor program; regular video check-ins; virtual team building activities

- **Experienced hire onboarding**: Seasoned reps may resist basic training
  - Resolution: Accelerated onboarding track for experienced hires; focus on company-specific product and process; leverage experienced rep as peer mentor; self-paced training modules

- **High-volume hiring**: Onboarding many reps simultaneously strains manager and mentor capacity
  - Resolution: Cohort-based onboarding (group training); dedicated onboarding specialist; automated training modules; peer learning groups

- **Onboarding quality variation**: Different managers may deliver inconsistent onboarding
  - Resolution: Standardized onboarding curriculum; manager certification for onboarding; onboarding quality audits; shared onboarding resources and templates

## Integration Points

- **Salesforce CRM**: Onboarding tracking, milestone management; $25–$3,000/month per user
- **Lessonly (Docebo)**: Learning management system for onboarding content; $25–$100/month per user
- **Gong/Chorus**: Call recording for onboarding shadowing; $120–$240/month per user
- **Outreach.io/SalesLoft**: Outreach training and practice; $80–$200/month per user
- **Tableau/Looker**: Onboarding metrics dashboards; $70–$1,200/month per user
- **HubSpot Academy**: Product and process training; free–$45/month per user
- **Slack**: Onboarding communication and mentor support; custom channels
- **Zoom/Teams**: Virtual training and shadowing; $15–$20/month per user
- **Notion/Confluence**: Onboarding documentation and knowledge base; $8–$15/month per user
- **Power BI**: Microsoft onboarding dashboards; $10–$20/month per user