Sales Prospecting Perspectives

Motivating New Inside Sales Hires from the Get-go

  

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Sales Prospecting Perspectives is very pleased to bring you a post from Laney Pilpel, Manager, Client Operations.  Laney is an AG veteran, who recently returned to AG after a 10 month hiatus, we are extremely lucky to have her back, and we are happy to have the opportunity to share this entry from her with our readers.  Thanks Laney!

Two new additions to the AG teleprospecting team completed their first day of work recently.  Before leaving on their first day, me and two of my colleagues sat down with them to ask how their day went.  When asked "How do you feel about your first day here?" their enthusiastic expressions immediately told us how they were feeling. One of them exclaimed, "I feel really excited to be working here!" This recent hire was not sucking up to us, nor was she being sarcastic - she was being sincere. Everyone knows that cold calling is not always the most glamorous job, so what is it that we do that makes the business development representative role enticing right from the start?

There are many factors leading up to the happiness and success of our business development representatives from the get-go, and here are 5 reasons why this is the case:

1. We stay organized. It's important to present new hires with a schedule on their first day that will last throughout the entirety of their training so they know what to expect from you, and what will be expected of them. We like to include their schedule in a new hire binder which includes all training materials, along with local restaurant menus to make them feel welcome in the area and add a personal touch.
   
2. We keep it interesting. There is nothing worse than a drawn out training process that bores a new hire. Keep the training to one week if possible and within that week, develop a schedule that will make them excited to get to work everyday. Listening in on calls with fellow BDRs is a necessity during the training period, and it's a good idea to keep these sessions to one hour each. I have found that most new hires start to demonstrate with their body language that they are bored at this point, so send them on to be introduced to the next BDR and let them learn about someone else's style.
   
3. We communicate. Every company has processes that they have developed that makes their reps succeed. It is important to stick to these processes, but it crucial that new hires know they can feel comfortable sharing their thoughts and ideas. One of our new hires told me today that she was used to being scared of sharing ideas with her manager in a previous position, and that she did not feel that way here at all. I have felt that way in the past and it makes it difficult to enjoy your job everyday. New hires value communication-let them know the importance of their opinion from the start.
   
4. We introduce our technology. You spend thousands on CRM every year - make sure to allow for adequate time to train on how to use it correctly! Test your new hire's ability by having them drive your CRM system while your reps are making dials. Also introduce other technologies (like outside databases that you use to access contact information, lists,etc.) that you spend your sales and marketing dollars on, otherwise I can guarantee they won't utilize them. We like to spend an entire workshop on "Resourcefulness" to get new hires feeling comfortable with these tools.
   
5. We give homework! Remember in school when you hated studying for tests, but you knew you wouldn't learn the material any other way? That's exactly why we give homework. Everyday, you should make your new hire accountable for the information that they took in the day before. How do we make this enticing? We make it fun. If you spend hours teaching someone how to close for an appointment, have them call you the next morning on your direct line for a role play. It works!

Making a positive first impression on a new hire is crucial, otherwise they will quickly lose interest in the role and your company. How do you entice your new employees?