Create A Sales Onboarding Training Plan Centered On Goal Setting
Having clear-set goals helps everyone keep track of their progress and make way for self-betterment. Defining and setting clear goals in an industry as target-focused as sales can improve overall performance, strategy, and customer experience (CX). Starting from early on, you can teach your new team members how to set and reach their own targets by incorporating sales goal setting into their personalized training program.
6 Ways To Use Goal Setting In Your New Sales Training
Setting the wrong goals or having unrealistic expectations of your new sales staff can set them up for failure. If done correctly, goal setting teaches your employees how to define success and how to break a milestone into smaller, more manageable increments so that they climb every step of the ladder. So, how can you include goal setting in your sales training program?
1. Provide A Guide
Having a clear, fixed point of reference when setting goals on their own can tremendously help a new sales hire. What constitutes a goal? Be transparent with your expectations and the objectives of your company. Create a checklist that outlines what your organization aims to achieve this year and what your targets are for the years to come. Allow your sales trainees to build on the foundations in a way that will best serve your company. After that, they can define how to incorporate themselves in your resolutions based on their experience, expertise, and skillset. In addition, take into account the nature of your training curriculum; is it on-site, online, or blended? A hands-on, in-person demonstration on how to define your sales goals differs from an online training course that presents the most efficient ways to set achievable targets. Lastly, make sure that the baseline that you offer is realistic and easily accessible anytime, anywhere.
2. Create A Training Goal Sheet
The onboarding process can be tedious because it includes enormous amounts of information that need to be retained, and sometimes that seems like a mountain to climb. To avoid overwhelming your new hires, break down your training into small goals to be checked off. Define what your company expects them to achieve over the next few months. Even the most inconspicuous, mundane task—like keeping your workspace organized—deserves to be crossed off the list as a goal successfully met. It can be a great direction for new hires to follow when it comes to sales goal setting or celebrating small successes. This line of action can be utilized throughout their tenure to optimize the process of defining their own goals while having a clear idea of their company’s method of goal setting. In addition, being aware of what their next months will look like can alleviate the stress.
3. Give Your Trainees A Turn
The best way to incorporate goal setting in your training plan is to teach your new members how to do it themselves from day one. This is also a great way to document progress. Ask your new salespeople to set some goals for their first day. The early beginning of a job often brings up a lot of questions about the company itself, its processes, and its culture; your trainees can use those questions to define their first-day goals. As they move forward with their training, they’re able to create new lists, either on a daily or a weekly basis. After a few months pass, they’ll revisit every goal they met and everything they’ve learned, which is a great incentive to get refreshers on things they found challenging. At the end of their first year, your hires will have a list of achievements that marks their progress from the very first day. Not to mention, instilling the habit of sales goal setting from early on will be helpful when the onboarding phase is finished.
4. Offer Rewards
Even if they have just started training, having a reward system in place can help new salespeople realize the value of reaching the goals they’ve set for themselves. Meeting targets should be a positive experience that acts as a motivator when things become a bit stagnant or when they need a confidence boost. It is also something worthy of recognition. Find out how each person prefers to be rewarded and put it into action when they meet a goal they’ve set. For example, competitive sellers might want their achievements displayed on a leaderboard in the middle of the office. Others may appreciate a company-wide email celebrating their latest sale. Connect with your team to find out how they respond to your reward system and show your appreciation in a way that respects their primary drives.
5. Implement Goal Setting In L&D Courses
There are several creative ways to implement short-term and long-term sales goal setting in your training courses, like gamification, certifications, or progress bars. Aside from the in-course goals that you’ve set for your newest team members, encourage them to create milestones on their own based on gaps and job roles. For example, should they allocate more time to building interpersonal or adjacent skills to hit their monthly targets and improve customer satisfaction scores?
6. Check In Regularly
Every well-structured sales training program should include regular one-on-one time with your new staffers to discuss the process and their progress. Are they satisfied with the goals they’ve met so far? How do they evaluate their performance? If your employees are unsatisfied with their progress track, this is a telltale sign that their goals don’t align with their areas for improvement or job responsibilities. Discuss their objectives and provide feedback to clarify their aims.
Conclusion
Training your new sales staff in goal setting is an asset in the long run. Salespeople that know how to set attainable goals also know how to reach them using the resources available. Optimize your team’s skillset by incorporating goal setting objectives in their onboarding curriculum. Make sure to help your team craft realistic targets, and remember to celebrate every bullseye. You can also peruse our Top Content Providers For Employee Onboarding list to find the right sales onboarding solution for your organization.
