You hire a new sales rep. Six months later, they still haven't closed a deal.
You ask: "Why so slow?"
They say: "I'm still learning the product."
This happens because most sales onboarding is random—shadowing calls, reading docs, trial by fire.
Good sales onboarding isn't osmosis. It's a structured 30-60 day program that gets reps productive fast.
Here's the framework for sales onboarding that cuts ramp time in half.
The Sales Onboarding Framework
Goal: Get new reps to first deal in 30-60 days (vs. 4-6 months)
Program structure:
- Week 1-2: Foundation (product, market, customers)
- Week 3-4: Sales process and methodology
- Week 5-6: Practice and certification
- Week 7-8: Live deals with coaching
- Day 60: First closed deal
Not: 6 months of shadowing. Yes: Structured curriculum with milestones.
Week 1-2: Foundation
Goal: Understand product, market, and customers
Day 1: Company and Market
Morning: Company Overview (2 hours)
- Company vision and mission
- Product roadmap and strategy
- Team structure (who does what)
- Key metrics and goals
Afternoon: Market and Competition (2 hours)
- Market landscape (TAM, trends)
- Ideal customer profile (ICP)
- Competitors and positioning
- Why customers choose us
Homework: Read company deck, competitive battlecards
Day 2-3: Product Deep-Dive
Day 2 Morning: Product Demo (3 hours)
- Product manager walks through product
- Core features and use cases
- Customer workflows
- Demo environment access
Day 2 Afternoon: Hands-On Practice (3 hours)
- Set up demo account
- Complete onboarding as customer would
- Create sample projects
- Explore all features
Day 3: Technical Deep-Dive (Full day)
- Technical architecture
- Integrations (Salesforce, HubSpot, etc.)
- Security and compliance
- Implementation process
Homework: Practice giving 10-min product demo
Day 4-5: Customer Stories
Day 4: Customer Interviews (Full day)
- Interview 3-5 customers (arranged by CSM team)
- Questions to ask:
- Why did you buy?
- What problem were you solving?
- How do you use the product?
- What value are you getting?
Day 5: Case Study Review
- Read 5-10 customer case studies
- Identify patterns (common pain points, outcomes)
- Create "customer story bank" (stories to reference in sales calls)
Output: Document 10 customer stories you can tell
Week 1-2 Certification
Friday Week 2: Product Knowledge Test
- 20-question quiz on product, market, competitors
- 80% passing score
- Must pass to move to Week 3
Demo certification:
- Give 15-min product demo to PMM
- Cover core use cases
- Handle 3 objections
- Must pass to progress
Week 3-4: Sales Process and Methodology
Goal: Learn how to sell (process, methodology, talk tracks)
Day 11-12: Sales Process
Sales stages:
- Lead → Discovery
- Discovery → Demo
- Demo → Proposal
- Proposal → Negotiation
- Negotiation → Closed-Won
For each stage, learn:
- What happens in this stage
- How to qualify (BANT, MEDDIC)
- What materials to use (deck, battlecard, ROI calc)
- How to advance deal
- Exit criteria (when to move to next stage)
Homework: Memorize sales process stages and exit criteria
Day 13: Discovery Calls
Discovery methodology:
- Opening (build rapport, set agenda)
- Pain discovery (what's broken? what's the cost?)
- Vision (what would success look like?)
- Qualification (BANT: Budget, Authority, Need, Timeline)
- Next steps (demo, proposal)
Practice:
- Role-play 3 discovery calls with manager
- Record and review
- Get feedback
Homework: Write your discovery call script
Day 14-15: Demo Delivery
Demo structure:
- Discovery recap (what we learned about your needs)
- Solution narrative (how we solve your problem)
- Live demo (your specific use case)
- Next steps (trial, proposal)
Practice:
- Give 5 practice demos to team members
- Get feedback on each
- Iterate and improve
Homework: Record yourself giving demo, watch and critique
Day 16-17: Objection Handling
Common objections:
- "Too expensive"
- "Not the right time"
- "Already using Competitor X"
- "Need to think about it"
For each objection:
- Don't say (wrong response)
- Do say (right response)
- Proof point to show
Practice:
- Role-play objection handling
- Manager throws curveballs
- Practice staying calm and using framework
Homework: Memorize top 10 objections and responses
Day 18-20: Proposal and Closing
Proposal creation:
- Use standard template
- Customize executive summary
- Include pricing and ROI
- Clear next steps
Closing techniques:
- Trial close ("If we can solve X, would you move forward?")
- Assumptive close ("Let's get implementation started")
- Alternative close ("Would you prefer monthly or annual?")
Contract negotiation:
- What you can negotiate (discounts <15%, payment terms)
- What requires approval (>15% discount, custom terms)
- How to escalate
Week 3-4 Certification
Friday Week 4: Sales Process Certification
- Complete sales process quiz (80% pass)
- Role-play full sales cycle (discovery → demo → close)
- Handle 5 objections live
- Must pass to move to Week 5
Week 5-6: Practice and Certification
Goal: Practice in safe environment before going live
Day 21-25: Call Shadowing
Shadow 20+ calls:
- 5 discovery calls
- 5 demos
- 5 proposal presentations
- 5 closing calls
For each call:
- Take notes
- Observe what works
- Ask questions after
- Debrief with rep
Day 26-30: Reverse Shadowing
Manager shadows YOUR calls:
- Practice discovery calls (with manager playing prospect)
- Practice demos
- Practice objection handling
Feedback after each call:
- What went well
- What to improve
- Specific corrections
Goal: 10 practice calls with passing feedback
Week 5-6 Certification
Final Certification (End of Week 6):
Part 1: Product Demo (30 min)
- Give full product demo
- Handle 5 objections
- Close for next step
Part 2: Discovery Call (30 min)
- Manager plays prospect
- Conduct discovery using methodology
- Qualify properly (BANT)
- Set up demo
Part 3: Written Test
- Product knowledge
- Sales process
- Competitive positioning
Pass: 85%+ on all three parts
If pass: Move to live deals (Week 7)
If fail: Additional week of practice, re-test
Week 7-8: Live Deals with Coaching
Goal: Close first deal
Week 7: First Live Opportunities
Assigned deals:
- 5-10 qualified opportunities (from SDR team)
- Manager co-sells on first 3 deals
- Solo on remaining deals (manager observes)
Daily check-ins:
- What deals advanced?
- What's blocking progress?
- What help is needed?
Week 8: Closing Sprint
Goal: Close first deal by Day 60
Manager support:
- Daily coaching
- Help with proposals
- Assist with objections
- Co-close if needed
Milestone: First Closed Deal
When new rep closes first deal:
- Celebrate publicly (team meeting, Slack)
- Bonus payout ($500-$1,000)
- Full autonomy granted
The Sales Onboarding Curriculum
Create structured curriculum:
SALES ONBOARDING CURRICULUM
Week 1-2: Foundation
- ☐ Day 1: Company overview and market
- ☐ Day 2-3: Product deep-dive
- ☐ Day 4-5: Customer interviews and case studies
- ☐ Certification: Product quiz (80%) + Demo (pass)
Week 3-4: Sales Process
- ☐ Day 11-12: Sales stages and qualification
- ☐ Day 13: Discovery methodology
- ☐ Day 14-15: Demo delivery
- ☐ Day 16-17: Objection handling
- ☐ Day 18-20: Proposal and closing
- ☐ Certification: Sales process quiz + Role-play (85%)
Week 5-6: Practice
- ☐ Day 21-25: Shadow 20+ calls
- ☐ Day 26-30: Reverse shadowing (10 practice calls)
- ☐ Final Certification: Demo + Discovery + Written test (85%)
Week 7-8: Live Deals
- ☐ Week 7: 5-10 live opps (manager co-sells)
- ☐ Week 8: Close first deal (by Day 60)
Graduation: First closed deal + all certifications passed
Every new rep follows this curriculum.
The Onboarding Playbook
PMM creates comprehensive playbook:
Section 1: Product Knowledge
- Product overview deck
- Feature documentation
- Demo script
- FAQ
Section 2: Customer Stories
- Case studies (10+)
- Customer quotes
- Use case library
- ROI examples
Section 3: Sales Process
- Sales stages guide
- Discovery script
- Demo script
- Objection handling guide
- Proposal template
Section 4: Competitive Intel
- Competitor battlecards (5-10)
- Competitive positioning
- Win/loss analysis
Section 5: Resources
- CRM guide
- Sales tools (demo env, ROI calc, etc.)
- Internal contacts (who to ask for help)
Give to every new rep Day 1.
Measuring Onboarding Effectiveness
Track for each new rep:
Time to first deal:
- Days from hire to first closed-won
- Target: 60 days
- Industry average: 120-180 days
Ramp to quota:
- Months to achieve 100% of quota
- Target: 3-4 months
- Industry average: 6-9 months
Certification completion:
- % who pass each certification
- Days to complete onboarding
- Target: 95% pass in 6 weeks
Performance after onboarding:
- Win rate (onboarded reps vs. tenured)
- Average deal size
- Sales cycle length
Example results:
| Metric | Before Program | After Program | Improvement |
|---|---|---|---|
| Time to first deal | 150 days | 55 days | 63% faster |
| Ramp to quota | 7 months | 3.5 months | 50% faster |
| Certification pass | 60% | 92% | +32% |
| Win rate (Month 3) | 18% | 28% | +10% |
ROI of onboarding program:
Investment: $50K (PMM time to build + ongoing)
Value:
- Faster ramp = $200K additional revenue per rep (95 days earlier contribution)
- 5 new reps per year
- Total value: $1M/year
ROI: 20x
Common Onboarding Mistakes
Mistake 1: No structure
New reps shadow calls for 3 months, no curriculum
Problem: Slow ramp, inconsistent training
Fix: Structured 6-week curriculum
Mistake 2: Product-only training
You teach product but not how to sell
Problem: Reps know product but can't close
Fix: 50% product, 50% sales methodology
Mistake 3: No certification
You train but don't test comprehension
Problem: Reps advance without mastery
Fix: Certification at each stage (80-85% pass rate)
Mistake 4: Sink or swim
After training, reps are on their own
Problem: Struggle, slow to first deal
Fix: Week 7-8 manager co-selling and coaching
Mistake 5: Not tracking metrics
You don't measure time to first deal
Problem: Can't optimize onboarding
Fix: Track time to first deal, ramp to quota, win rate
Quick Start: Build Sales Onboarding in 1 Month
Week 1: Design Curriculum
- Define 6-week structure (Week 1-2: Foundation, Week 3-4: Sales Process, Week 5-6: Practice)
- Create certification requirements
- Set milestones (first deal by Day 60)
Week 2: Create Materials
- Product knowledge quiz
- Demo script
- Discovery script
- Objection handling guide
- Sales process documentation
Week 3: Build Playbook
- Compile all materials into onboarding playbook
- Create checklist for each week
- Add resources and contacts
Week 4: Pilot and Iterate
- Run first cohort through program
- Gather feedback
- Iterate materials
Deliverable: 6-week sales onboarding program with curriculum, materials, and certifications
Impact: 50%+ reduction in ramp time (from 120+ days to 60 days)
The Uncomfortable Truth
Here's what actually happens at most companies: They don't have structured sales onboarding. New reps learn by osmosis, shadowing calls for months with no structured curriculum. They read docs on their own with no guided learning path. They wing their first demos and discovery calls without certification or practice. And they take six months or more to close their first deal while burning through leads and losing confidence.
The result is predictable. Slow ramp times that kill ROI on new hires. Inconsistent performance across the team because everyone learned differently. High early attrition as reps get frustrated and quit before they become productive. And a sales organization that can't scale because onboarding is so inefficient.
What actually works is completely different. A structured 6-week curriculum that moves systematically from foundation through sales process to practice to live selling. Certifications at each stage with 80-85% pass rates required to advance, ensuring mastery before moving forward. Manager coaching where experienced reps co-sell the first few deals instead of throwing new hires into the deep end. A clear milestone of first deal by Day 60 that creates urgency and momentum. And tracked metrics on time to first deal and ramp to quota so you can optimize the program.
The best onboarding programs I've seen have a structured 6-week curriculum, not six months of aimless shadowing. They split time 50-50 between product knowledge and sales methodology because both matter. They require certifications to pass each stage, not optional quizzes. They assign managers to co-sell in weeks 7-8, providing real-time coaching in live deals. They get reps to first deal in 60 days versus the 120-180 day industry average. And they measure rigorously, tracking time to productivity so they can continuously improve.
If your new reps take more than 90 days to close their first deal, you don't have an onboarding program—you have an expensive, unstructured mess. New hires cost real money in salary, benefits, and opportunity cost of leads they burn through while learning.
Build a real curriculum. Certify mastery at each stage. Coach them through their first deals. Get them productive fast. That's how you build a sales organization that scales.