One common and costly mistake in many SMBs is the rush to produce immediate results combined with a hands-off approach by business owners after hiring a new sales leader. Often, they assume the new hire’s expertise will naturally generate results and steer the ship. However, without proper direction, guidance, and support, even seasoned sales leaders can struggle. As a result, the average tenure of a VP of Sales is a short 19 months!
Having stepped into the role of a “new sales leader” multiple times, I’ve learned the importance of a deliberate and strategic onboarding approach. Rather than rushing to deliver immediate results, it's crucial to pause, observe, and understand the current landscape before taking action.
Here's how to set your new sales leader up for success:
Observe & Learn (Before Doing Anything)
If I could go back in time, I would’ve had more confidence and conviction to be patient. My ego and insecurities prompted me to make immediate changes, but the best thing a new sales leader can do is to observe and learn first.
Analyze current and historical client data: Examine revenue distribution and compare top-performing vs. bottom-performing clients to gain insights into your “Blue Chip” client profile.
Observe salespeople at key stages: Watch the sales process at stages like prospecting, outreach, qualification, discovery, proposal, and final commitment. Understand if there's a consistent and quality process and evaluate the individuals at each stage.
Speak with clients: Engage with several of your best and recent clients to gather critical information about why they chose you over competitors. Seek feedback on strengths and areas for improvement.
Strategic Plan & Sales Process
Ensure you and your sales leader are aligned with your organization’s strategic plan. This alignment should have been covered during the interview process, but the transfer of information really starts here. Misalignment on the strategic plan can lead the new leader to steer the ship off-course.
Communicate your strategic plan: Articulate your long-term vision, 3-year picture, 1-year goal, and quarterly objectives.
Detail your sales strategy: Describe in specific detail your ideal client profile and give examples of your best clients. Pinpoint the key stakeholders in your buying journey and communicate what they care about (wants, needs, pains, desired gains). Identify your top competitors and what makes you different and better. Talk through your products and services and how they help your clients and prospects.
Clarify the sales process: Walk through each incremental stage of your sales process (both pre-sale and post-sale). Talk through the purpose & goal, and “what good looks like” at each stage to evaluate the quality and consistency of your current team.
Structure & Personnel of Your Business Development Team
Show the organizational structure of your business development team (sales, marketing, and customer success), including the individual roles and responsibilities.
Provide the overarching structure: Outline the hierarchy, responsibilities, and handoffs.
Provide success profiles: Communicate the performance goals and expectations, ramp schedule, key competencies, and compensation models for each role.
Set evaluation expectations: With the goal of getting the “right people in the right seats,” have your new sales leader evaluate the current structure (right seats) and each individual team member (right people), presenting their feedback and recommendations at 90 days.
Communication & Cadence
Establish clear expectations for your meeting cadence, including weekly sales meetings, 1:1s, quarterly retrospectives, and annual planning. These meetings are critical for creating a culture of performance.
Weekly Sales Meetings: In too many SMBs, weekly sales meetings are either not happening or are ineffective. My recommendation is for the new sales leader to observe rather than lead these meetings in their first 90 days.
1:1 Meetings: Use these sessions to continue learning what is working well (bright spots) and what isn't (bottlenecks) within the BD team, as well as to build rapport with individual team members.
Weekly Check-Ins: As the business owner, maintain regular check-ins with your new sales leader to review progress, address challenges, and align on objectives. Ask questions and provide ongoing support to foster alignment and trust.
Conclusion
Remember, the goal of onboarding isn’t to rush your sales leader into action but to equip them with the information, guidance, and tools needed to lead a high-performing team effectively. Investing time and effort upfront lays the foundation for long-term success and growth within your organization.
Carver Peterson helps growth-minded leaders and organizations achieve predictable and sustainable revenue growth through a refined strategy, defined process, and aligned structure.
