Even the smartest, most driven promo pros can stumble in those first 90 days. It can be a lot to learn a new company and potentially a new industry. To set them up for success, they need clear expectations and consistent coaching — not a sink-or-swim approach. This means that for sales leaders, the first 3 months set the tone.
Matt Sunshine, the CEO at the Center for Sales Strategy, says many sales leaders face the same issue: They hire someone promising but then see that person’s momentum stall. The problem isn’t in the hiring, he says, but in the system the leader is using. In this issue of PromoPro Daily, we highlight Sunshine’s tips for getting your new hires up to speed faster.
Outline your expectations on activities and outcomes. New hires need to know what to do every week, what progress looks like and how their activity connects to pipeline health and revenue.
Provide consistent, one-on-one coaching. Sunshine says early coaching isn’t about correction but about calibration. Frequent feedback helps new hires adjust faster before small missteps compound.
Stay engaged. According to Sunshine, it’s about leadership involvement — not delegation. Sales leaders play an important role in reinforcing the sales process and reviewing real opportunities. They should also coach to strengths, not just gaps. When leaders stay engaged, he says momentum sticks.
Measure the right stuff. In the first 90 days, don’t just look at closed revenue. Sunshine says you should also measure the quality and consistency of sales activity, how well the sales rep is adopting the sales process and their confidence and engagement levels.
Fix ramp-up challenges. When you want faster, more consistent results, Sunshine says you need to build intentional acceleration systems. That means combining coaching, leadership involvement and real-world application. The goal should be to help new sales reps build a pipeline faster, adopt a repeatable sales process, gain confidence through guided execution and deliver measurable results sooner.
The first 90 days are crucial to a new hire’s success with your company. Consider those first 3 months your opportunity to shape habits and instill confidence. When you create the structure and provide the support, you help new hires hit the ground running. Don’t just check items off an orientation checklist but be intentional about helping them succeed.
Compiled by Audrey Sellers
Source: Matt Sunshine is the CEO at the Center for Sales Strategy. He’s also a sought-after writer, keynote speaker and moderator.
