How To Halve Your Rural Rep’s Ramp Time

Research from Accenture shows that 42.5% of sales reps take 10 months or longer to hit their straps.

That means 10 months before they’re making you money, instead of costing you money.

The problem is you don’t have that much time as a rural business owner or sales manager.

You want to them to get up to speed as quickly as they can so they can start selling more, especially if they’re in a strong customer territory replacing a previously poor-performing rep.

You have to set them up for success.

Here are the 5 things you can do to halve your rural sales rep’s ramp time:

 

#1: Have a defined sales process

Process protects. This is why the military, pilot and surgeons use them.

Processes create predictable outcomes – if you use and follow them.

Be clear on how they prospect, qualify, question, manage objections, summarise and close.

Show them proof of the process working too with a book of sales success stories to give them confidence and conviction so they can see it works.

 

#2: Make sure they have a sales mentor

Appoint someone more senior who knows the ropes and can buddy up with them on deals especially at the start.

Sales managers are often too busy and over-whelmed to give their new recruits the time they need.

This is why you can use one of your senior/rising stars to ride shotgun with them.

Immersing them like this means they can pick up what they see and observe their mentor in their own real-life interactions.

 

#3: Have an on-boarding induction training programme

Have your version of “This is how we do sales round here”.

Have it documented and easily accessible in one central location.

Make sure you appoint the right training provider too.

Someone who knows your sector, not some generic training provider who doesn’t specialise in your sector.

Also make sure they have bought in your product by prioritising product training.

Don’t be one of those firms who chuck them the keys to the ute and says good luck mate!

 

#4: Make time for them

Taking time now will save you time in the future.

Do the role plays and rehearsals. Make sure they practice when the pressure is off before the real deal when the pressure is on.

It’s time well spent.

As the saying goes:

“Give a man a fish and you feed him for a day. Teach a man to fish and he’ll feed himself forever”.

 

#5: Use technology as your tool

You can use products like www.loom.com to send them relevant training, templates or tips or you can set up a private Facebook or WhatsApp Group to keep them inspired even if you can’t be there.

Make sure you accurately benchmark them before they start selling too. That way you’ll know how well they are performing compared to their peers and what interventions you may need to make earlier rather than later when it’s too late.

Measure the metrics that matter like:

• conversion rate
• average sale amount
• cost per sale (aka. cost per acquisition)

So there are the 5 ways you can have your rural sales rep’s ramp time.

The sooner you start the sooner you start making more rural sales and more money – for both of you.

PS. If you want access to a little-known 6th factor that’s super special and can speed up your rural sales rep’s ramp time click here.