How to onboard new sales reps using Highspot training and learning paths

Hiring new sales reps is expensive and time-consuming. Getting them up to speed shouldn’t be. If you’re tired of seeing new hires floundering or sitting through endless generic training, this guide is for you. We’ll walk through a practical, no-nonsense way to use Highspot training and learning paths to onboard new sales reps—without drowning in busywork or needless bells and whistles.

Why Highspot? (And Where It Actually Helps)

Let’s be real: most onboarding platforms promise the moon. Highspot won’t magically make bad training good, but it does give you a solid way to organize, track, and deliver content your new sales reps actually need. If you’re already using Highspot for sales content (decks, playbooks, one-pagers), it makes sense to use its training tools too.

But don’t expect Highspot to fix broken processes or create training from scratch. It’s a delivery system, not a silver bullet.

Step 1: Get Your House in Order

Before you start building fancy learning paths, you need to know what you want reps to learn—and why. Here’s what to do first:

  • List out your must-have topics: Product basics, messaging, call scripts, CRM process, compliance, whatever your team actually uses.
  • Cut the fluff: If you’re tempted to add a 20-minute video on “company history,” resist. Keep it relevant to the job.
  • Decide what “good” looks like: What does a new rep need to do before you trust them with real leads? Be specific—think “can run a discovery call” or “can demo product X,” not “understands the sales process.”
  • Gather your materials: Pull your best decks, recordings, email templates, and docs. Don’t reinvent the wheel. If you don’t have something, jot down what’s missing.

Pro tip: Ask a couple of your best reps what they wish they’d had during onboarding. You’ll get better answers than from the training team alone.

Step 2: Map Out the Learning Path

Highspot’s “Learning Paths” are basically playlists for onboarding. Each path is a series of training modules, which can be courses, videos, quizzes, or documents.

Here’s how to build one that works:

  1. Break onboarding into chunks
  2. Start with the essentials: platform basics, intro calls, key messaging.
  3. Add advanced stuff later: objection handling, deep product dives.

  4. Each chunk should take no more than a couple hours to get through.

  5. Line up content to outcomes

  6. For each module, ask: what should the rep do after this?

  7. Avoid “info dumps.” If it’s not actionable, skip it or move it to “resources.”

  8. Mix up formats

  9. Use a variety: short videos, real call recordings, simple quizzes.

  10. Don’t overload with text-heavy PDFs or hour-long webinars. People tune out.

  11. Gate critical steps

  12. Set up checkpoints: short quizzes, practice calls, or a manager sign-off.

  13. If reps can’t pass the basics, don’t let them move on.

  14. Keep it linear (at first)

  15. When someone’s new, they need a clear path, not a pick-your-own-adventure.
  16. You can add optional paths for advanced topics later.

Step 3: Build It Out in Highspot

Now, actually put your plan into Highspot. Here’s what works (and what usually doesn't):

The Basics

  • Create a new Learning Path for onboarding. Name it clearly—“New Sales Rep Onboarding – June 2024” beats “Pathway 1.”
  • Add each chunk as a module. Within modules, upload your content: videos, docs, links, whatever you’ve got.
  • Set completion rules. Decide if reps need to pass a quiz, upload a call recording, or just mark as done.

What Works Well

  • Assigning paths to new hires automatically when they join (if you integrate with your HR system).
  • Tracking progress—you’ll see who’s done what, and who’s stuck.
  • Embedding real examples—actual call recordings and sales emails get more engagement than generic slides.

What Usually Flops

  • Overloading with content. If your path takes more than a couple weeks to finish, nobody finishes it.
  • Relying on “completion” as proof of skill. Just because someone watched a video doesn’t mean they can do the job. Add a real-world check (like a mock call) before you call onboarding “done.”
  • Ignoring feedback. If new reps say a module is useless, listen. Don’t cling to content just because someone spent a month making it.

Step 4: Assign, Track, and Nudge

Once your learning path is ready, here’s how to actually use it:

  1. Assign the path to every new sales rep. Set expectations up front: “You’ll finish this in your first two weeks.”
  2. Communicate the why. Tell reps how this training will help them close deals faster—not just check a box.
  3. Monitor progress. Use Highspot’s reporting to see who’s moving and who’s stalled.
  4. Nudge (without nagging). If someone’s falling behind, check in. Sometimes it’s confusion, sometimes it’s too much busywork.
  5. Spot real issues. If everyone gets stuck on one module, it’s probably not their fault.

Pro tip: Pair new reps with a buddy or manager for weekly check-ins. Highspot tracks progress, but a real person helps with the “so what?” moments.

Step 5: Make It a Feedback Loop

Your onboarding path isn’t set in stone. The best teams treat it as a living thing:

  • Survey new reps after their first month. What helped? What was a waste of time?
  • Watch real results. Are new hires closing deals faster? Or still floundering after training?
  • Kill or fix bad modules. Don’t be precious—if something’s not working, change it.
  • Update regularly. Products, messaging, and processes shift. Outdated training is worse than no training.

Pro tip: Set a calendar reminder to review your onboarding path every quarter. It’s easy to let things slide.

What to Skip (Unless You Want Headaches)

  • Gamification for its own sake. Points and badges might sound fun, but most sales reps just want to sell. Don’t waste time unless your team loves it.
  • Overly custom video intros from execs. Nice in theory, but rarely adds value. Save their time—and yours.
  • One-size-fits-all paths. New reps and seasoned hires need different things. Make separate tracks if you have to.

Wrapping Up: Keep It Simple, Iterate Often

Onboarding with Highspot can be smooth—if you stay focused. Build your learning path around what new reps actually need to do in their first month. Trim the extras. Check in regularly. Don’t stress about making it perfect; just make it useful, and improve as you go.

The best onboarding isn’t the flashiest—it’s the one that gets sales reps selling, fast. Start simple, listen to feedback, and keep tweaking. That’s how you’ll actually help your new hires—and your bottom line.