Bringing new sales reps onto your team shouldn’t feel like reinventing the wheel every time. But most onboarding is a mix of random Slack messages, outdated docs, and “Hey, can you show me that again?” moments. If you’re tired of newbies wandering around lost for weeks, this guide is for you. We’ll walk through how to set up a clear, repeatable onboarding process with Hothawk workflows—without getting bogged down in busywork or buzzwords.
Whether you’re a sales manager, a team lead, or the unofficial “person who figures this stuff out,” you’ll get the practical steps (plus some honest warnings) to make onboarding way less painful.
Step 1. Map Out What Actually Matters
Before you touch any software, figure out what a new sales rep really needs to know to stop being a liability and start adding value. This isn’t about cramming every possible task into a checklist. Focus on:
- The basics: How to use your CRM, what you’re actually selling, who you’re selling to.
- The process: How leads come in, what happens next, and how deals get closed.
- The must-knows: Any tools, scripts, or territory rules they can’t ignore.
- The “gotchas”: Common mistakes, things that trip up new hires, and stuff that’s not obvious.
Pro tip: Ask your last two new hires what confused them most in week one. Fix that first.
Skip: - Outdated training decks nobody uses. - “Nice to know” fluff that just wastes time.
Step 2. Break It Down Into Repeatable Steps
Now, turn your onboarding into small, clear steps. Each task should be something a new hire can actually finish—no vague “get to know the team” stuff.
Example breakdown: - Set up email and CRM login - Watch the 10-minute product demo video - Shadow one call with a senior rep - Complete lead qualification quiz - Add a test lead to the CRM
Keep each step small. If you see “Learn the sales process,” split it up into bite-sized pieces.
What to skip:
Don’t build a 3-week bootcamp on day one. You can always add more later. Start with what gets them to their first call or demo.
Step 3. Build Your Hothawk Workflow
Here’s where Hothawk comes in. Instead of sending a Notion checklist or a Google Doc, you’ll build a workflow that actually tracks who’s done what—and reminds them (and you) if things stall out.
How to set it up:
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Create a new workflow:
In Hothawk, select “Create Workflow.” Name it something clear like “Sales Onboarding – June 2024.” -
Add your tasks:
Plug in the steps you mapped out. Each task should have: - A clear description (“Add a test lead to Salesforce”)
- Any links to resources (videos, docs, templates)
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The why (a sentence or two on why it matters—this keeps people from skipping steps)
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Set deadlines:
Give each task a reasonable deadline. Don’t make every task due on day one—spread them out over a week or two. -
Assign owners:
Some tasks are for the new hire, some might need a manager or senior rep to review or demo something. Assign accordingly. -
Automate nudges:
Hothawk lets you set automatic reminders if tasks aren’t done. Use them. No need to chase people down on Slack.
Reality check:
Don’t overcomplicate this the first time. You’ll tweak the workflow plenty as you see what works (or doesn’t).
Step 4. Test Your Workflow (Before You Need It)
There’s nothing worse than rolling out a new onboarding process and realizing half the links are broken or a task makes no sense. Test your workflow:
- Run through it yourself, pretending you know nothing.
- Ask a teammate (who won’t sugarcoat feedback) to try it.
- Fix anything that’s confusing, missing, or just plain dumb.
Watch out for: - Steps that rely on tribal knowledge (“Just ask Bob for that spreadsheet”) - Tasks with no clear outcome (“Learn about our ICP” — how do they prove it?) - Bottlenecks that slow people down (e.g., waiting for someone who’s always in meetings)
Step 5. Launch With Your Next New Hire
Once your workflow is ready and tested, use it with your next new sales team member.
How to roll it out: - Kick off their first day with a quick walkthrough of the workflow. - Make it clear: “If you get stuck, flag the task in Hothawk and ping your manager. Don’t suffer in silence.” - Check in at the end of week one—what’s working, what’s confusing, what’s pointless? Tweak the workflow right away.
Pro tip:
Don’t expect perfection. The first round will find all the gaps you missed. That’s normal.
Step 6. Automate the Boring Stuff (But Don’t Get Cute)
Hothawk has plenty of automation features, but don’t go wild. Automate things that save time and cut errors, like:
- Sending login instructions for tools
- Notifying IT or HR when someone finishes setup tasks
- Reminding managers to run a shadowing session
Skip:
- Overly clever branching (“If they’re in region A, show these 12 extra steps”) unless you actually need it.
- Fancy “gamified” checklists—most people just want to get through onboarding, not unlock badges.
Step 7. Review and Improve (But Don’t Overthink It)
After each new hire finishes onboarding, spend 10 minutes reviewing what worked and what didn’t. Update the workflow while it’s fresh. It’s easy to let these things go stale, but nobody wants to follow a broken process.
Ask: - What steps were unnecessary? - Where did they get stuck? - Did the workflow catch mistakes, or did stuff slip through?
Warning:
Don’t turn this into a committee meeting. One person should own the workflow and make changes. If everything needs a vote, it’ll never get better.
Common Pitfalls to Avoid
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Too much information, too soon:
Dumping everything on day one just overwhelms people. Drip it out as they need it. -
No feedback loop:
If you never ask new hires what’s confusing, you’ll never fix the process. -
Forgetting about the human side:
A workflow can remind someone to schedule a coffee chat, but it can’t make them feel welcome. Don’t neglect the small stuff. -
Letting things go stale:
Processes age fast. Reps will just ignore steps that don’t make sense anymore.
What Hothawk Does Well (and Where It Falls Short)
What works: - Keeps onboarding steps visible and accountable—no more “I thought you did that.” - Automates reminders so you’re not chasing people down. - Lets you tweak the process without starting from scratch.
What doesn’t: - It won’t fix a broken process—garbage in, garbage out. - If your team ignores notifications, no tool will save you. - Don’t expect it to “magically” make people feel like part of the team—culture takes work.
Wrapping Up: Keep It Simple, Iterate Often
You don’t need a PhD in process management to onboard new sales reps well. Start with the basics, use Hothawk to keep it organized, and listen to feedback. Cut what doesn’t work, add what’s actually useful, and keep tweaking. The less time you spend herding new hires, the more time you—and they—can spend actually selling.