Onboarding new sales reps shouldn’t take forever, but it also shouldn’t be a mess of outdated call recordings, random Google Docs, and tribal knowledge. If you’re tired of babysitting every new hire or watching them learn by trial and error, you’re in the right place. This guide is for sales managers, enablement folks, or anyone who wants to get new reps up to speed using Jimminy without a bunch of fluff.
Let’s get into the steps that actually work.
1. Start With the End in Mind: What Should Great Onboarding Look Like?
Before you start uploading calls or setting up playlists, get clear on what “success” looks like for a new rep. Jimminy is a tool, not a magic wand.
Ask yourself: - What does a fully ramped rep know, say, and do? - Which calls or moments in the sales cycle do they need to nail? - What do you not want to waste time on? (Hint: Not every call is a masterclass.)
Pro tip: Write down the 3-5 skills or milestones that matter most in your process. Keep this list short. If everything’s a priority, nothing is.
2. Organize Your Best Calls (and Only Your Best Calls)
Jimminy makes it easy to record and store every conversation. But the last thing new reps need is an endless library of “meh” calls.
Here’s what works: - Handpick 5-10 calls that actually teach something: great discovery, a tough objection handled well, or a killer close. - Shortlist calls that match your most common deal types or customer segments. - Tag calls by stage, vertical, or topic—be consistent so new reps can find what they need.
Don’t: Dump in every call from your top rep and call it a day. Quality over quantity, always.
3. Build Playlists That Map to Your Sales Process
Jimminy’s playlist feature is simple but powerful—when used with intention.
How to do it: - Create a playlist for each key stage: first calls, demos, negotiations, whatever fits your process. - Add a short intro to each playlist. Even a quick text note with “What to listen for” makes a difference. - For each playlist, include 3-5 calls max. Anything more, and people stop paying attention.
What to skip: Don’t try to cover every edge case or rare scenario. Focus on what new reps will actually face in their first 30-60 days.
4. Set Up Commenting and Feedback Loops
Watching or listening to calls is passive. If you want reps to improve fast, make it interactive.
With Jimminy, you can: - Leave time-stamped comments on key moments (“Notice how Sarah handles the price objection at 12:47”). - Ask reps to comment back or answer specific questions (“How would you have responded here?”). - Use @mentions to pull in other team members for extra context.
Reality check: Don’t overdo it. A few high-quality notes are better than a wall of text nobody reads. Keep feedback actionable and short.
5. Make Assignments: Give New Reps a Clear Path
Structure beats overwhelm every time. Don’t just say “poke around in Jimminy.” Give new hires a simple checklist:
- Listen to X playlist(s) by end of week one
- Leave comments or answers on Y calls
- Record yourself doing a mock call using the same framework
Have a quick chat or Slack thread to check in—don’t assume they’re doing it just because you made it available.
Pro tip: Use a shared doc or even a simple spreadsheet to track onboarding progress. Jimminy isn’t a learning management system, so keep tracking lightweight.
6. Use Jimminy’s Analytics—But Don’t Get Lost in the Data
Jimminy offers analytics on talk time, topics, and more. These can help you spot patterns, but don’t let dashboards replace real coaching.
What’s useful: - See who’s actually reviewing calls (and who’s just clicking through). - Track common objections or topics that trip up new reps. - Identify which reps are improving fastest.
What to ignore: Vanity metrics. Just because someone logs hours in the tool doesn’t mean they’re ready. Pair analytics with real conversations and role-plays.
7. Keep Your Library Fresh (and Don’t Be Precious)
Sales moves fast. What was a great call six months ago might be irrelevant now.
- Set a reminder every quarter to review and prune your call library.
- Ask your team for new “best of” call suggestions regularly.
- Don’t be afraid to retire calls, even from your top performers, if they’re outdated.
Pro tip: If something in your process changes—like pricing, product, or positioning—update your playlists ASAP. Old info confuses new hires.
8. Avoid Common Pitfalls
Let’s be real: most onboarding programs break down for the same reasons.
Watch out for: - Information overload: If new hires see 50 calls, they’ll watch zero. - “Set it and forget it” syndrome: Onboarding isn’t one-and-done. Keep improving. - Ignoring rep feedback: Ask new hires what actually helped after their first month. You’ll be surprised which calls or notes stuck.
What doesn’t work: Using Jimminy as a dumping ground. If you’re not curating, you’re just creating noise.
9. Don’t Overcomplicate It (Seriously)
It’s tempting to chase every shiny feature or try to automate everything. Resist.
Stick to: - A few strong playlists - Clear, concise feedback - Simple assignments - Occasional real conversations
You don’t need workflows, integrations, or AI summaries to get most of the value. Start with the basics, then add bells and whistles if you really need them.
Wrapping Up: Keep It Simple, Iterate Quickly
Onboarding with Jimminy works best when you cut the fluff, curate your best material, and keep feedback direct. The tool’s there to help, but the real value comes from structure and consistency—not endless content or fancy analytics.
Start small, get feedback, and keep tweaking your approach. You can always add more later, but a focused, well-organized onboarding will always beat a complicated, confusing one. And that’s how you get new reps ramped and ready to sell—without losing your mind.