Is your sales team’s onboarding process costing you top talent? In this Sales Nerd Series interview, I sat with Ben Tagoe, CEO of Objective Management Group (OMG), to dive deep into the neuroscience and data behind high-performing sales teams.

Ben and I share a passion for data, and OMG has evaluated over 2.4 million salespeople over the years, giving us powerful insights into how to build and maintain top-tier sales teams. But what if most companies are getting it wrong when it comes to something as fundamental as onboarding? If you want your sales team to hit the ground running, it’s time to rethink your approach.

Let’s get into it.

Hot Off the Press: The Power of Onboarding for Sales Success

OMG’s latest research is an eye-opener—and I’ve got the inside scoop for you. Ben shared that a whopping 64% of companies onboard their salespeople for less than 30 days. That’s far below the recommended 90 days or more. And why does this matter? Because onboarding isn’t just a formality—it directly impacts your team’s performance and your company’s bottom line.

In fact, turnover in B2B sales roles stands at around 33%. That means a third of all sales hires are gone by the end of their first year, often within the first 90 days. Let that sink in for a second. If you’re seeing high turnover on your team, it’s probably time to reexamine your onboarding process.

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One company that worked with OMG reduced its turnover from 30% to below 10% simply by extending and structuring its onboarding program. The takeaway? Onboarding matters.

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The Hidden Costs of Poor Hiring Practices

But let’s back up for a second—onboarding isn’t the only area where companies stumble. Hiring the right salesperson in the first place is crucial, yet many companies are flying blind. I often see sales leaders relying on vague, unpredictable criteria like “curiosity” or “critical thinking” without a data-driven approach.

Here’s the reality: 74% of companies don’t even use a scorecard during their hiring process. You wouldn’t guess your way through your financial reports, so why guess when it comes to hiring?

Hiring mistakes are costly—not only in terms of salary but also in lost revenue and missed opportunities. A structured, data-driven hiring process not only reduces turnover but also attracts the kind of diverse talent that drives innovation and results. It’s time to stop guessing and start hiring strategically.

Pro Tip: Start using a scorecard to evaluate candidates based on the traits that are actually predictive of success in your organization. It’s one of the easiest ways to remove bias from your hiring process and focus on the data.

Onboarding Isn’t Just Training—it’s Immersion.

Now, back to onboarding. Many sales leaders treat onboarding as a box to check off—teach them about the product and the CRM system and call it a day. But onboarding should be much more than that. It’s not just about giving them the tools to do the job—it’s about immersing them in the world of the buyer.

I often tell my clients, "How you teach your salespeople is how they’ll preach to your buyers." If your onboarding is focused on your product, don’t be surprised when your sales team focuses on features rather than solving buyer problems. That’s why we still see the dreaded “demo pitch slap” today.

Instead, think of onboarding as a way to embed your new hires in the buyer’s world. What challenges are your buyers facing? How can you equip your team to have conversations that matter? The companies that get this right are the ones that see their salespeople hit quota faster and stick around longer.

Watch the full replay of our livestream chat

Hybrid vs. Remote vs. In-Person: Where Should Your Sales Team Be?

The pandemic threw a wrench into the traditional office model, and now companies are wrestling with the question of whether their sales teams should be remote, hybrid, or in-person.

Ben and I discussed this at length; the answer isn’t one-size-fits-all. It depends on your go-to-market strategy. For example, if your sales team spends their day in front of a screen, sending emails and researching prospects, do they need to be in an expensive office downtown? Probably not.

However, if your team engages with prospects face-to-face at events or customer sites, then an in-office or hybrid model might make sense for team cohesion and better collaboration. It’s all about aligning your structure with the reality of how your team engages with buyers.

Many of the salespeople I coach tell me their expectations didn’t match the reality of their jobs. They were hired for a remote role but suddenly found themselves required to be in the office daily. This disconnect between job expectations and reality is a major driver of turnover. Be transparent about what the role entails—whether it’s hybrid, remote, or in-person—right from the start.

Setting the Right Expectations from Day One

It’s not just about hybrid or remote work. Another critical factor in reducing turnover is setting clear expectations for the role itself. Will your sales hires focus on inbound leads, or will they be doing outbound prospecting? Will they handle the entire sales cycle or just parts of it?

Misaligned expectations create friction and frustration, which is a surefire way to see good talent walk out the door. If your job descriptions don’t match the actual responsibilities, you’re setting yourself up for failure from the start.

Data-Driven Decisions Are the Key to Sales Success

Here’s the bottom line: if you want to build a high-performing sales team, it’s time to get serious about data—in both hiring and onboarding. Whether it’s using scorecards to evaluate candidates or creating immersive onboarding experiences, the companies that get it right will thrive.

And those that don’t? They’ll keep playing catch-up.

Your Next Steps:

• Evaluate your current onboarding process: Is it immersive enough? Are you setting your team up for success?
• Implement a hiring scorecard: Don’t rely on gut feelings or outdated criteria. Data should drive your hiring decisions.
• Assess your team structure: Are you optimizing for hybrid, remote, or in-office work? Align it with your go-to-market strategy.

Let’s hear from you! Have you struggled with turnover in your sales team? Drop your comments below or shoot me a message—let’s talk about how to fix it.

Connect with Ben Tagoe:

Objective Management Group Website

LinkedIn

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