7 tips for succeeding in your new sales role
(What to do in your first month at work)
Prep time: 3 min
Hello Chef! Welcome back to this week’s edition of the Outbound Kitchen newsletter!
Every Sunday, we share a quick, actionable outbound tip you can use right away in <5 min.
New here? Subscribe now.
Here’s part 2 of How to Start Your New Sales Role. If you missed part 1: How to prep like a top sales rep (5 critical steps for crushing day 1). Read it here.
Let’s get cookin’ 👇
The Outbound Kitchen is brought to you by:
Grow your outbound pipeline - 37k+ sales pros trust Lemlist as their outbound tool:
Build the perfect lead list with verified email addresses
Personalize your emails and LinkedIn messages at scale
Automate multi-channel outreach without sounding like a robot
Stay out of the spam folder and in front of your prospects
Everything you need to scale your outbound efforts and see real results.
Are you excited and nervous on your first day in sales? Want to make an impact but don’t know where to start? We’ve all felt the pressure to perform quickly.
Imagine having a simple plan to succeed in your first 30 days.
Your first month is crucial for long-term success. Building a strong pipeline now helps you reach your goals and become a valuable team member.
I have coached 100+ reps and know what makes top performers, especially in the first month. These insights come from real experience and proven results.
With 6 years of prospecting, 3 years leading outbound teams, and running my own business, I share effective outbound recipes.
If you’re new here—Hi! I’m Elric, your outbound chef. I help sales pros reach their full potential and host the Outbound Kitchen podcast.
Let’s get you started strong in your new sales role.
7 tips for becoming a top performer in 30 days
#1: Dive in with dedication
Showing commitment early demonstrates your proactive nature and eagerness to succeed.
Work Extra Hours: Arrive early, or stay late, and fully immerse yourself in your new role.
Start Prospecting Immediately: Begin reaching out to potential clients from day one.
Use Internal Support: A busy pipeline attracts help from experts. Learn from them as they assist with your deals.
Here’s a real-life example of a top performer:
When Sarah started her new sales role, she was at the office bright and early every day, reviewing her accounts and planning her next moves. By going all-in from day one, she built a killer pipeline and closed a bunch of deals in her first month.
#2: Plan Strategically
Balancing speed with a clear strategy ensures your efforts are effective and aligned with your goals.
Set Weekly Goals: Decide how many accounts to tackle each week.
Stay Manageable: Focus on small batches instead of your entire territory.
Review Regularly: Check what’s working and tweak your strategies accordingly.
Here’s a real-life example of a top performer:
Mark had a game plan. He set a goal to hit up 20 new accounts each week, focusing on small chunks instead of trying to conquer his entire territory in one go. Every Friday, he'd check in on his progress and tweak his strategy based on what was working.
#3: Master essential skills
Strong sales skills help you build your pipeline faster and engage confidently with prospects.
Perfect cold calls: Practice until it feels natural.
Refine questions: Ask questions that get prospects to share their challenges.
Create your elevator pitches: Have short and long versions ready for each persona and industry.
Keep practicing: Rehearse your scripts until they’re second nature.
Here’s a real-life example of a top performer:
Jennifer was a cold-calling machine. She practiced her scripts non-stop until they rolled off her tongue. She also teamed up with her manager to level up her questioning skills and really dig into what her prospects are facing. By constantly honing her craft, she was able to crush it on calls and build rapport in no time.
#4: Take ownership of your onboarding
Proactively managing your learning accelerates your readiness and effectiveness.
Self-Practice: Simulate calls and meetings on your own time.
Mock Sessions: Role-play with peers or mentors.
Create a Personal Plan: Develop exercises that go beyond formal training to enhance your skills.
Here’s a real-life example of a top performer:
David didn't just sit back during onboarding. He carved out time every day to practice mock calls and meetings solo. He also buddied up with a seasoned rep to role-play different scenarios. By taking charge of his own learning, David hit the ground running and ramped up quickly.
#5: Focus on quick wins
Early successes boost your confidence and jumpstart your pipeline, while strategic efficiency maximizes your results, instead of going after cold accounts.
Reconnect with Lost Leads: Reach out to previous prospects who didn’t convert.
Contact Former Customers: Find past clients now at new companies.
Use Executive Connections: Get warm introductions through internal networks.
Here’s a real-life example of a top performer:
When I started at a new company, I didn't waste time on cold accounts. Instead, I contacted lost leads from the previous year and tapped into my executive team's network for warm intros. By zeroing in on these quick wins, I booked demos quickly.
#6: Use proven messaging
Don't try to reinvent the wheel and Leverage successful tactics to help you avoid common mistakes and speed up your success.
Stick to what works: Use existing successful scripts and email templates.
Learn from the best: Shadow experienced reps to see what’s effective.
Focus on Action: Prioritize executing proven methods over trying new ones.
Here’s a real-life example of a top performer:
I made the mistake of thinking I knew what would work when I joined Chili Piper, and I ended up missing quota. But then I started shadowing top performers and using their proven sequences and emails. The result? I hit 150%+ of my quota. Don't try to reinvent the wheel—leverage successful tactics to avoid common mistakes and speed up your success.
#7: Strategically tier your accounts
Focusing on high-potential and ICP accounts maximizes your efficiency and results.
Classify Accounts: Spend half a day sorting them into high, medium, and low priority.
Identify key traits: Look at company size, industry, location, etc., to find the best prospects.
Keep it updated: Adjust your tiers as you learn more about each account.
Here’s a real-life example of a top performer:
Lisa took an afternoon to sort her accounts into high, medium, and low priority based on key traits like company size, industry, and location. Then, she poured most of her energy into the high-priority accounts that were most likely to convert. As she got to know each account better, she kept fine-tuning her tiers to make the most of her time.
What’s next? Let’s jump into what top sales reps do differently to keep learning and growing (and how you can too). Check out part 3 here ⬇️
Missed Part 1 on How to prep like a top sales rep? You can read it here ⬇️
P.S. I’d love to hear your thoughts—what helped you during your first month?
Now you have new ideas for succeeding in your first month.
Your first month sets the tone for your long-term success.
That’s it!
I hope this helps with your outbound journey.
Keep cooking up those great recipes!
✌️👨🍳
Elric, The Outbound Chef
Say hi 👋 on LinkedIn, YouTube, Spotify, or X.
When you're ready, here's how I can help:
Need help with your outbound motion? Book your 40-minute Outbound Consulting call here.
Outbound Private Chef:
Part-time: I design, build, AND execute your outbound strategy and team
Coaching/Advising: Tailored guidance for your outbound strategy and team's success
If you are interested, email bonjour@elriclegloire.com or reply to this email.
Want to promote your product or yourself to 3,221 subscribers by sponsoring this newsletter, or learn more about other sponsorship opportunities with Outbound Kitchen? Email bonjour@elriclegloire.com or reply to this email.