Last updated: October 4, 2025
Many builders think the hardest part of building a sales team is recruiting. But here’s a secret: recruiting gets you in the game. Onboarding is what wins you the championship.
I’ve spoken with thousands of home sales professionals, and the top builders all share one thing in common. They treat onboarding as part of the sales process, because it is.
If you’re the owner of a small to mid-sized home building company, this article is your playbook for turning new hires into productive, profitable sales consultants quickly.
Why Onboarding Matters More Than You Think
You’ve heard the saying: You never get a second chance to make a first impression. That applies not only to buyers but also to your team.
A sloppy onboarding experience sets the tone for mediocrity. A structured, high-accountability onboarding process sends a different message: We win here.
I worked with a builder who hired a rockstar sales consultant. Great resume. Strong closer. But their first two weeks were total chaos. No CRM login, no training schedule, no clear expectations. That rep quit after three weeks.
Now contrast that with another builder, who sends new hires a welcome video from the president, outlines 30-day milestones, and assigns a mentor before day one. That rep is still there today, leading the team.
The 3 Phases of Onboarding Sales Hires
Phase 1: Pre-Onboarding – Win the First 48 Hours
This phase is the most overlooked, yet the most valuable.
A. Send a Welcome Packet Before Day One
- Branded welcome letter, company values, training schedule, org chart, and list of tools
- Personal touches like a gift card, company swag, or a handwritten note
B. Set Up Systems in Advance
- CRM login
- Email access
- Pricing sheets
- Inventory list
- Community specs
Nothing kills momentum faster than saying, “We’re still waiting on IT to set you up.”
Phase 2: First 30 Days – Create Confidence and Clarity
A. Set Clear Expectations (And Put Them in Writing)
By the end of week one, your rep should know:
- What success looks like in 30, 60, and 90 days
- How many appointments they need to set
- What training modules they must complete
- How they will be coached and evaluated
💬 Marshall’s Tip: Precision partners with Jason Forrest, CEO of FPG, one of the top sales trainers in the world. FPG uses a Success Map, a one-page plan that defines exactly what winning looks like for every new hire. No guesswork. No gray area.
B. Teach the FPG Sales Process or Your Own Framework
Even experienced reps need to unlearn bad habits. FPG breaks the sales process into six stages:
- Rapport
- Discovery
- Presentation
- Objection Handling
- Closing
- Follow-Up
Have new hires shadow your best rep. Then flip the script and ask them to teach the process back to you. That will show whether they internalized it.
C. Train on Products and Buyer Psychology
Do not just hand them a pricing sheet. They need to know floor plans and elevations, but more importantly, they need to understand why buyers buy:
- Fear of missing out (limited inventory)
- Lifestyle upgrade (schools, kitchen, more space)
- Pride of ownership
- Financial security
A rep who cannot connect your product to these emotional triggers will sound like a tour guide instead of a closer.
Phase 3: First 90 Days – Shift from Training to Traction
This is when a rep either builds a pipeline or starts making excuses. The difference is coaching and accountability.
A. Weekly Check-ins with Scorecard Metrics
Track objective KPIs such as:
- Model home visits logged
- Appointments set
- CRM entries
- Sales presentations given
- Follow-ups completed
- Contracts written
Do not rely on gut feel—measure it.
B. Roleplay Objection Handling Weekly
Weak objection handling is the top reason deals are lost. Roleplay weekly with common objections such as:
- “We’re waiting for interest rates to drop.”
- “We’re comparing builders.”
- “We love it, but it’s out of budget.”
Coach their responses and improve them every week.
C. Gradually Remove the Training Wheels
- Month 2: They take the lead in presentations
- Month 3: They own traffic rotations and CRM follow-ups
- By day 90: They should operate independently with measurable results
Common Onboarding Mistakes Builders Make
Mistake 1: Throwing Them into the Deep End
“Sink or swim” might sound tough, but it actually sinks your ROI. Salespeople need structure, coaching, and confidence to succeed.
Mistake 2: No Ongoing Coaching
Training without reinforcement is just entertainment. Coaching makes it stick. If you cannot do it yourself, assign a leader or partner with a team like FPG.
Mistake 3: Letting Culture Be Accidental
Onboarding is the time to reinforce culture. Share your values. Explain why you started your company. Let them experience the mission, not just memorize it.
Your First 90 Days = Their Forever Habits
Whatever behaviors your hire develops in the first 90 days will become their long-term habits.
- If you reward activity, they will be proactive
- If you ignore inconsistency, they will become lazy
- If you coach for mastery, they will grow faster than expected
🎤 You don’t rise to the level of your goals. You fall to the level of your systems.
Final Thoughts
If you want your sales team to perform like professionals instead of rookies, onboarding is your fast track. It increases speed to productivity, reduces turnover, and boosts revenue per rep.
Do not wing it. Do not wait. Build a system that turns new hires into closers and closers into champions.
🚀 Want to Make Onboarding a Competitive Advantage?
Our recruiting packages include free onboarding support through FPG. We help builders design complete onboarding and training systems for New Home Sales Consultants, from day one through month one hundred.
Let’s talk about creating your custom onboarding plan so every new hire becomes your next top performer.
Written by Marshall Scabet, the CEO and founder of Precision Sales Recruiting, a nationwide executive search firm dedicated to helping companies hire top-performing sales talent. A 20-year U.S. Army veteran and former Vice President of Recruiting at Forrest Performance Group (FPG), Marshall has successfully placed more than 800 sales professionals across commercial construction, manufacturing, and other growth industries. He holds two Master’s degrees—one in Human Resources and Organizational Development (University of Louisville) and another in Legal Studies with a focus on Business Law and Compliance (Texas A&M)—and is the author of The Precision Method™, a framework for effective sales recruiting. Marshall regularly shares insights on hiring, sales leadership, and recruiting strategy through articles, speaking engagements, and video content.
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