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Whether you’re a direct sales company with a sales force of two or two thousand, remote onboarding can be tricky. Face-to-face interaction has its benefits. Without it, it can be tough for new enrollments to acquire the education needed to succeed. It can be hard to familiarize someone new with your company culture. And, when all communication takes place through a screen, it’s hard for them to gain a true sense of the environment. So, one thing is certain. The need for a solid virtual onboarding strategy is a must-have for every organization.

The pandemic has forever changed the modern workforce. And more companies than ever are resorting to remote-only. For direct sales companies, remote onboarding is even more crucial.

It’s a channel that has long relied on face-to-face connections. Especially when it comes to onboarding. New distributors are often used to having a direct relationship with their upline. Or, the person responsible for training them. They shadow at parties. Observe at presentations. Connect at corporate events. And meet up for one-on-one introductions. But, with limited interactions, the onboarding and education experience has fallen on corporate shoulders. Add that to the stress of crackdowns from the FTC due to improper training of distributors.

One reason people leave their direct sales company is a lack of support and training. A strong onboarding system will ensure your distributors receive the support and training they need.

Primary Benefits of a Strong Onboarding Strategy

• Compliance. Compliance has always been a concern in the direct sales channel. And the need for compliance training has only gotten direr in recent months. The FTC has made it clear that direct sales companies—not just their distributors—will be held accountable for violations. An educated distributor is much less likely to make claims that can put you in jeopardy. So, you owe it to yourself to educate your sales field about what is and what isn’t appropriate to say when discussing your company and products. We embrace the breakthrough training formula taught by ServiceQuest for educating distributors.
  
• Retention. It’s vital for network marketing. For a direct sales company’s business builders, retention numbers impact growth and revenue. And, one of the best ways to increase retention is by providing valuable education and in-depth training to your business builders and your customer base. An educated business builder is much more likely to succeed if educated from day one.
• Increased Sales. Your distributors will be more likely to use and sell your products if they have more information about them. Customers can be educated about their favorite goods using the same onboarding tactics. So, this education will improve both loyalty and sales.

What should be included in your onboarding strategy? We’ve broken it down into five easy steps.

1. Merge Your Assets.

   Keep all your training materials and product information in one place. It’s one of the easiest ways to equip distributors with the training materials needed to start building their business. With all training content in one place, distributors can learn about processes and products on their own time and from any location.

2. Use a Learning Management System (LMS).
   

   Use an LMS to share lessons on specific topics by providing an easy and effective training/education tool. It connects you with your salesforce, current customers, and even prospects. These in-depth educational modules feature one or more lessons about a particular topic. And you can use digital assets as supplements to the lessons to improve understanding. Finally, you can end the lesson with an optional quiz to test comprehension of the subject matter. To encourage learning, some choose to reward participants at the end of the lesson. You can use digital badges, exclusive promotions, or other incentives.

3. Get Interactive.

   Enhance communication with an interactive video platform. It’s a personalized, engaging, and effortless experience. And, it makes connecting with new distributors and customers easier than ever. Share interactive videos from corporate that contain vital training information. Established business builders? If yes, you can use this same technology to communicate with your downlines in a way that piques their interest.

4. Support Continuing Education.

   Your organization is always changing. And you must keep up. From compliance rules to new goods and expanded benefits. Ensure your onboarding strategy provides the information needed to stay current.

5. Get Them Started Right Away.

   Use the above onboarding tools within minutes or seconds of someone enrolling with your company. Many companies provide new distributors with a “getting started guide.” This guide walks them through the steps they need to take within the first 48 hours of enrollment. And, using technology that gamifies this process provides an effective way to onboard them. All while maximizing their excitement and potential for future growth.

Looking for a remote onboarding solution that does all the above (and more)? If so, look no further than verbCRM. One of our clients doubled their retention rates in six months by using our mobile onboarding system. And we’ve seen comparable results with other clients. Learn how a streamlined onboarding system can boost retention and drive your revenue. Schedule a demo today.