WATCH THE FULL WEBINAR

TL;DR

• Run a weekly 15-min recruiting webinar and treat hiring like a pipeline.
• Day 1–2 boot camp: install tools, master the pitch, role-play → shadow → reps.
• Follow up hard (double-tap calls + SMS/email) and let AI handle FAQs/screening.
• Get rookies paid fast (warm network + two daily focus blocks + ride-alongs).
• Keep them with culture + leaderboards, and track the “Law of 50s” at each stage.

‍

Introduction: Recruiting is Your First Sale

If you sell door-to-door (D2D), you already know: recruiting is not an occasional task, it’s a system. In a recent RepCard webinar, Jess sat down with Ryan Russo, longtime D2D leader and now at Recruitomatic, to go deep on the three pillars of team building: recruit, ramp, and retain. The conversation cut through theory and landed on repeatable processes any owner, manager, or recruiter can implement this week.

This guide distills that session into a step-by-step playbook: how to set expectations that attract the right people, how to run boot camps that get reps productive in days (not months), how to build a sticky culture, and how to leverage AI-powered follow-up so qualified candidates actually show up. You’ll also see exactly where RepCard fits in your onboarding, training, leaderboards, and automated follow-up, so you can move faster with fewer tools and more accountability.

Part 1: Attract the Right People by Being the Right Leader

“You have to attract what attracted you.” That was Russo’s opening challenge. Top recruits don’t sign up for vague promises; they follow visible leadership, clear standards, and real care. Before you tweak ad copy, strengthen these three foundations:

1) Make expectations explicit (and verbal)

Set non-negotiables on day one and ask for a verbal commitment. Clarity beats charisma. Examples:

• Work cadence: “Six to seven meaningful hours in the field, five days a week.”
• Behavior: On-time, uniformed, positive attitude, CRM usage, daily reporting.
• Development: Mandatory role-play, weekly coaching, and recorded practice.

Pro tip: Save your “Expectations Agreement” as a template in RepCard’s Training Library so every new hire acknowledges the same standards and can revisit them anytime.

2) Tell your story (vulnerability creates trust)

Candidates are skeptical until they see themselves in your journey. Share your first week, your early failures, and how reps actually get confident. Russo’s four-part pitch structure: Intro → Problem → Solution → Transition is as relevant in recruiting as it is on the doors. Use it to frame the opportunity honestly: this work is hard, but winnable with practice and coaching.

3) Lead with care, not convenience

Plenty of leaders “recruit and run.” The teams that scale show up in the office and in the field to model the intro, work through objections, and sit in on early closes. Leadership is a service role; if you’re not ready to be selfless, the results will show.

Part 2: Culture and Branding People Can Feel

Culture isn’t a mural. It’s a weekly cadence of touchpoints that help rookies belong faster.

Simple, sticky ideas:

• Taco Tuesday / Bagel Saturday / Wing Wednesday: low-cost, high-connection.
• Micro-rewards: hats, polos, or shoes for daily behaviors, not just big months.
• Team formats: break into squads; compete on inputs (doors, demos) and momentum (second appointment, third 5-star review).

Tie it together with visible progress. RepCard’s Leaderboards and Competitions keep the scoreboard live so reps see advancement in real time (try a “First 10 Demos” ladder or “3rd 5-Star Review” milestone). When people feel momentum, they stick.

Internal links to explore:

• Leaderboards & Competitions (/features/leaderboards)
• Reviews Engine (/features/reviews)

Part 3: The Onboarding Boot Camp That Works in Days (Not Months)

The fastest way to lose a new rep is to throw them into the field underprepared. Russo’s formula: office + field in the first 48 hours, with a clear emphasis on pitch mastery.

Day 1 (≈6 hours): Foundation & First Wins

Goal: install tools, master the pitch skeleton, and rehearse until it’s smooth.

1. Tech Setup (45–60 min)
   • Install RepCard app, log in, and complete the rep profile (photo, intro video).
   • Connect calendar and meeting links; add “First 10 Appointments” automation.
   • Load “First Week” scripts and micro-goals in the Training Library.
2. Expectations & Non-Negotiables (30 min)
   • Review work blocks, daily huddles, and what “meaningful hours” look like.
   • Verbal commitment; capture acknowledgment via a RepCard form.
3. Pitch Essentials (120 min)
   • Teach the Intro → Problem → Solution → Transition structure.
   • Record reps delivering each piece (front-facing video inside RepCard).
   • Coach on tone, posture, and clarity, then re-record.
4. Objection Lab (60–90 min)
   • “Top 10” objections (price, timing, spouse, competitor, not interested).
   • Rapid-fire drills; reps must run the framework under time pressure.
5. Personal Network Fast-Start (30–45 min)
   • Build a list of 25 contacts; craft a “rookie launch” text + video intro in RepCard.
   • Send first messages; book 1–2 appointments for Day 2 shadow.

Exit criteria: rep can deliver the full pitch smoothly on camera, has calendar connected, and has booked at least one fast-start appointment.

Day 2 (≈6 hours): Field Confidence & First Conversations

Goal: show a winnable game, then let the rep try with support.

1. Morning Office Role-play (60–90 min)
   • “Hot seat” simulations; manager pushes three real-world curveballs.
   • Shadow scheduling: confirm afternoon ride-along or block of turf.
2. Field Shadow (2–3 hours)
   • Rep observes a veteran complete intros, transitions, and soft closes.
   • Document three takeaways and one question after each door.
3. Guided Reps (2 hours)
   • New hire runs the intro/transitions on 8–10 doors while leader observes.
   • Immediate feedback loop; correct one thing at a time.

Exit criteria: rep has done real conversations, can self-diagnose misses, and leaves Day 2 with a concrete micro-goal for Day 3.

Part 4: Fast-Start & 90-Day Ramp—Get Them Paid, Fast

The most valuable thing you can do for a rep is help them earn quickly. Early income validates the grind.

Your Fast-Start Plan (Week 1–2):

• Personal Network Sprint: 25–50 warm contacts messaged with a short intro video from RepCard; offer a free checkup/estimate/quote.
• Two Daily Blocks of Meaningful Hours: 3–3.5 hour focus windows (no scrolling, no ride-along chatter).
• Leader Ride-Alongs: one per week for the first month; model → rep → feedback cadence.
• Micro-Wins: celebrate first booked appointment, first demo, first 5-star review (automate push notifications via RepCard’s Reviews & Activity feed).

90-Day Ramp Targets (example)

• Inputs: 250–300 doors/week, 20–30 quality conversations, 10 demos.
• Milestones: Week 1 first demo; Week 2 first close; Week 4 consistent demos; Week 8 2+ closes/week; Week 12 top-half leaderboard.
• Review Cadence: weekly 1:1 (30 min) using RepCard activity, reviews, and calendar data.

Part 5: Your Recruiting Funnel, By the Numbers

Think of recruiting like your sales funnel. Russo uses the “Law of 50s” as a simple way to sanity-check performance:

• Applicants → Webinar/Info Session: ~50% show
• Webinar → Screening Call: ~50% advance
• Screening → Manager Interview: ~50% advance
• Interview → Offer/Start: ~50% accept

If 30 apply, ~15 attend your webinar, ~7–8 take a screening, ~3–4 reach a manager interview, and you hire 1–2. Improve any stage with clarity and speed:

• Speed to lead: message applicants within minutes, not hours.
• Clarity: your webinar must answer 1099 vs W-2, license needs, schedule, pay plan, and “day-in-the-life.”
• Pre-qualification: let AI and forms handle FAQs before humans touch the lead.

Track it all. If you’re not tracking, you’re guessing. Use a simple pipeline view and tag sources so you can double down on what’s working.

Part 6: Social Recruiting That Actually Converts

Your best ad is proof the game is winnable. Use social to show it:

• Rookie-to-Pro mini-series: week-by-week progress of a new rep (demos booked, first review, first close).
• Day-in-the-Life: candid stories from the field, not glam content.
• Leader Learnings: short clips on objections, mindset, route planning.
• Micro-wins on camera: “Today I booked my second appointment!” Make it normal to celebrate momentum.

Pair content with clear CTAs (“Join Thursday’s 15-minute info session”) and a single link to your RSVP page. After they RSVP, your automation should take over.

Part 7: Follow-Up That Doesn’t Quit (Until They Say Stop)

A lot of teams say they’re “dialed” and still only book ~40% of applicants. The fix is simple: more touches, sooner, in a way that feels human.

Russo’s cadence (high-performing template):

• Day 0 (within 10 minutes):
  • Text #1: “Hey {Name}, it’s {Recruiter} with {Company}. Got your interest—quick 15-min info call or Thursday’s 15-min webinar? Reply 1) Call today 2) Thur webinar.”
  • Call #1: If no answer, double-tap once (call again).
  • Email #1: Calendar invite with RSVP link and a 60-sec “What to Expect” video (record in RepCard).
• Day 1 (morning + afternoon):
  • Call #2 + SMS #2 (morning)
  • Call #3 + SMS #3 (afternoon) with light humor: “Promise I’m not FedEx; just making sure you got the link. Want the fast version?”
• Day 2–5:
  • Daily SMS + one call + one short value email (“3 things to know about pay plan / schedule / training”).
• Permission to stop:
  • “If now’s not the right time, reply STOP and I’ll close your file (no hard feelings).”

This is not “spam”, it’s service with clarity. Candidates already opted in. You’re giving them multiple convenient ways to say yes, not now, or no.

Automate this inside RepCard: use Automated Follow-Ups to schedule multi-step SMS/email sequences and set alerts for missed replies. Keep all touchpoints tied to the candidate’s profile so hiring managers see the full thread before the interview. (/features/automated-follow-up)

Part 8: Let AI Do the Busywork (So Humans Do the Human Work)

AI in recruiting isn’t theoretical, it’s here. Russo’s team layers automation to save time and qualify better:

• AI-assisted FAQs: send candidates a link to your knowledge base; AI answers pay, schedule, licensing, and territory questions 24/7.
• Screening logic: form-based triage routes qualified candidates to your calendar; others to the next webinar.
• Smart routing: managers only meet candidates who already know it’s 1099/D2D and accept the schedule.

Inside RepCard, you can centralize much of this motion:

• Training Library: store your “Watch Before We Talk” video and onboarding boot camp content so expectations are consistent. (/features/training-library)
• Calendar & Links: embed round-robin booking for screenings and manager interviews. (/features/calendar)
• Leaderboards: once hired, keep progress visible; “law of 50s” becomes “law of momentum.”

Part 9: The Four-Part Pitch (For Sales and Recruiting)

Don’t complicate what works. Whether at the door or on Zoom with a recruit, use the same spine:

1. Intro – Who you are and why you’re here (simple, confident).
2. Problem – The friction they feel (pay ceiling, stale culture, no coaching).
3. Solution – Your training, cadence, and tools (boot camp, field coaching, RepCard stack).
4. Transition – “Best next step is our 15-minute webinar today at 4 or tomorrow at 10—what’s better?”

Record yourself delivering it. Then have new leaders record theirs. Practice until it’s clean. The consistency compounds.

Part 10: Your 10-Step Action Plan (Print This)

1. Publish your expectations as a one-page, signable doc; capture acknowledgment in RepCard.
2. Schedule a weekly info webinar (15 minutes) and never skip it. Make it your top-of-funnel.
3. Load your screening cadence (texts, emails, calls) into RepCard Automations.
4. Create the Day 1/Day 2 boot camp agendas; store them in the Training Library with checklists and videos.
5. Record the “What to Expect” video (2 minutes) covering 1099/W-2, schedule, pay outline, and culture.
6. Spin up micro-rewards (hats/polos) and publish a monthly culture calendar (Tacos/Wings/Bagels).
7. Ride-along weekly with each rookie for the first 30 days—observe, coach, celebrate one win.
8. Instrument the funnel: track source → webinar RSVP → show → screen → interview → start → 30/60/90-day retention.
9. Tell more stories on social—rookie to first close, “second appointment today,” “third 5-star review this week.”
10. Review weekly with data: which source produced starts and who hit fast-start milestones? Double down.

FAQs We Heard (and How to Handle Them)

“We’re only booking ~40% of applicants—help?”
Increase touches in the first 72 hours. Double-tap calls (morning/afternoon), daily SMS + email, and an immediate calendar invite. Most teams are under-contacting qualified people.

“Candidates overload us with questions on the phone.”
Let AI + a written knowledge base answer the first wave. Send the link automatically after RSVP. In live calls, follow a short agenda; aim to book the manager meeting, not solve everything.

“How do we keep rookies from quitting in week one?”
Boot camp + micro-wins. Get them paid quickly via personal network sprints, shadowing, and daily feedback. Celebrate their first appointment, first review, and first demo publicly (RepCard Leaderboards + Activity).

Why This Works

Everything above reflects hard-won patterns: clarity, consistency, care. Clarity in expectations and pitch. Consistency in weekly webinars, boot camps, and follow-up. Care in the form of ride-alongs, culture touches, and visible recognition.

When those are present, recruiting isn’t a scramble. It’s a pipeline. Onboarding isn’t chaos. It’s a checklist. Retention isn’t luck. It’s momentum.

Bring It All Together with RepCard

RepCard was built for field teams who need to move fast, keep standards high, and make momentum visible. Use it to:

• Onboard faster: Training Library, templates, and recorded pitch practice in one place.
• Automate follow-up: multi-step sequences for candidate outreach and fast-start customer campaigns.
• Show progress: Leaderboards and Competitions to reward inputs and milestones.
• Amplify credibility: digital business cards and Reviews to turn early wins into social proof.

Want the full webinar replay? You’ll find it in the RepCard Training Library. Ready to tighten your recruiting and ramp plan? Book a demo and we’ll tailor this playbook to your team, roles, and markets.

Copy-and-Paste Resources (use inside RepCard):

Expectations (snippet):

• I will work two meaningful blocks (≈3 hours each) in the field, five days/week.
• I will attend the weekly info webinar and the Day 1/Day 2 boot camp fully.
• I will record and submit my pitch for feedback before field work.
• I will log all appointments and demos in RepCard daily.
• I agree to receive and implement weekly coaching feedback.

Boot Camp Agenda (snippet):

• Day 1: Tech setup → expectations → pitch filming → objection lab → personal network sprint
• Day 2: Role-play → field shadow → guided reps → micro-goal planning

Recruit. Ramp. Retain. Run this system for 90 days and your team will feel different because it will be. Fewer maybes, more starts. Fewer false starts, more fast starts. And most importantly, more reps who actually stay.

‍