Let’s get tactical: Rep Ramp Assumptions
When was the last time you reviewed your reps' ramp schedules? If it’s been a while, now is a great time to validate whether the quotas you're setting for your 2025/2026 hires are realistic.
Poor ramp schedules have multiple negative impacts:
Unrealistic quotas that reps won’t be able to achieve
Sales plans built on assumed productivity that doesn't match reality, leading to overestimated targets
Ongoing challenges with rep attrition, which further disrupts future ramp schedules
How to Review and Optimize Ramp Schedules
Your best friend in this process? Excel or Google Sheets. Analyzing actual production data by rep and role will help you set more accurate targets.
Steps to Analyze Rep Productivity
List Your Quota-Carrying Reps (QCRs)
Include start dates, end dates, and roles.
Recognize that different segments (ex: enterprise vs. mid-market, NAMER vs. EMEA) will have varying productivity trends.
Determine Sales Performance by Month
Base each rep’s monthly performance on their start date.
Ensure your formulas accurately reflect their sales timeline.
Calculate First 12-Month Productivity
Identify average productivity per role by month.
Create a cumulative view rather than just monthly snapshots.
Set Realistic Target Productivity
Adjust for price increases, product launches, or other business changes.
Be mindful of setting targets that are both ambitious and attainable.
Refine the Monthly Ramp Percentages
Keep it simple for GTM partners—avoid complex percentages like 0%/4%/6%/13%/22%.
Handling Rep Departures
Remove values for months they are no longer active.
Flag them to decide whether to include/exclude their data.
If they left before 12 months, exclude them from average production calculations.
Key Considerations & Cautions
Outliers: A rep who inherited a major deal in month two shouldn’t skew overall numbers. Similarly, a founder handing over a full pipeline to the first sales hire isn't a standard scenario.
Seasonality: If your business peaks at year-end, early-month sales spikes may not indicate strong ramping.
Market Conditions: Past ramp trends may not apply in different economic environments.
Final Thoughts
Ramp schedules are a critical component of sales planning and should be reviewed regularly. They also serve as a key metric for onboarding and enabling your sellers. If reps can't hit quota, you’ll be forced to replace them at a significant cost.
A well-structured, realistic ramp schedule helps ensure that both your team and your business are set up for success.
We have a template you can start from. Reach out to learn more!
