Unless you have actually worked as an SDR, you may not be aware of the complexities of the job. And, it is perhaps this lack of understanding about what an SDR actually does that leads to some misconceptions that are surprisingly common but of course completely untrue. Before we go about busting those myths though, let’s remind ourselves of exactly what a sales development representative does:
“SDRs are crucial to the sales process. They are responsible for qualifying leads at the initial stages in the sales funnel and must thoroughly research potential clients, connect with and talk to prospects as well as qualify leads before handing them off to more senior members of the sales team.”
That’s pretty much the textbook definition of what a sales development representative does. So, even though we can’t be sure where the misconceptions come from or how they even get started, what we can do dispel some of the most common ones right now.
All they do is cold call
There will be a certain amount of that but it is far from the mainstay of their jobs. For a start, an SDR will research the market to find prospects who are more likely to buy based on the vendor’s buyer personas. They will then personalise each reach out and find areas of interest where rapport and trust can be built before moving that on to a professional, business relationship.
SDRs are born salespeople
No one is a born salesperson. This term maybe used to describe someone who has learnt quickly or had early success but it’s not a real thing. The truth is that it’s a long road to becoming competent at sales but with the right training and the right attitude, people who excel at it often go on to have very successful careers.
You never know what they’re really doing
Actually, you’ll know exactly what they’re doing. SDRs are taught from very early on how important reports are. Not only do they have to be a reliable, factual account of the current state of affairs but they also have to be short enough to be understood quickly. This allows you as a manager to take strategic decisions based on what’s contained within the report.
They’ll all need to be fully trained in technology
In fact, as we’ll only ever provide you with SDRs who are familiar with your domain, the only training they’ll need is on the specifics of your product. Many of our SDRs already have a background in technology when they come to us. They are then trained further by us and as they work in the market every day, their knowledge is improving all the time.
They will need a lot of time to become successful
The odd thing about this one is it’s actually true if you were setting up an SDR team in a new territory on your own. With us though, our SDRs are local to the territory, speak the language and understand how business gets done in this regions. On top of that, their market knowledge mean they come armed with a lit of contacts that you’ll want to talk to.
To Conclude
As you can see, these misconceptions are so misguided that some of them even contradict each other. Now that you have read this though, you will be able to correct anyone who tells you one of these as a ‘solid fact.’ What’s more, if you’d like to know more about how you could benefit from SDR as a Service, get in touch. We’re always happy to jump on a call.