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4 Things to Look For When Hiring Your Next SDR
We’ve talked about it a few times now. To have (what we consider) the most efficient sales operation, you need to establish a sales development team who work together to generate leads and convert them into demos.
This means you should put an emphasis on hiring the right sales development reps (SDRs). It’s a vital role that can make or break your growth.
Each candidate who passes your initial HR process should be brought in to meet with each player on your sales force. Or, in today's pandemic-changed world, Zoom video meetings can be used as well. During these rotational meetings your team should focus on 3 questions:
1) Does the SDR have the ability to quickly adopt, learn, and commit to the processes and systems?
Typically, it will take an SDR 6-months to build their pipeline. At an average annual salary in the U.S. of $56k, that is just over $25k to “get up to speed.” An emphasis should be put on a candidate that has shown the ability to quickly adopt the culture, strategies, and results you require.
2) Does the SDR have a winning, positive, solution-orientated attitude?
Rejection lies at the heart of most SDR’s days. Do they brush it off and excitingly move on the next call, or do they carry that rejection with them and allow it to way them down? I am a big believer that attitude and feelings can drip into your voice and writing. Thus a non-stop positive attitude is vital to ensuring each touch has the highest likelihood of converting into an opportunity. An SDR who understands the science (er. math) behind outbound sales is a candidate we have found most likely to keep up their sales spirit through the rejections.
3) Has the SDR demonstrated an unbelievably strong work ethic in the past?
Sales is a numbers game. Consistent output (calls, emails, touches etc.) is the most predictive indicator of producing a predictable stream of opportunities for the sales pipeline. I have seen countless examples where a less experienced SDR outperforms an experienced SDR simply because they made 20% more calls. Work ethic is the great equalizer.
4) Does the SDR have a pulse on trends and ideas for post-pandemic / remote selling?
Ask open ended questions about what they have seen in the marketplace since quarantine and the changes to our worldwide marketplace. If they have been lucky enough to be working through the crisis, what have they found works or doesn't work when it comes to outbound messaging and sequencing? You want an SDR who understands the value of a quick pivot and is resourceful in changing circumstances. Asking these questions will help you to understand if he or she is someone who sits back and takes direction or is proactive to every changing environment (and prospect) that they interact with.
To have (what we consider) the most efficient sales operation, you need to establish a sales development team who work together to generate leads and convert them into demos.
