Why Does It Matter To Hire
Top-Notch Sales Development Reps

Sales Development Representatives (SDRs) have the toughest, and arguably the most important job in the company. That's why it's vital to choose the right people and strategy for your business, whether that will be in-house or remote SDR teams.
Why do sales development reps matter? It's simple. Unskilled SDRs can cost you critical relationships and opportunities, as they are the first point of contact with potential customers, and the face of your organization. A great SDR can get you 3-10 times more sales deals and drastically improve the qualification of leads, which is massive for your bottom line.

So, what makes a high-quality sales development rep?
There are certain qualities and personality traits that distinguish talented SDRs from the ones that consistently fail to meet their quotas. Surely, no one is born a salesperson. Having said that, when you start building your sales team, try to look for these characteristics in a candidate:

First of all, passion. This can sound like a cliché, but even the most capable person will fail to sell you anything if they aren't committed. And not only being passionate about your product, but for life in general – you can't fake that attitude. That's the key to being persuasive!

Next, a problem-solving mindset. You are looking for a resourceful person, who will find creative ways to solve any problem and conquer any challenge. A top-notch SDR thinks on their feet and figures things out.

Third, ability to question and listen. Modern SDRs need to be able to ask the right questions, as well as discover potential opportunities in the answers of a prospect by actively listening. They are also the people responsible for communicating their findings to the rest of the company, so listening skills shouldn't be neglected.

Last but not least, resilience. Effective sales development reps take "No-s", and turn them into sales. Resilient SDRs will stay positive and continue to drive sales instead of getting their spirit crushed by the rejection.

Expanding the ideal hiring profile, these are additional traits to seek:
· Creativity
· Articulation
· Competitiveness
· High-achieving
· Willingness to learn
· Integrity
· Likeability
How to hire sales development reps effectively?
The truth is, recruiting and qualifying top-notch SDRs will require a lot of time and effort.

If you don't want to waste too much of your time, you can implement a survey or similar online tool to scan candidates for the traits you're looking for. Once you've sifted through the potential hires, usually a quick phone call takes place to find out more about them and test how they'll fit into the organisational culture.

Then follows the most telling part of the recruitment process - a role play or similar type of test assignment. You can ask candidates to pitch you something or carry out some daily SDR tasks. It's imperative to give clear instructions to them to be able to assess their performance fairly. This is the time for the brilliant SDR to shine by showing off how articulate, creative and quick to react to the situation they are.

The last stage is a face-to-face interview, during which you can assess how passionate the candidate is and how much they know about your company. It's also where you're encouraged to think about whether or not you'll enjoy working with this individual in the first place.

Going through this whole process of hiring and retaining really great sales development reps can be quite challenging. Another option for the companies who would like to hire experienced SDRs and still be cost effective is to outsource the SDR team.

Why work with remote SDRs?
Working with remote SDR teams is the easiest way to extend your reach. Basically, you're getting rid of that slow hiring process, reducing your overheads and letting your in-house sales team focus on winning new clients instead of prospecting. Effectively, it's a growth hack.

Every new SDR you bring on board is driving up your cost. Let's break it down:
One thing about hiring SDRs is that all that effort (and money!) used for hiring and coaching them will be wasted when they leave your company. And, shockingly, the average time a sales development rep stays in one company is only 14 months, according to The Bridge Group.

Also, given that this is an entry position, the sales development reps are usually quite inexperienced. Remote SDR teams, on the other hand, have worked on multiple projects and have accumulated knowledge and skills that you can take advantage of. They are already experts in using various sales tools and are up to date with the latest trends in sales development. Moreover, outsourcing sales development activities frees up time for the internal sales team that can be dedicated to closing new deals. That's a great way to boost performance!
Therefore, when considering whether to hire and train SDRs in-house, ask yourself, "Is this investment worth it?". If the answer is "no", you might want to consider hiring an experienced, virtual team of sales development reps.
If you want to know more about the possibilities of working with a remote team, reach out to us at Prosply and we'll be happy to support you with your sales prospecting strategy!
The Author:
Nia Ilieva, Marketing Manager at Prosply
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