Timing
When it comes to the time of the day that you assign for your calls, you can just make them along the day, at random times throughout the week.
However, it’s much more effective to assign a logical time frame to make your outbound calls, as you’ll probably get in the “zone” and feel more comfortable doing them. That is because you’ll automatically associate that time slot with your real outbound activity mindset, and your brain will anticipate this by providing you with an adequate mood.
Also, it’s well-known that there are certain times when it’s not that recommendable to make your calls. For instance, people don’t tend to be receptive during the first working hour. This, probably, one of the best SDR tips you’ll ever find.
Moreover, consider also other aspects such as the maximum numbers of times you can call a given prospect. If one of your person of interest doesn’t pick up the phone, you can of course try calling them again during the rest of the day, but keep it to a maximum of 3 times, otherwise you might end up burning your lead.
Attachment to the outcome
It’s just a lead.
Sometimes we invest so much time and resources into a company that we get frustrated if we don’t end up qualifying it.
Our advice: play as hard as possible, but don’t get attached to the outcome.
Even if you don’t prospect that lead, there’s always room to get gold knowledge from the call if you have asked the right questions, and you can always learn new insights from it.
So, just breathe in, move on and don’t take it personally. Don’t forget either that even if your prospect is not currently interested, you can still send them some relevant info afterwards, leaving the doors open for future possibilities.
2 H’s: Humour + Honesty
It’s a game-changer to break the ice and to give a remarkable and, why not, fun first impression.
The third of our SDR tips is that being humoristic and getting creative is a great way to keep the prospects’ attention. Bear on mind, however, differences in humour across different countries or cultures 😉
Honesty is also important, so don’t try to generate a fake interest in something you can’t offer, but rather look for interesting alternatives or follow-up questions.
Too audacious?
Let’s be realistic, everyone knows what you are trying to do as an SDR (which is, of course, to “sell” a meeting).
The last of our SDR tips? Being self-aware of it, and knowing that the other person knows it too (meta-awareness) makes the situation much smoother.
However, don’t go too far: don’t just state who you are and why your product would be a “perfect fit” for that company. Get creative and think about new ideas to keep the prospect’s attention.
At the end of the day, it’s just two people having a short conversation and it’s important to be as authentic, nice and empathetic as possible. Don’t think of your lead as just someone to prospect, but rather as another human being who is also going through their day.
Want to make the most out of your time as an SDR? This is what your time working in B2B SaaS Sales can teach you.
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