Cold Calling - How to Make it Work

 One of my biggest challenges as an SDR came with a Merchant Services company. The company marketed and sold it's products to the small business sector. After two days of training I was provided with a call list that consisted of 10 pages of potential prospects that had already been contacted several times by former employees. The list was not sorted in any order. The list was also lacking in the names of decision makers and or owners. After 2 weeks of  'working' the list and not making my numbers I decided I had to change course or suffer the consequences.

I decided that if I was going to survive in that environment I would have to develop my own contact list. I began working on the project at home. The lists that I produced contained the following information:

• Sorted by zip code and industry type
• Name of decision maker/owner
• Current provider 
• Valid contact number
• Sales volume
• Length of time in business
• Valid physical address
• Number of employees
• Number of locations
• Recent events and changes
• Valid e-mail address

With this type of list I was able to hit my numbers within a week. I also was able to help other SDR's to succeed with the same type of lists.

Inside Sales - Tips for the New SDR/BDR - Scripting

 One of the best sales tips I received as a new SDR came from a prospect. I had contacted the prospect and recited my entire boiler plate script to him. At the end of the presentation he calmly stated, "Please don't read your entire script to me. Just tell me what you got and how it will help me." Following that phone call I revised my entire presentation to:

• Greet the prospect
• Provide my first and last name
• Stating the reason for the call
• Gauge interest
• Ask qualifying questions
• Provide a solution to the prospect's problem

Inside Sales - Tips for the New SDR/BDR - Training is Essential

 My first sales and marketing position was as an inside sales development representative with a large financial institution. My previous professional experience included 6 years as a corporate tax accountant and 9 years as a financial system analyst. 

My primary reason for accepting the position was that my first attempt at a startup had failed. The reason for the failure was my lack of sales and marketing experience. I had no desire to go back to a career of financial analysis and reporting. I had to make this sales stuff work.

My survival and success as a rookie sales development representative was solely due to the training program(s) which the organization provided.

The initial training period was for 3 weeks and included:

• Goals and objectives of the sales development representatives
• Detailed product description
• Regional pricing structure
• Rules and regulations of the financial industry
• System navigation
• Sales cycle(s)
• Competitor analysis
• Customer profile(s)
• Outline of initial marketing campaigns 
• Phone etiquette 
• Mock sales calls
• Scripting
• Mentoring from seasoned sales development representatives