5 Qualities All Good Sales Development Reps (SDRs) Have

Have you ever been in a work situation where you feel you just can’t win? You’re working hard, having some success, but nothing seems to convince your boss that you are an “A Player.” Maybe they have some personal vendetta against you. Maybe they just are never there to see the things you do well and happen to be around when you make mistakes? More often than not, the problem is you. Not saying bosses are infallible (I personally am an idiot) but they typically got to where they are by having a good amount to success.

Here are what leaders of sales development representatives (SDRs) need to see in order to keep their confidence in the people they hire:

#1 Presence

Good SDRs show up. They are at work every day, in spite of whatever 21st Century unlimited PTO policy their company has instituted. They are in the office early and stay till the end of the day, not giving in to the temptation to follow coworkers out at 4pm. It may seem like micromanagement, but it’s hard to hit quota if you aren’t at work.

#2 Data Driven

Good SDRs don’t throw crap at the wall and hope that something magically sticks. Good SDRs track successes AND failures. They understand how to A/B test the right way and are constantly analyzing the effectivity of everything they do. They identify weaknesses in their processes and don’t wait for a manager to coach them on ways to fix it. The data is their coach.

#3 Consistency

This is far and away the trait I notice most consistently in my top performers. A good SDR is adding a new batch of prospects to a campaign at least every week. They always hit at least their minimum activity expectations, but it surprises nobody when they go way above and beyond, since it happens so often.

#4 They Know What Matters

In order: Revenue closed from their sets, pipeline dollars created from their sets, new opportunities from their sets, sets, calls, emails, social touch points. If a good SDR is not creating enough pipeline, they don’t use “Well I made lots of calls” or “I sent a lot of emails” as an excuse.

#5 Forecasting

Unless you work for a tiny startup, your boss likely has a boss or two of his own. And your boss has a quota too. They can’t forecast accurately unless you forecast accurately. It’s tough and it takes time to gather enough data but since good SDRs are also data-driven, they get more accurate as time goes on.

There you have it. If you like selling, have confidence in yourself, and feel on top of these 5 items, you will likely make a great SDR. Keep in mind that only lazy leaders hire people without lots of vetting. When you get hired, they have all the confidence in the world that you will succeed. Do these things and you will!