10 SDR Techniques to Level Up Your Contact Rate
Reaching out to prospects can be tiring and sometimes annoying. Cold calling, smiling and dialing, hang-ups… ugh, why bother? Sales Development Reps (SDRs) face a unique challenge in their attempts to make a connection in today’s digital world but their efforts actually breathe life into the prospecting undertaking.
Televerde specifically faces something a little different. A large majority of our SDRs are located inside women’s correctional facilities in Arizona and Indiana where security regulations hinder the daily functions of the typical role. This means email and social media usage are limited if allowed at all under certain circumstances, and rigorous approval processes and security protocols must be followed. And still, they outperform average SDRs in the industry. Go ahead, take a look at some of the results they’ve generated.
Rather than suppress their abilities or their value, Televerde’s call center work setting encourages its SDRs to be innovative, authentic, and tenacious. Take a break from the tired techniques of yesteryear and check out how our SDRs successfully connect with the right-party contacts and get the job done:
1. Upgrade your subject lines
Our SDRs inject their own creativity when crafting emails. Here are but a few examples:
Let’s talk trash
♦ This was specific to a waste management company and grabbed the attention of all the decision makers to lead to a closed won opportunity.
I would love a “Yes” from you today but a “No, not now” is just as exciting
♦ More often than not, prospects respond with “not now,” which opens the door for our SDRs to ask what their hesitation is and they can plan a more tailored follow-up for the prospect.
Swipe right on us
♦ Everyone understands a good Tinder pun these days. The body of the email even includes a faux dating profile that is sure to “match” with the prospect.
C’mon, it’s Friday, you’re killing time anyway
♦ This is a great line to use as we anticipate the weekend and people are more inclined to click on something that has both truth and humor in it.
2. Follow-up email invite
When the prospect cuts a call short, our SDRs skip the post-call email and follow up with a 15-minute calendar invite instead. One-third of the time, prospects usually accept and the SDR can capitalize on the opportunity.
3. Do your homework
Televerde SDRs research a prospect’s past employment, interests, the charities they support, etc., and then tailor a message specific to them. Bonus points if they’ve worked previously at a client of ours.
4. Celebrate the wins
It’s important to acknowledge the SDR when a deal is closed, not just the sales rep. People sometimes forget that the sales team has SDRs backing them up to help engage with key decision-makers in target accounts and to make those wins a possibility. At Televerde, our SDRs receive praise and recognition for their support and closed deals. This is just another way to keep your SDRs motivated to keep reaching out to more people.
5. Genuine interest
Our SDRs connect with prospects and engage in sincere conversations. From their previous research, SDRs find many commonalities and interesting topics to discuss. They connect with prospects through curiosity and take a consultative approach, not just trying to close, but actively trying to help the prospect.
6. Networking
Regardless of the SDRs’ aforementioned social media limitations, they keep updated account maps and work with their sales rep’s network to gain referrals. While on the phone, they ask probing questions, make friends with gatekeepers, and even have meaningful conversations with people that may not be decision-makers, but can provide insight into challenges.
7. Get to the point
Lengthy, jargon-y emails won’t get you far. Our SDRs send brief messaging that people want to open, want to read, and most of all, want to respond to. A dry, canned email full of words explaining a solution and service just won’t make the cut.
8. Voicemails are still a thing
For some reason, voicemails have a bad rap. Many SDRs today assume voicemails are outdated so they don’t bother leaving them. Big mistake. Our SDRs leave simple voicemails, which include the prospects name, the SDRs phone number, and a succinct and relevant benefit that encourages the prospect to call back. It doesn’t work every time but when it does, the prospect typically has a true interest.
9. Teamwork makes the dream work
Aim to build real, lasting relationships with your own sales reps, because after all, you are a team. Like any great team – Batman and Robin, Scooby-Doo and Shaggy – our SDRs and their sales reps build trust, work cohesively, and support each other. They map accounts and buying units together, communicate regularly, and share contacts to connect with the next prospect.
10. The art of human touch
Our SDRs don’t go in like it’s a sales call. They help the conversations to flow easily and talk to prospects like they are good friends. Example: “We want to help you fix this. Talk to me about how this is affecting your day-to-day tasks.”
Business doesn’t always have to be by the book. Inserting some playfulness and personality into your outreach strategy can change the game. Whether you’re an SDR, you coach a team of them, or you’re a C-level executive looking for new ways to gain traction into your organization’s target accounts, try out these tactics to help you make some headway or reach out to Televerde today!
