[blog_at_glance]

We’ve all been there. Six months of nurturing a whale account, countless "checking in" emails gathering digital dust, and your LinkedIn connection request sitting in purgatory. 

What if I told you how to change that? How to become the SDR that stands out… and the solution is easier than you think. 

Give them value. Something tangible that isn’t just a “here’s a blog you might find useful”.

Table of contents

• It Started with a Coffee
• Why Most SDRs Get Gifting Wrong
• The Science Behind Why This Works
• The ROI Question
• The Strategic Gifting Framework That Actually Works
• The Bottom Line

It Started with a Coffee

We started sending our prospects a coffee voucher with a simple note: "Thought we could have a virtual coffee chat about [specific pain point]. This one's on me!"

48 hours later, our meetings were booking left and right. 

But here's the thing – strategic gifting isn't about randomly throwing Starbucks cards at prospects like some caffeinated confetti cannon. It's about creating meaningful touchpoints that break through the noise.

Why Most SDRs Get Gifting Wrong

Let's get real for a second. Most SDRs approach gifting like they're playing Pin the Tail on the Donkey – blindfolded and hoping for the best.

Here's what actually works:

Pre-Meeting Magic

Send that coffee voucher 24 hours before your scheduled call. Not only does it boost show rates (we've seen up to 85% improvement), but it also creates a "mini commitment" from your prospect. They're literally buying into the meeting before it even starts.

The Dark Prospect Revival

Got a prospect who's gone cold? A strategic book gift can work wonders. But not just any book – I'm talking about carefully selected titles that align with their current business challenges. (Pro tip: "Who Moved My Cheese?" is NOT the answer to everything.)

The Science Behind Why This Works

As Jeb Blount says in "Sales EQ": "The law of reciprocity is hardwired into human DNA."

When you lead with value (like a relevant book or coffee), you're not just another SDR asking for time – you're a thoughtful professional initiating a value exchange.

Aaron Ross, the genius behind "Predictable Revenue," puts it perfectly: "The key to outbound success isn't more activity, it's more meaningful activity."

Real Talk: The ROI Question

I know what you're thinking: "This sounds expensive." But let's break it down:

• Average coffee voucher: £10
• Average book: £25
• Average enterprise deal: £50,000+

If you're doing the math (and you should be), that's a pretty sweet ROI. Plus, Forrester Research found that prospects who receive personalised gifts are 40% more likely to convert to meetings.

The Strategic Gifting Framework That Actually Works

Here's our battle-tested framework:

1. Timing Is Everything
   • Pre-meeting engagement (24 hours before)
   • After positive first conversations
   • When prospects go dark
2. Gift Selection Strategy
   • Coffee vouchers for initial meetings
   • Books for complex sales cycles
   • Higher-value items for senior executives (strategically)
3. Follow-Up Game Plan
   • 48-hour check-in
   • Reference specific book sections
   • Connect gift to business value

The Bottom Line

Strategic gifting isn't about throwing money at prospects – it's about creating meaningful touchpoints that accelerate your sales cycle and demonstrate value upfront.

It's about saying, "I respect your time enough to invest in this relationship first."

And sometimes, that simple cup of coffee can be the difference between another ignored email and your next big win.

[blog_at_glance]

Want to break into tech sales but don't know where to start? Becoming a Sales Development Representative (SDR) might be your golden ticket. 

This guide breaks down everything you need to know about starting your SDR career, from must-have skills to daily responsibilities and growth opportunities. 

Table of contents

• What is an SDR?
• Skills to Land an SDR Role in 2025
• The Path to Becoming an SDR
• Day in the Life of an SDR
• Career Progression
• Tools of the Trade
• The Future of SDR Roles
• Conclusion

What is an SDR?

Before we dive in, let's get real about what SDRs actually do.In general, modern SDRs are the critical first point of contact in the sales process, focusing on:

• Finding and qualifying potential customers
• Using multiple channels (phone, email, social) to connect with prospects
• Setting up meetings for Account Executives
• Gathering market intelligence

Essential Skills You Need to Land an SDR Role in 2025

Let's talk about what actually matters to hiring managers in 2025. Forget generic "good communication skills" – here's what you really need:

Must-Have Technical Skills

• Proficiency in CRM systems (Salesforce is king)
• Experience with sales engagement platforms (Outreach.io, SalesLoft)
• Data analysis capabilities (Excel/Google Sheets at minimum)
• Understanding of sales intelligence tools (ZoomInfo, LinkedIn Sales Navigator)

Critical Soft Skills

• Active listening (you need to actually hear what prospects are saying)
• Problem-solving (because no sales playbook covers everything)
• Resilience (rejection is part of the game)
• Time management (you'll be juggling multiple prospects and tasks)

The Real Path to Becoming an SDR: A Step-by-Step Guide

1. Education Requirements

Surprise – you don't need a fancy degree. While 65% of SDRs have bachelor's degrees, companies care more about your skills and hustle. What matters more:

• Sales certifications (HubSpot's Sales Training is a good start)
• Online courses in B2B sales
• Practical experience (retail, customer service, or any role dealing with people)

2. Building Your Foundation

Start with these concrete steps:

1. Take a free HubSpot Sales certification
2. Join sales communities on LinkedIn
3. Follow sales leaders like Morgan J Ingram, Sarah Brazier and our very own Chris Muldoon.
4. Practice mock sales calls - you can use an AI tool like ChatGPT for this
5. Build a strong LinkedIn profile (this is your sales resume)

3. Getting Your First SDR Job

Here's what actually works:

1. Target growing tech companies or SDR agencies like Punch!
2. Connect with SDR managers on LinkedIn
3. Demonstrate your research skills in your application
4. Come to interviews with a 30-60-90 day plan
5. Show metrics from any previous customer-facing role

A Day in the Life of an SDR: The Real Deal

Morning:

• 8:30 AM: Pipeline review and planning
• 9:00 AM: LinkedIn engagement (commenting, liking, sharing insights)
• 9:30 AM: Email outreach block
• 10:30 AM: Team stand-up
• 11:00 AM: Focus on high-intent leads
• 12:00 PM: Cold calling block

Afternoon:

• 1:00 PM: Social selling on LinkedIn
• 2:00 PM: High-priority prospect outreach
• 2:30 PM: Follow-up calls
• 4:00 PM: Administrative work and CRM updates
• 4:30 PM: LinkedIn networking and content engagement
• 5:00 PM: Next day planning

Pro Tip: According to Sales Hacker, top-performing SDRs spend 60% of their time on direct prospect outreach.

Career Progression: Where Can You Go From Here?

The SDR role is a launching pad, not a final destination. Here's what your career path could look like:

1. SDR (1-2 years)
2. Senior SDR/Team Lead (6 months - 1 year)
3. Account Executive (2-3 years)
4. Senior Account Executive
5. Sales Manager or Account Manager

According to Bridge Group's latest research, the average time as an SDR before promotion is now 14 months, down from 16 months in previous years.

Tools of the Trade: What You Need to Master

Modern SDRs rely on a tech stack that includes:

• CRM: Salesforce, HubSpot Sales
• Engagement: Apollo.io, Orum, Salesloft
• Intelligence: ZoomInfo, LinkedIn Sales Navigator, 6sense
• Communication: Zoom, Gong, ChatGPT for message personalisation
• Analytics: Tableau, PowerBI, Revenue.io
• AI Assistants: ChatGPT, Claude, Harvey AI for research and outreach

The Future of SDR Roles: What's Coming in 2025

The SDR role is undergoing a fundamental transformation. According to Punch!'s 2025 B2B Sales Trends Report, the role is splitting into two distinct specialisations:

1. GTM (Go-to-Market) Engineers

• Focus on managing scalable, tech-driven outreach
• Leverage AI and automation for prospect research
• Master data analysis and tech stack integration
• Drive efficiency through digital selling techniques

2. Network Development Representatives (NDRs)

• Specialise in building deep, lasting relationships
• Focus on high-value, personalised outreach
• Create meaningful conversations through digital sales rooms
• Build strategic networks that generate long-term value

Key Evolution Points:

• Human-Centric Digital Sales: SDRs will use technology to enhance, not replace, human connections. Success will come from balancing automation with authentic engagement.
• Tech Stack Mastery: The emphasis is shifting from using many tools to mastering integrated solutions that deliver faster ROI.
• Data-Driven Approach: Modern SDRs must combine relationship building with sophisticated data analysis.
• Digital Sales Rooms: By 2026, 30% of deals will be run through digital sales rooms, requiring new skills in virtual engagement.

This evolution reflects a broader trend in B2B sales - the most successful SDRs will be those who can leverage technology to be more human, not less. The future isn't about choosing between being high-tech or high-touch; it's about being high-tech TO BE high-touch.

Conclusion: Your Next Steps

Ready to jump into your SDR career? Start with these immediate actions:

1. Update your LinkedIn profile
2. Complete a sales certification
3. Start networking with SDR managers
4. Practice your pitch
5. Apply to growing tech companies

Want more insights? 

• Download our comprehensive "B2B Sales Trends Report: 2025" to see what top industry leaders predict for the future of sales.
• Subscribe to the Punch!’s B2B Outbound Podcast where we break down winning strategies with top performers, share practical tips, and discuss real sales challenges.
• Scroll through our array of industry relevant blogs. We cover everything from cold calling techniques to advanced sales acceleration strategies.

Now get out there and start your SDR journey. The market needs good SDRs, and with these skills and strategies, you could be one of them.

In the latest episode of B2B Outbound, Chris Muldoon sat down with two sales development powerhouses - Sarena and Holly - to unpack what makes a great SDR and how to build a successful career in sales. Both started as SDRs at Punch! and have since climbed the ladder to become influential sales leaders.

The Evolution of an SDR

Holly, approaching her 10-year anniversary- now acting as Punch!'s COO, dropped this truth bomb: "Green talent often outperforms experienced hires, even ramping up faster." Why? They're blank slates, free from bad habits and typically more receptive to coaching.

The secret? It's not about previous sales experience. Some of the best SDRs come from:

• Hospitality backgrounds
• Recruitment
• Performing arts

As Sarena puts it: "There isn't a right way or wrong way of selling as long as you play to your strengths."

The Numbers Game: What Good Looks Like

Let's talk metrics. Here's what a successful SDR should be hitting:

• 12 meetings per month (once ramped)
• 250 calls per day
• 70% minimum sat meeting percentage
• 80% coaching scorecard achievement

But it's not just about the numbers. As Holly emphasises: "If you're not coaching your SDRs, they're not going to ramp, and if they do, it's going to take a long time."

The Coaching Playbook

Here's what elite SDR coaching looks like at Punch!:

• Two 45-minute coaching sessions per week during ramp (non-negotiable)
• Live coaching on sales floors
• Focus areas include:
  • Reaching decision-makers
  • Objection handling
  • Closing mastery

The X-Factor: What Makes SDRs Shine

Want to know what sets top performers apart? Here's the insider scoop:

"The most successful SDRs over the years are the ones full of beans," Holly reveals. "They're the ones that light up the room. They've got the banter, they've got that energy."

Sarena adds: "When they come in, it is almost like coming home to a big family that has literally exactly the same thoughts, feelings as you."

Pipeline: Your Secret Weapon

One of the most overlooked aspects of SDR success? Pipeline management.

"Make sure you understand your pipeline," Sarena emphasises. "Have clear follow-up dates. Make sure your data is accurate. If your data is not accurate, it can lead you down a totally different path."

Golden Nuggets: Top Tips for Success

1. Master the Art of Listening "Your ears are your most powerful sales tool." - Holly
2. Embrace Rejection "Every no is one step closer to yes." - Sarena
3. Never Stop Learning "My rainy days turned into learning days." - Sarena
4. Build Your Pipeline Know what you're booking next month, next quarter, and beyond.

The Bottom Line

Sales development isn't just a job - it's a craft. Whether you're green or experienced, success comes down to persistence, continuous learning, and the right mindset.

Want to dive deeper into the world of SDR excellence? Hit up the latest episode of B2B Outbound where Chris, Sarena, and Holly share more golden nuggets that could transform your sales career.

P.S. If you're wondering whether sales is for you, remember Holly's words: "Green talent often outperforms experience." Sometimes, the best salespeople are the ones who never thought they'd be in sales at all!

Listen to the full episode here.

(And What They Need Instead)

Ali Friar - Client Manager

Keagan Stevenson - SDR Lead

Written by Keagan and Ali. With years of experience and a track record of helping clients generate thousands of qualified leads, we’ve seen firsthand what makes SDRs succeed—and what holds them back. Here’s our perspective on why your SDRs don’t need to be subject matter experts and what they actually need to excel.

[blog_at_glance]

Let us tell you about Sarah.

Sarah was our "star" SDR hire last year. Physics degree, 3 years of engineering experience, and technical knowledge that would make some of our solution architects blush. On paper, she was perfect for selling clients’ complex B2B software.

Spoiler alert: She lasted 4 months.

Why? Because she kept getting stuck in hour-long technical discussions about API integrations and systems architecture instead of, you know, actually booking meetings. (Sound familiar?)

The Weird Truth About Technical Expertise in SDR Roles

Here's the thing nobody tells you: Being too knowledgeable can actually make you a worse SDR.

We've spent 10 years managing SDR teams, and I've noticed a bizarre pattern: The more technical expertise an SDR has, the harder it becomes for them to do their actual job – booking qualified meetings.Think about it like this: You wouldn't hire Gordon Ramsay to be your drive-thru operator. Sure, he could do it, but he'd probably try to explain the molecular gastronomy behind the McFlurry instead of just taking the order.

The "Just Enough" Knowledge Sweet Spot

So what's the right amount of knowledge? We use what I call the "cocktail party rule":

SDRs should know enough to have an intelligent conversation at a cocktail party about your product, but not enough to fix someone's specific technical problems.

Conversational Skills and Why They Matter 

Want to know what correlates most strongly with SDR success? According to a recent study by Gong.io, and in our experience running SDR programmes that have generated 1077% ROI, it's not product knowledge – it's conversation skills.

The top-performing SDRs excel at:

• Reading the room (or Zoom, let's be real)
• Asking questions that make prospects go "huh, I never thought about it that way"
• Knowing when to shut up (seriously, this is like 50% of the job)
• Managing conversations like a boss

The Technical Question Trap (And How to Escape It)

Here's a scenario: A prospect asks, "Can your platform integrate with our custom-built PostgreSQL database using OAuth 2.0?"

Bad SDR response: "Well actually, our REST API supports multiple authentication methods including OAuth 2.0, and we have a custom middleware layer that..."

Good SDR response: "That's exactly the kind of technical detail our solutions architect would love to dive into. They've helped dozens of companies with similar integration needs. When would be a good time for that conversation?"

See what happened there? We turned a technical rabbit hole into a meeting opportunity. (Not saying it's magic, but... 🪄)

What Your SDRs Actually Need to Know

Instead of deep technical expertise, focus on teaching your SDRs:

1. The top 3-5 problems your solution solves (not HOW it solves them)
2. Basic industry terminology (so they don't sound like they're reading from a script written by ChatGPT)
3. Which questions to ask to identify pain points
4. When to shut up and book the meeting (seriously, I cannot stress this enough)

In a perfect world, every SDR would be a genius-level expert who could also charm the socks off a prospect in 30 seconds flat.

But here's the truth bomb: Your SDRs don't need to be subject matter experts. They need to be meeting-booking experts.

As Mark Roberge (former CRO of HubSpot) once said, "The best salespeople are the ones who know how to make complex things simple, not simple things complex."

What To Do Next

If you're building or managing an SDR team:

1. Stop trying to turn them into mini-product managers
2. Focus on conversation skills and qualification abilities
3. Teach them when to pass the technical baton
4. Give them clear boundaries on technical discussions

(And if you're thinking "this all sounds great but I don't have time to build this kind of program" – well, that's literally why companies like Punch! exist. Just saying.)

Remember: Your SDRs are your conversation starters, not your solution architects. Keep it simple, keep it focused, and watch those meeting numbers climb.

Because at the end of the day, a great SDR is like a great first date – they should leave the prospect wanting to know more, not feeling like they've heard your entire life story.

P.S. For those wondering about Sarah? She's now a top solution architect at a great company, just not ours. Sometimes the wrong seat on the bus is just the right person in the wrong role.

In the latest episode of B2B Outbound, Chris sat down with Kenny Anderson, our new Chief Commercial Officer at Punch!, to dive deep into the world of intent data.

Spoiler alert: It's not the magic bullet you might think it is.

What is intent data?

Kenny breaks it down for us:

"Intent data is essentially the digital signals that people leave behind that indicate interest in a product or service. It's not just about like a website visit; it's truly about patterns of behaviour."

Think repeated visits to your pricing page, gobbling up case studies like they're candy, or obsessively stalking your "About Us" section. (We see you, future customers. 👀)

The Good: Laser-Focused Targeting

When used right, intent data can be your secret weapon. It helps you:

1. Prioritise prospects who are actually in-market (instead of wasting time on tire-kickers)
2. Streamline your sales process
3. Make your outreach smarter and more relevant

As Kenny puts it:

"Intent is not a magic bullet. It's a tool to help you really prioritise prospects who are showing that higher intent."

The Bad: Missing the Forest for the Trees

Here's where it gets tricky. If you become obsessed with intent signals, you might miss out on:

• Prospects in early research stages
• People who are interested but not actively showing intent
• Opportunities to educate and build awareness

Kenny warns:

"If you're only focusing on the people that are actively showing intent, you definitely miss out on a much larger audience who are in that early research stage."

The Creepy: Walking the Ethical Tightrope

We've all gotten those "Hey [NAME], I noticed you're breathing oxygen today!" emails. (Ugh.) So how do we use intent data without coming off like a digital stalker?

Kenny's advice:

"Ask yourself, is this in the buyer's best interest? If the answer is no, maybe you're pushing too hard or exploiting data just a little bit too much."

Pro tip: Try owning up to how you got the information. Something like, "Hey, I saw you downloaded our whitepaper. Anything I can do to help your research process, even if that means excluding us as a possibility?" Buyers appreciate that honesty.

The Human Touch: Don't Let the Robots Take Over

While intent data can supercharge your outreach, don't let it replace good old-fashioned human connection. Kenny emphasises:

"You should use the data to inform your personalisation, not try to replace it. The intent data should make your outreach smarter, better. But you still need to have that human element."

Key Takeaways 

1. Focus on buying intent signals, not just general interest
2. Intent data isn't a magic bullet – it's a tool to prioritise prospects
3. Use intent to make your sales and marketing efforts more efficient

The Bottom Line

Intent data isn't going to miraculously close deals for you. But when used wisely (and ethically), it can help you focus your efforts, personalise your outreach, and ultimately, close more deals.

Just remember: behind every intent signal is a real person. Treat them like one.

P.S. If you want to chat more about intent data or B2B sales in general, hit up Kenny on LinkedIn. He's always down for a good conversation (and apparently needs to update his profile – nudge nudge, Kenny).

Listen to the full episode here.

After deep-diving with 10 industry-leading experts, we've uncovered the trends that are actually reshaping sales - and they're not what you'd expect.

Inside this report:

• 6 major trends changing the game (backed by real data)
• Direct insights from sales leaders crushing it right now
• Step-by-step deployment guides (no fluff, just action)
• Tech recommendations you can implement today
• Common pitfalls and how to avoid them

Whether you're leading a sales team or building one, this is your practical roadmap to staying ahead of the curve.

No theory. No jargon. Just real insights and actionable strategies.

[Perfect for: Sales Leaders, Revenue Officers, SDR Managers, Sales Operations]

[blog_at_glance]

Creating urgency in B2B sales isn't about cheap tricks or lying through your teeth. It's about strategically positioning your offer so that your ideal clients are scrambling to work with you.

We're about to dive into some FOMO (Fear of Missing Out) tactics that'll have your prospects signing on the dotted line faster than you can say "limited time offer."

Table of contents

• 1.The Art of Artificial Scarcity
• 2.The "Oversubscribed" Mindset Shift
• 3.The Power of Transparent Capacity Limits
• 4.The Launch Phase Frenzy
• 5.Premium Positioning
• The Bottom Line

1. The Art of Artificial Scarcity

First things first: artificial scarcity isn't about creating false limitations. It's about structuring your offerings in a way that naturally limits availability.

Think about it like this: You're not lying about only having 5 spots left. You're actually only opening 5 spots because that's all you can handle while maintaining the quality of your work. 

Here's how to do it right:

• Limited Enrollment Periods: Only open your services for new clients quarterly. This creates natural cycles of demand.
• Capacity Caps: Be upfront about only taking on X new clients per month/quarter/year.
• Tiered Access: Create different levels of access to your services, with the highest tier being the most limited.

Remember: the key is authenticity. Don't say you only have 3 spots left if you're willing to take on 30 clients. Your prospects can smell BS from a mile away.

2. The "Oversubscribed" Mindset Shift

Here's a mind-bender for you: what if instead of chasing clients, they were chasing you?

That's the essence of the oversubscribed model. It's about creating so much value and desirability that demand naturally exceeds your supply.

(I know, I know. Easier said than done. But stick with me here.)

How to make it happen:

1. Niche Down: Become THE go-to expert in a specific area. (Generalists are a dime a dozen. Specialists command premium rates.)
2. Create a Waitlist: Nothing says "in-demand" like a queue of people waiting to work with you.
3. Leverage Social Proof: Testimonials, case studies, and name-dropping (tactfully, of course) can create serious FOMO.

Daniel Priestley, author of "Oversubscribed," puts it like this: "The goal is to have people lining up to buy from you." (Sounds pretty good, right?)

3. The Power of Transparent Capacity Limits

Let's get real for a second. You're not Amazon. You can't fulfil unlimited orders. So why pretend like you can?

Being upfront about your capacity limits isn't a weakness – it's a strength. It shows that you're committed to quality over quantity. (And let's be honest, it makes you look like a total boss.)

How to leverage this:

• Communicate Clearly: "We only take on 5 new clients per quarter to ensure we can deliver exceptional results."
• Create Urgency: "Our Q3 slots are filling up fast. Book a call now to secure your spot."
• Use it in your Marketing: "Limited availability" should be plastered all over your website and marketing materials.

Aaron Ross, co-author of "Predictable Revenue," says it best: "Scarcity drives action. If there's no scarcity, there's no urgency to change."

4. The Launch Phase Frenzy

Want to create a feeding frenzy for your services? Try the launch phase approach.

Instead of having your services available 24/7, open them up for enrollment only at specific times. This creates concentrated bursts of excitement and FOMO.

Here's how to nail it:

1. Build Anticipation: Tease the upcoming launch well in advance. (Think Apple and their product launches.)
2. Create Bonuses: Offer special perks for those who sign up during the launch period.
3. Use a Countdown Timer: Nothing creates urgency like watching the seconds tick away.

Jeff Walker, the guy who literally wrote the book on launch strategies ("Launch"), swears by this approach. And let me tell you, it works like gangbusters.

5. Premium Positioning (AKA Playing Hard to Get)

Here's a radical idea: what if instead of trying to appeal to everyone, you positioned yourself as the premium, hard-to-get option?

This isn't about being arrogant. It's about confidently owning your value and attracting the clients who are willing to pay for excellence.

How to pull it off:

• Raise Your Prices: (Seriously. You're probably charging too little.)
• Create an Application Process: Make prospects prove they're a good fit for you.
• Leverage Exclusivity: "We only work with industry leaders who are committed to X, Y, and Z."

As Blair Enns says in "The Win Without Pitching Manifesto" (required reading, by the way): "When we position ourselves as the prize to be won, we create desire in our clients to win us."

The Bottom Line

Creating urgency in B2B sales isn't about manipulation. It's about clearly communicating your value, your limitations, and the opportunity cost of not working with you.

Remember: True FOMO comes from genuine scarcity and real value. Focus on creating an offering so irresistible that prospects can't help but feel like they're missing out if they don't jump on board.

Now, if you'll excuse me, I've got some limited spots to fill. (See what I did there?)

[blog_at_glance]

Look, I get it. You're reading this because you're either:

a) Drowning in a sea of SDR resumes and wondering how the hell you're going to onboard them all without losing your sanity, or 

b) Realising your current onboarding process is about as effective as a chocolate teapot.

Either way, you're in the right place. Grab a coffee (or something stronger, I won't judge), and let's dive into the nitty-gritty of scaling your SDR team like a boss.

Why Your Current Onboarding Process Probably Sucks

Let's be real. Most onboarding processes aren’t exciting or particularly well thought out. You throw a bunch of information at your new hires, cross your fingers, and hope they don't run screaming for the hills by day three.

(Spoiler alert: They're probably updating their LinkedIn profiles during your "fun" company history presentation.)

But here's the thing - a solid onboarding process isn't just nice to have. It's the difference between an SDR team that crushes quotas and one that... well, crushes your dreams of early retirement.

Pre-Onboarding: Setting the Stage

Before your shiny new SDR even steps foot in the office, you've got work to do.

1. Book Those Training Sessions: Don't wing it. Schedule every damn training session in advance. Your future self will thank you.
2. Assign Training on Your Sales Training Platform: (We use Allego, but whatever floats your boat). Pro tip: Make it engaging. If your training content is putting you to sleep, imagine what it's doing to your new hires.
3. Allocate a Line Manager and Buddy: Because everyone needs a work bestie and someone to impress.
4. Block Out Their First Two Weeks: Trust me, an empty calendar is the devil's playground. Fill it up!
5. Invite Them to Recurring Team Meetings: Nothing says "welcome to the family" like being voluntold to attend weekly status updates.
6. Set Up All the Tech: Email, sales enablement platform, internal chat, server access - get it all sorted before day one. There's nothing worse than a new hire twiddling their thumbs because IT "forgot" to set up their access.

Day One: The Make-or-Break Day

Ah, day one. The day when your new SDR is equal parts excited and terrified. Your job? Make sure excitement wins.

1. Morning Team Call: Introduce your newbie to the team.
2. Software & Server Demo: Show them where all the good stuff is hidden. And by good stuff, I mean the tools they'll need to crush their quotas.
3. Onboarding Presentation: Keep it snappy. If you find yourself diving into the company's 50-year history, stop. Just stop.
4. Line Manager Intro: Time for the "I'm not here to be your friend, but also please like me" chat.
5. Client Manager Intro: Because they need to know who to impress (besides you, obviously).
6. Knowledge Hub Readthrough: Give them time to actually read the stuff you're throwing at them. Novel concept, I know.
7. Buddy Intro: Introduce them to their new work BFF. Choose wisely - this person will shape their entire experience.
8. Q&A Session: Let them ask the burning questions. Like "Where's the bathroom?" and "Is it true that the last SDR who missed quota was never seen again?"

The Rest of Week One

The rest of the week is all about immersion. Call listening, live shadowing, training, and more training. But here's the kicker - end each day with a Q&A session. Why? Because if you don't, they'll be asking these questions on Slack at 11 PM, and nobody wants that.

The Secret Sauce: Continuous Learning

Here's where most companies drop the ball. They front-load all the training in the first week and then throw their SDRs to the wolves. Not us. We're smarter than that.

Set up a recurring "SDR Academy" session every Monday morning for the first six weeks. Cover a new module each week, from cold calling techniques to handling objections like a pro.

(Pro tip: Schedule these sessions for 9:15 AM. It's early enough to show you mean business, but late enough that your SDRs won't hate you... much.)

The 30-60-90 Day Plan

Don't just wing it after the first week. Have a solid plan for the first 30, 60, and 90 days. Include check-ins, advanced training, and gradually increasing quotas.

And for the love of all that is holy, schedule those 1:1 meetings. Weekly for the first month, then monthly after that. Your SDRs need face time with you more than they need another sales script.

The Bottom Line

Scaling your SDR team isn't just about hiring more people. It's about creating a well-oiled machine that can onboard, train, and retain top talent faster than your competitors can say "pipeline."

Remember, your onboarding process is the first real taste your new SDRs get of your company culture. Make it count. Make it engaging. And for Pete's sake, make it better than a two-hour PowerPoint presentation on your company's mission statement.

Now go forth and scale that team. Your future self (and your bottom line) will thank you.

P.S. If all of this sounds like too much work, well... that's why companies like Punch! exist. Just saying. 😉 And if you want to run the numbers, try our True Cost of Hiring and SDR calculator.

[blog_at_glance]

Ever feel like you're shooting in the dark when it comes to finding hot leads?

Understanding your prospects' behaviour and interests is crucial for sales success. This is where intent data comes into play. But what exactly is intent data, and why is it becoming an indispensable tool for Sales Development Representatives (SDRs)?

Table of contents

• What is Intent Data, Anyway?
• The Impact of Intent Data on Sales
• Why Should SDRs Care About Intent Data?
• The Three Flavours of Intent Data
• How Intent Data is Collected
• Implementing Intent Data in Your SDR Workflow
• Best Practices for Using Intent Data
• The Future of Intent Data
• Wrapping Up

What is Intent Data, Anyway?

Imagine being able to peek over the shoulder of your potential customers as they browse the internet. That's essentially what intent data does for you. It's information that shows you what companies or individuals are researching online, particularly when it comes to products or services like yours.

Think of intent data as a way to spot window shoppers before they even enter your store. It tells you who's out there, actively looking for solutions that you provide. This information comes from tracking online activities like website visits, content downloads, or specific searches.

Unlike trigger events, which are specific changes or occurrences within a company (like a new CEO or a merger), intent data is all about online behavior. It's the digital footprints that potential customers leave behind as they research and explore their options.

By using intent data, you can reach out to prospects early in their buying journey, often before they've contacted any vendors. It's like getting a head start in the race to win new customers.

The Impact of Intent Data on Sales

Intent data offers unprecedented insights into prospect behaviour and interests. Let's dive deeper into how it's transforming various aspects of the sales journey:

Improved Lead Scoring

Traditionally, lead scoring was based on demographic data and basic engagement metrics. With intent data, we can now incorporate real-time intent signals for dynamic scoring. This results in more accurate prioritisation of leads, allowing sales teams to focus on prospects most likely to convert. For instance, a prospect researching "cloud migration strategies" might receive a higher score if you offer cloud services, ensuring that your sales efforts are directed towards the most promising opportunities.

Enhanced Account-Based Marketing (ABM)

While traditional ABM targeted accounts based on firmographic data and past interactions, intent-driven ABM identifies and prioritises accounts showing active interest in relevant topics. This approach leads to more precise account selection, improved timing of outreach, and higher engagement rates. A case study from an IT services company showed a 3x increase in engagement rates for their ABM campaigns after implementing intent data, demonstrating its powerful impact on ABM strategies.

Personalised Outreach

Gone are the days of generic messaging based on broad segment characteristics. Intent-based approaches allow for tailoring messages to align with prospects' demonstrated interests and research patterns. This personalisation results in higher response rates, more meaningful initial conversations, and faster trust-building with prospects. For example, if intent data shows a prospect is researching "data security in finance," your outreach can focus on your solution's financial sector security features, immediately demonstrating relevance and expertise.

Shorter Sales Cycles

The traditional sales process often engaged prospects after they'd reached out or entered the consideration phase. Intent-driven processes, however, allow for identifying and engaging prospects earlier in their buying journey, often during the research phase. This early engagement can reduce time from initial contact to close, provide opportunities to shape the prospect's requirements, and increase win rates by being first-to-market.

Improved Sales and Marketing Alignment

A common challenge in many organisations is the misalignment between marketing-generated leads and sales team priorities. Intent data provides a common language and shared insights for both teams, leading to more efficient lead handoff processes, better-qualified marketing-generated leads, and increased trust between sales and marketing teams. A best practice is to hold regular meetings between sales and marketing to review intent data insights and align strategies, ensuring that both teams are working cohesively towards the same goals.

Predictive Sales Forecasting

Traditional sales forecasting often relied on historical data and sales team intuition. Intent-enhanced forecasting incorporates real-time market demand signals, resulting in more accurate revenue predictions, better resource allocation, and proactive identification of market trends. For example, a sudden spike in intent signals around a specific product category could indicate a potential increase in demand, allowing sales leaders to adjust forecasts and strategies accordingly, staying ahead of market shifts.

Competitive Intelligence

Without intent data, sales teams had limited visibility into a prospect's consideration of competitors. Intent data provides insights into which competitors' prospects are researching, offering several strategic advantages. Sales teams can address competitor comparisons proactively, refine their competitive positioning, and even identify at-risk accounts (current customers researching competitors). Tactically, if intent data shows a prospect is researching a specific competitor, sales reps can prepare targeted comparison materials, entering conversations fully prepared to differentiate their offering.

By leveraging intent data across these areas, sales teams can operate more efficiently, engage more effectively, and ultimately drive better results. As intent data technologies continue to evolve, their impact on the sales process is likely to become even more pronounced, making it an essential tool for forward-thinking sales organisations. The key to success lies in not just having access to intent data, but in effectively integrating it into your sales strategies and processes, always with an eye towards providing value to your prospects and customers.

Why Should SDRs Care About Intent Data?

According to a study by Gartner, the average conversion rate at the top of the marketing funnel is 6%, but organisations using intent data are two times more likely to have a 10% conversion rate. These impressive statistics highlight the transformative power of intent data, offering SDRs several key advantages in their prospecting efforts:

1. Early-Stage Prospecting:
   Intent data helps you identify potential customers before they've even started evaluating vendors.
   
2. Topic-Based Targeting:
   You’re able to understand the topics and solutions prospects are researching.
   
   
3. Competitive Intelligence:
   You’re able to gain insights into which competitors your prospects might be considering based on their research patterns.

The Three Flavours of Intent Data

Intent data comes in several forms, each offering unique insights and advantages for SDRs. Let's explore the three main types of intent data and how they can be leveraged in your sales strategies:

1. Third-Party Intent Data

This is collected by external providers who track user behaviour across thousands of websites.

How it works:

• Platforms like ZoomInfo, Bombora, and G2 monitor content consumption by placing tracking pixels across the web, mainly on publisher websites.
• They look for spikes in research around specific topics related to your product or service.

How to use it:

• Choose a provider (or multiple for broader coverage)
• Set up keywords related to your product or service
• Monitor for increased research activity around these topics

2. First-Party Intent Data

This is data you collect from your own digital properties. First-party intent data focuses on how prospects interact with your:

• Website
• Content
• Emails
• Ads

To leverage this:

• Implement robust tracking on your digital assets
• Analyse engagement patterns
• Create a scoring system based on different interactions

3. Predictive Intent Data

This advanced approach uses AI and machine learning to predict future intent based on historical data and complex behaviour patterns. It goes beyond simple trigger events by attempting to forecast which accounts are likely to enter a buying cycle soon.

Recommended tools for predictive intent data:

1. 6sense: Offers AI-powered insights and predictions about account behaviour and buying stages.
2. Lattice Engines (now part of Dun & Bradstreet): Provides predictive analytics and AI-based recommendations for B2B sales and marketing.
3. MadKudu: Uses machine learning to score leads and predict customer behaviour, integrating with popular CRM and marketing automation tools.
4. Leadspace: Offers a B2B customer data platform with predictive analytics capabilities.
5. TechTarget Priority Engine: Combines intent data with predictive analytics to identify accounts likely to make a purchase.
6. Mintigo (now part of Anaplan): Provides predictive marketing and sales insights using AI and big data analytics.
7. EverString: Offers a B2B predictive marketing platform that helps identify and prioritise potential customers.

When choosing a predictive intent data tool, consider factors such as integration capabilities with your existing tech stack, the breadth and quality of data sources used, and the tool's track record in your specific industry. It's also worth noting that many of these platforms offer features beyond just predictive intent data, so evaluate their full range of capabilities to ensure they align with your overall sales and marketing strategy.

How Intent Data is Collected

Intent data providers use various methods to collect and analyse online behaviour:

• Cookie Tracking: Monitoring user behaviour across multiple websites.
• IP Address Identification: Linking online activity to specific companies.
• Natural Language Processing (NLP): Analysing content consumption to understand topic interests.
• Contextual Analysis: Evaluating the context in which content is consumed.

Implementing Intent Data in Your SDR Workflow

Now that we've explored the different types of intent data and their potential impact, it's time to roll up our sleeves and get practical. Implementing intent data into your SDR workflow isn't just about having access to the data—it's about strategically integrating it into your daily processes to maximise its value. The following steps will guide you through setting up a robust intent data strategy that can significantly boost your outreach effectiveness and conversion rates. 

1. Choose Your Tools: Select intent data providers that integrate well with your existing tech stack.
2. Define Your Ideal Customer Profile (ICP): Be specific about industry, company size, tech stack, and pain points.
3. Select Relevant Topics and Keywords: Think beyond just product names. Include industry challenges and pain points.
4. Set Up Tracking and Scoring: Implement a system to capture and score intent signals.
5. Develop a Tiered Outreach Strategy: Create different approaches based on the strength and type of intent signals.

Best Practices for Using Intent Data

Implementing intent data in your SDR workflow is just the first step. To truly harness its power and drive meaningful results, it's crucial to follow best practices that have been proven effective across various industries. These guidelines will help you avoid common pitfalls, maximise the value of your intent data, and continuously improve your outreach strategies. 

• Combine Multiple Data Types: Use a mix of third-party and first-party data for a more complete picture.
• Act Quickly: Intent data has a short shelf life. Reach out within 24-48 hours of detecting strong signals.
• Personalise Your Approach: Tailor your message based on the specific topics prospects are researching.
• Align with Marketing: Collaborate on content creation that addresses the topics your high-intent accounts are exploring.
• Continuous Learning: Stay updated on new intent data sources and strategies.

The Future of Intent Data

The landscape of intent data is rapidly evolving, driven by advancements in artificial intelligence and machine learning. As these technologies continue to mature, we can anticipate significant enhancements in the accuracy and applicability of intent data.

 In the near future, we're likely to see more sophisticated and accurate predictive models that can forecast buyer behaviour with unprecedented precision. Additionally, we can expect a seamless integration of intent data across all customer touchpoints, providing a holistic view of the customer journey. 

This integration will enable real-time personalisation based on intent signals, allowing SDRs and marketers to tailor their approach dynamically as prospects interact with various channels. These advancements promise to make intent data an even more powerful tool for sales and marketing professionals, further blurring the line between predictive and reactive strategies.

Wrapping Up

Intent data is a powerful tool that complements other sales intelligence strategies like monitoring trigger events. By focusing on prospects' research behaviour and interests, you can identify opportunities earlier in the buying cycle and tailor your approach more effectively.

Remember, the key to success with intent data is to use it as a starting point for meaningful conversations, not as a shortcut to skip building genuine relationships with your prospects.