7 top habits of highly effective Sales Development Reps

Being the most effective Sales Development Representative (SDR) is a goal that most sales professional want to achieve. An SDR’s job is complex due to the sheer need for them to possess sales as well as marketing skills.

According to research, on an average, SDRs spend 41% of their time selling, so to close more deals and increase revenue, its necessary to adopt these top 7 habits used by effective SDRs worldwide.

Be a teamplayer

An SDR team is made of great players! In such teams SDRs share what is working, gives feedback and collaborates to build an overall top performing team. Sales teams that are united and work together produce greater results. As a result, being a team player can increase the chances of success for both; you and the organization.

Being committed

For an SDR, everything starts with commitment. One needs to have a daily plan with set objectives for strategic prospecting i.e. what should be the result of that sales call or outcome of the cold email. A consistent outline workflow with daily sales objectives helps stay focussed and achievable.

Know your Competitor

A quality thats is obvious to a salesperson, and valuable to a prospect. A product or solution is always in competition for the buyer’s attention. An SDR should study competitor thoroughly – offering differentiation, unique value proposition. Being able to clearly explain how your solution is different and why yours should be a priority.

Keep in mind that just as the selling space is always changing, as are the needs and expectations of your prospects and customers.

Plan and Prioritize

The job of an SDR is a busy one and effective SDRs are able to make the most of their time. The key to being highly productive is using good time management skills; whether its prospecting sales or setting meetings. An SDR has to prioritize activities in order to prioritize time.

Goal and result-driven

Without clear cut goals, it’s easy to get caught up in less important tasks that don’t result in leads. Being goal and result driven is an acquired quality that forces a SDR to rethink, adjust and plan their time accordingly.

It is equally important for an SDR to enjoy meeting those goals and crushing that target number.

Communicate effectively

Master all forms of communication  – phone, email or be it face to face. Sales being heavily dependent on effective communication, it can be a turning point for a decision making process. Ironically, avoid sounding like a salesperson! To connect with a prospect, the key is to be just a human, rather than rattle off a list of talking points. Don’t pitch, have a conversation!

Be Curious and an effective listener

An SDR’s role is overwhelming. An effective SDR has to be curious rather than anxious.  Asking questions will helps one understand what is important to your potential customers and the the level of importance. Active listening is one of the hardest skills to develop, since it’s natural to care more about what you have to say than your prospect. However, it’s incredibly valuable.

The the position of SDR is a springboard for bigger opportunities in sales. Working as an SDR is an opportunity to sharpen your sales skills while making legitimate contributions to an organization and can also be incredibly rewarding. Developing these habits will help to be a better SDR and a better all-around sales professional.