10 Expert Tips to Supercharge Your SDR Training in 2024
As a sales leader, one of your most important jobs is to set your sales development representatives (SDRs) up for success. But with the average ramp time for new SDRs at over 4 months, getting your reps performing at a high level is easier said than done.
In fact, studies show that 1 in 5 SDRs report that their training left them unprepared to do their job effectively. So how can you revamp your SDR training program to get reps confident and crushing their quotas faster?
We talked to top sales managers at HubSpot to get their insights on how to take your SDR training to the next level in 2024. Here are their 10 best tips:
1. Start with a Comprehensive Onboarding Plan
The foundation of an effective SDR training program is having a clear plan in place from day one. Use a sales training template to map out exactly what skills and knowledge your new hires need to master.
Your onboarding plan should cover:
- Company mission, values, and culture
- Product training
- Customer and industry knowledge
- Sales methodologies and processes
- Tools and technologies
- Scripts and email templates
- Roleplays and practice scenarios
- Shadowing and mentoring
- Goals and expectations
"Plan where you want to go and what you want to achieve, and then work backward," advises Brian Bennett, HubSpot Sales Manager. "By breaking your target down into smaller pieces, it becomes much more achievable."
2. Focus on the Fundamentals
While it‘s important that your training covers a lot of ground, make sure you spend adequate time on core SDR skills like prospecting, qualifying, objection handling, and running effective discovery calls.
Create specific training courses or modules dedicated to each of these key areas. Include exercises and assessments to check for understanding before moving reps onto more advanced topics.
Remember, more than 40% of reps say prospecting is the hardest part of the job, so don‘t gloss over the basics! Give your SDRs the foundational knowledge and practice they need to master these critical skills.
3. Make It Interactive
Sitting through hours of lectures and slideshows is a surefire way to make your SDRs‘ eyes glaze over. Keep things engaging by making your training as interactive as possible.
Incorporate roleplays, mock calls, and objection handling drills to let reps put their learning into action. Have them complete challenges and compete against each other to make it fun.
Consider using a sales training platform to give your lessons more polish. "Tools like Seismic or MindTickle can help make your training more dynamic, gamified and personalized," suggests Elise Chang, SDR Manager at HubSpot.
4. Provide Battle-Tested Scripts and Templates
One of the biggest challenges for new SDRs is not knowing what to say on calls or write in emails. Don‘t make them start from scratch – give them proven scripts and templates to work from.
Of course, you don‘t want your reps to sound like robots. Encourage them to customize the language and make it their own. But having a solid starting point will help them get up to speed much faster.
"I like to provide my new hires with a ‘playbook‘ that has all our best performing call scripts, voicemails, and email templates in one place," says Emily Adams, Sales Development Manager. "We update it regularly as we test new things that work."
5. Make Coaching a Priority
Training isn‘t a "one and done" activity. Ongoing coaching is essential to keep your SDRs continuously improving their skills and performance.
Schedule regular 1-on-1s to give feedback, role-play tough scenarios, and help them problem-solve challenges. Don‘t wait for them to come to you with questions – be proactive in offering your support and guidance.
"I have my SDRs treat their first coaching sessions like a discovery call," says Fiorella Cardenas, HubSpot Sales Manager. "They come prepared with an agenda, share their goals, and gather information about expectations. Coaching is a two-way street."
6. Focus on the Right Metrics
With so many things to measure, it can be overwhelming for SDRs to know what numbers to focus on. Clearly define the key performance indicators (KPIs) that matter most for your team.
Make sure your reps understand how their daily activities ladder up to those high-level metrics. Pipeline generated, meetings booked, and opportunities created are common ones to track.
Consider creating a dashboard that gives your SDRs real-time visibility into their progress. Celebrate wins and offer support in areas where they‘re falling short.
"I like to say metrics are a mirror, not a grade," says Santiago Gutierrez, HubSpot Sales Manager. "Using tools like GetAccept or SalesLoft can give your reps real-time data on what‘s working in their process and where they can improve."
7. Encourage Peer Learning
Some of the best training happens informally between peers. Encourage your seasoned SDRs to share their tips and best practices with the new hires.
Implement a mentoring program to pair new reps with a "buddy" they can go to for advice and support. Have top performers present some of their wins and what they learned from the experience.
"I have my team do ‘film reviews‘ of each other‘s calls," says Alisa Shevchenko, HubSpot Sales Manager. "They share recordings, give feedback, and brainstorm ways to improve. The peer coaching has been really powerful."
8. Align with Leadership Vision
Your SDR training shouldn‘t exist in a silo – it needs to connect to the broader vision and goals for the sales organization. Meet with sales leadership to understand their priorities and how enablement can support them.
Maybe the company is launching a new product, expanding into a new market, or implementing a new sales methodology. Make sure your training equips reps with the knowledge and skills they need to execute on those initiatives.
"We make strategic training decisions based on what we‘re hearing from our CRO and Sales VPs," says Harish Mohan, Sales Enablement Manager. "We see enablement as a vehicle to help hit our larger revenue goals."
9. Make Time for Practice
It‘s not enough for your SDRs to know what to do in theory – they need plenty of practice applying those concepts in real-world situations. Build in time for reps to role-play different call and email scenarios with their peers and managers.
Have them complete prospecting and research drills using the actual tools and processes they‘ll use on the job. The more practice your reps get, the more confident they‘ll be when it‘s time to hit the phones for real.
"Practice doesn‘t make perfect, but it does make permanent," says Ryan Scalera, HubSpot SDR Manager. "The more ‘at-bats‘ you can give your reps during training, the faster they‘ll develop those critical selling skills."
10. Create a Culture of Continuous Learning
Finally, make continuous learning a core part of your SDR culture. Make it clear that you expect reps to proactively work on improving their skills and knowledge over time.
Provide opportunities for them to attend workshops, take courses, shadow colleagues, and access other learning resources. Foster a growth mindset on your team and celebrate those who take initiative.
"I always say learn it, do it, teach it," advises Wendy Baez, Sales Enablement Manager. "I challenge my SDRs to take what they‘re learning in training, apply it on the job, and then share those lessons with their teammates. That‘s how you build a culture of constant improvement."
Empower Your SDRs to Succeed
Building a high-performing SDR team takes more than just a quick onboarding session or a one-size-fits-all training program. It requires strategic planning, engaging instruction, and dedicated coaching.
Use these 10 expert tips to level up your SDR training in 2024:
- Start with a comprehensive onboarding plan
- Focus on sales fundamentals
- Make training interactive
- Provide proven scripts and templates
- Prioritize ongoing coaching
- Track the right KPIs
- Encourage peer learning
- Align with leadership‘s vision
- Allow plenty of practice
- Foster continuous learning
By following this blueprint, you‘ll be able to ramp new hires faster, arm them with the right skills and knowledge, and give them the support they need to crush their quotas.
Remember, an investment in your SDRs is an investment in the future of your sales org. Give your reps the world-class training they deserve!
