One year on at Meritt, and it’s all go. I've spoken with hundreds of Sales and SDR leaders across the UK, Europe, and the US. It’s clear there have been many challenges faced, many overcome, and many still to come.

The big challenge that comes up time after time is how tough the environment is in which SDRs are expected to operate. SDR leaders are tearing their hair out.

And in many respects, I agree – it is harder.

Here are the big problems that I hear every day:

Email is a sh*tshow

We’re now seeing the impact email automation has had on our inboxes from platforms like Salesloft and Outreach. Email as a channel is ruined. It’s so ineffective that companies like Salesforce don’t even consider it a sales activity anymore. The answer provided by Silicon Valley? AISDRs, a billion domains, and inboxes filled with poorly generated copy. While it seemed exciting initially, all it has proven is that human-to-human connection is the essence of sales.

LinkedIn is a parody of what good sales should be

LinkedIn continues on a slippery slope, telling SDRs that all they need to do is create more content. This is marketing.

Or there’s the ‘buy my course’ brigade of failed salespeople, who couldn’t be successful in their day jobs, pushing poor tactics through overpriced Loom videos. Anyone who’s been in sales for a while knows these people are full of it, but young SDRs are being manipulated into thinking there are shortcuts. As someone who cares deeply about the development of young people, it’s hard to see. It’s why, at times, I may be a little cutting when I see the BS.

It’s a shame – LinkedIn used to be amazing.

The phone works, but there’s resistance – at every level

The only strategy, broadly speaking, that seems to work is the telephone. But it’s met with resistance everywhere, at every level.

This year, I’ve sat in boardroom meetings with PLCs laughing that they’d never answer a phone call, despite the fact their only effective channel is the phone. I cold call regularly myself, and even I’ve had CROs, VPs of Sales, and SDR leaders telling me they don’t take cold calls. The hypocrisy is a new level of irony that would be laughable if it didn’t mean the death of the sales floor.

CROs, Sales, and SDR Leaders that don’t take cold calls are killing their sales culture from within.

Just think about it for a second: the very people who hire others to cold call their prospects won’t answer the phone themselves, and when they do, they’re rude. Frankly, I’d remove any sales leader in my org that’s rude to SDRs on the phone.

Leading by example is real. It’s understandable that an SDR would be reluctant to call if their own leadership team responds negatively to cold calling.

SDRs just aren’t working hard enough

When you meet sales reps and leaders outside the tech world, one thing becomes abundantly clear – SDRs in the tech scene just aren’t putting in the numbers required. Even with all the challenges described, it’s entirely possible to hit your targets.

There’s an increase in apathy, entitlement, and poor attitudes.

The core behaviours required – grit, passion, urgency – just don’t feel like they’re there. The desire to win feels flat.

It’s time for new talent, and a focus on development.

So, what’s the answer?

The biggest mistake in this space is only hiring experienced SDRs. It’s understandable – you’re trying to de-risk it – but you're usually taking on more risk by doing so.

Fresh talent is needed.

“But we sell enterprise software, we need experience” – I hear this a lot, but think of the amazing SDRs my academy developed who sold directly into the enterprise: Jesse Milligan, Jamie Davies, Ezana Haddis, Chris Noble, and Laith Azzee. Look at them now – all exceptional talent who are still in the game.

We need fresh talent – the trick is hiring for the right behaviours. They are:

• Curiosity – Those who ask questions and constantly want to learn tend to excel in finding and building solutions.
• Coachability – Being open to feedback and learning from it helps SDRs develop faster and stay adaptable.
• Communication – The ability to listen and articulate ideas clearly is essential for building relationships and influencing prospects.
• Grit – Persistence and resilience in the face of rejection separates average SDRs from top performers.

Experienced SDRs should have been promoted, not kept in the same role for too long. The best SDRs should be moving into AE or management roles if they’ve proven their ability to deliver.

SDR Leaders - Be a coach not a manager.

SDR leaders primarily need to be coaches. They need to think like college basketball coaches, not administrative pen-pushers. That means spending their time ensuring they have the best people available to them and relentlessly driving performance. Recruitment, onboarding, training, coaching, and obstacle-removing are key.

If you're an SDR manager and can’t do these things, learn fast or find a new profession. The benchmark is that if you hire raw, inexperienced talent, you should be able to develop them into top performers through an onboarding programme.

If that’s not possible, invest in third-party coaching from people like MySalesCoach.

In the end

The board and C-suite need to change their attitude towards sales, hiring, and development. Sales culture needs to be championed from the top down. Embrace outreach, and focus on hiring for core behaviours over experience – that’s where the real change is made.