186 (Lead) The Ultimate Guide to Interview and Train High-Performing SDRs (Kyle Coleman @ Copy.ai)
Jan 11, 2024
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Kyle Coleman, Metrics to Quota Calculator, discusses actionable leadership takeaways for interviewing and training high-performing SDRs. Topics include running live interviews with pair interviewers, a 90-day SDR onboarding program, 6 certifications, using the activity calculator, and Kyle's career path. They also cover building a strong team, executing an omni-channel approach, the future of SDRs, importance of personalization, and strategies for hiring and onboarding high-performing SDRs.
During the hiring process, prioritize aptitude and attitude over pedigree to build an engaged and motivated team.
Provide comprehensive onboarding that goes beyond core tasks, exposing SDRs to various aspects of the role for effective skill development.
Deep dives
Redefine your talent profile
When hiring, it is important to prioritize aptitude and attitude over pedigree. Instead of focusing on factors like where someone went to school or what their parents do, assess their passion and energy during interviews. By finding individuals who are passionate and have good communication skills, you can build a team that is engaged and motivated to succeed.
Go deep and wide during onboarding
During the onboarding process, it is crucial to provide comprehensive training that goes beyond the core tasks of the role. For example, with SDRs, it is not enough to teach them how to write cold emails and make cold calls. They should be exposed to other areas such as product knowledge and delivering short demos. This broadens their skill set and prepares them to handle different aspects of the job effectively.
Document everything for scalability
As a manager, it is vital to create documentation and training resources to scale your team. You cannot spend 40 hours a week teaching every new hire individually, so written instructions, videos, and self-guided onboarding materials are essential. By documenting processes and knowledge, you ensure that instructions are clear, consistent, and readily available for your team. This promotes better communication, clarity, and efficiency.
Embrace individual strengths
Each member of a team has different strengths and abilities. It is crucial for leaders to recognize and leverage these individual strengths rather than trying to mold everyone into the same model. By allowing employees to focus on their unique talents and interests, managers can create a well-rounded team where each person excels in their respective areas. This approach promotes personal growth, increases job satisfaction, and maximizes team performance.
Kyle runs 3 live interviews with pair interviewers — having two people from your team will give you a better read
Run 90 day SDR onboarding where the first 30 days are focused on the core parts of prospecting and the next 60 are focused on full business acumen (e.g. running a 5m in demo)
The 6 certifications at the end of the 30 days are LinkedIn, Email, Cold Calls, Video Prospecting, Organizing Your Week, and Activity Mix.
Use Kyle’s activity calculator (in the show notes) to back out how many activities your SDRs should be doing to get to quota