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What We've Learned Managing Outsourced BDRs
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Soften your qualification criteria – With the amount of turnover, it’s harder for outsourced BDRs to become fully fluent in your BANT (budget, authority, need and timeline) criteria. Consider a lighter qualification, such as “Need plus something else,” or “2+ partial BANT”. “Sales reps simply don’t hold themselves accountable until it’s in their pipeline.” Your outsourced BDR team needs direct access to Salesforce – This one is a deal breaker. Batching files every night is a nightmare.
Is your data clean and complete? “Are you using Leads, Contacts, or both? How do you match Leads to Accounts?” How are leads assigned? Do you “pace” large list uploads from content syndication or events?
Get your s%!t together “outsourcing BDRs won’t fix your problems.” Have you defined the lifecycle stages? Are the handoffs crystal clear across your documentation, automation, and sales teams?
Get your s%!t together “the cost of the agency will shine a glaring light on every crack in your lead-to-revenue process:” Have you defined the lifecycle stages? Are the handoffs crystal clear across your documentation, automation, and sales teams?
Don’t be tempted by magical thinking – outsourcing BDRs won’t fix your problems. In fact, the cost of the agency will shine a glaring light on every crack in your lead-to-revenue process: “Have you defined the lifecycle stages?” Do you agree on BANT criteria, or what an Opportunity even is? Are rejection reasons standardized? Who creates the Opportunity once it’s qualified?
Don’t be tempted by magical thinking – outsourcing BDRs won’t fix your problems. In fact, the cost of the agency will shine a glaring light on every crack in your lead-to-revenue process: “Are the handoffs crystal clear across your documentation, automation, and sales teams?” Do you agree on BANT criteria, or what an Opportunity even is? Are rejection reasons standardized? Who creates the Opportunity once it’s qualified?
Have you defined the lifecycle stages? Are the handoffs crystal clear across your documentation, automation, and sales teams? “Do you agree on BANT criteria, or what an Opportunity even is? Are rejection reasons standardized? Who creates the Opportunity once it’s qualified?” Do you have clear reporting into volume, attribution, and velocity?
Is your data clean and complete? “Are you using Leads, Contacts, or both? How do you match Leads to Accounts?” How are leads assigned? Do you “pace” large list uploads from content syndication or events?
Are you using Leads, Contacts, or both? How do you match Leads to Accounts? “How are leads assigned? Do you “pace” large list uploads from content syndication or events?” While you start vetting agencies, work through these internal debates and document/automate everything. Otherwise you’ll waste months of agency fees hitting every obstacle you’ve haven’t cleared.
Do you have clear reporting into volume, attribution, and velocity? “Is your data clean and complete?” Are you using Leads, Contacts, or both? How do you match Leads to Accounts?
Do you agree on BANT criteria, or what an Opportunity even is? Are rejection reasons standardized? Who creates the Opportunity once it’s qualified? “Do you have clear reporting into volume, attribution, and velocity?” Is your data clean and complete?
How are leads assigned? Do you “pace” large list uploads from content syndication or events? “While you start vetting agencies, work through these internal debates and document/automate everything.” Create an SLA you believe in
How are leads assigned? Do you “pace” large list uploads from content syndication or events? “Otherwise you’ll waste months of agency fees hitting every obstacle you’ve haven’t cleared.” Create an SLA you believe in
Measure your baseline SLA compliance first “Before embarking on any changes to process or staffing, get a baseline KPI.” Why? Because SLA compliance is usually abysmal. Our client’s inside team completely ghosted 60% of all inbound leads 🤯, and only met the SLA 16% of the time. The transparency was a shock to the system, and it helped build a case for radical intervention. It also eased the pressure on the agency when they hit 25% SLA compliance because, after all, it was an improvement.
Measure your baseline SLA compliance first “That’s usually SLA compliance rates for calling and booking meetings with inbound leads and outbound prospects.” Why? Because SLA compliance is usually abysmal. Our client’s inside team completely ghosted 60% of all inbound leads 🤯, and only met the SLA 16% of the time. The transparency was a shock to the system, and it helped build a case for radical intervention. It also eased the pressure on the agency when they hit 25% SLA compliance because, after all, it was an improvement.
Before embarking on any changes to process or staffing, get a baseline KPI. That’s usually SLA compliance rates for calling and booking meetings with inbound leads and outbound prospects. “Our client’s inside team completely ghosted 60% of all inbound leads 🤯, and only met the SLA 16% of the time.” Get your s%!t together
Before embarking on any changes to process or staffing, get a baseline KPI. That’s usually SLA compliance rates for calling and booking meetings with inbound leads and outbound prospects. “The transparency was a shock to the system, and it helped build a case for radical intervention.” Get your s%!t together
Going forward, SLA compliance will become a mission-critical KPI. SLAs are pretty emotional topics… we’ve seen teams who can crush 8-minute SLAs, and we’ve seen reps protest that 48 hours is too tight! “Define your new SLA carefully, using performance data.” Speaking on the phone within the first 24 hours was the most predictive factor to finding an Opportunity.
Define your new SLA carefully, using performance data. Our client found: “Speaking on the phone within the first 24 hours was the most predictive factor to finding an Opportunity.” After 6 attempted phone calls, the lead was dead.
Measure your baseline SLA compliance first “Before embarking on any changes to process or staffing, get a baseline KPI.” Why? Because SLA compliance is usually abysmal. Our client’s inside team completely ghosted 60% of all inbound leads 🤯, and only met the SLA 16% of the time. The transparency was a shock to the system, and it helped build a case for radical intervention. It also eased the pressure on the agency when they hit 25% SLA compliance because, after all, it was an improvement.
Measure your baseline SLA compliance first “That’s usually SLA compliance rates for calling and booking meetings with inbound leads and outbound prospects.” Why? Because SLA compliance is usually abysmal. Our client’s inside team completely ghosted 60% of all inbound leads 🤯, and only met the SLA 16% of the time. The transparency was a shock to the system, and it helped build a case for radical intervention. It also eased the pressure on the agency when they hit 25% SLA compliance because, after all, it was an improvement.
Before embarking on any changes to process or staffing, get a baseline KPI. That’s usually SLA compliance rates for calling and booking meetings with inbound leads and outbound prospects. “Our client’s inside team completely ghosted 60% of all inbound leads 🤯, and only met the SLA 16% of the time.” Get your s%!t together
Before embarking on any changes to process or staffing, get a baseline KPI. That’s usually SLA compliance rates for calling and booking meetings with inbound leads and outbound prospects. “The transparency was a shock to the system, and it helped build a case for radical intervention.” Get your s%!t together
Hire an FTE internally “even if you hire an outsourced BDR team, you still need a full-time employee to manage the program.” Running reports and analyzing results
How are leads assigned? Do you “pace” large list uploads from content syndication or events? “While you start vetting agencies, work through these internal debates and document/automate everything.” Create an SLA you believe in
How are leads assigned? Do you “pace” large list uploads from content syndication or events? “Otherwise you’ll waste months of agency fees hitting every obstacle you’ve haven’t cleared.” Create an SLA you believe in
Don’t be tempted by magical thinking – outsourcing BDRs won’t fix your problems. In fact, the cost of the agency will shine a glaring light on every crack in your lead-to-revenue process: “Have you defined the lifecycle stages?” Do you agree on BANT criteria, or what an Opportunity even is? Are rejection reasons standardized? Who creates the Opportunity once it’s qualified?
Don’t be tempted by magical thinking – outsourcing BDRs won’t fix your problems. In fact, the cost of the agency will shine a glaring light on every crack in your lead-to-revenue process: “Are the handoffs crystal clear across your documentation, automation, and sales teams?” Do you agree on BANT criteria, or what an Opportunity even is? Are rejection reasons standardized? Who creates the Opportunity once it’s qualified?
Have you defined the lifecycle stages? Are the handoffs crystal clear across your documentation, automation, and sales teams? “Do you agree on BANT criteria, or what an Opportunity even is? Are rejection reasons standardized? Who creates the Opportunity once it’s qualified?” Do you have clear reporting into volume, attribution, and velocity?
Is your data clean and complete? “Are you using Leads, Contacts, or both? How do you match Leads to Accounts?” How are leads assigned? Do you “pace” large list uploads from content syndication or events?
Are you using Leads, Contacts, or both? How do you match Leads to Accounts? “How are leads assigned? Do you “pace” large list uploads from content syndication or events?” While you start vetting agencies, work through these internal debates and document/automate everything. Otherwise you’ll waste months of agency fees hitting every obstacle you’ve haven’t cleared.
Do you have clear reporting into volume, attribution, and velocity? “Is your data clean and complete?” Are you using Leads, Contacts, or both? How do you match Leads to Accounts?
Do you agree on BANT criteria, or what an Opportunity even is? Are rejection reasons standardized? Who creates the Opportunity once it’s qualified? “Do you have clear reporting into volume, attribution, and velocity?” Is your data clean and complete?
Going forward, SLA compliance will become a mission-critical KPI. SLAs are pretty emotional topics… we’ve seen teams who can crush 8-minute SLAs, and we’ve seen reps protest that 48 hours is too tight! “Define your new SLA carefully, using performance data.” Speaking on the phone within the first 24 hours was the most predictive factor to finding an Opportunity.
Create an SLA you believe in “we’ve seen teams who can crush 8-minute SLAs, and we’ve seen reps protest that 48 hours is too tight!” Define your new SLA carefully, using performance data. Our client found:
Emails only worked for hand raisers (like “contact us” form fills). Prospects registering for webinars or downloading content simply didn’t respond to email. “And remember, SLAs go both ways! How timely will lists be uploaded after events or campaigns?” Hire an FTE internally
Define your new SLA carefully, using performance data. Our client found: “Speaking on the phone within the first 24 hours was the most predictive factor to finding an Opportunity.” After 6 attempted phone calls, the lead was dead.
Don’t be tempted by magical thinking – outsourcing BDRs won’t fix your problems. In fact, the cost of the agency will shine a glaring light on every crack in your lead-to-revenue process: “Are the handoffs crystal clear across your documentation, automation, and sales teams?” Do you agree on BANT criteria, or what an Opportunity even is? Are rejection reasons standardized? Who creates the Opportunity once it’s qualified?
Make it dead easy for outsourced BDRs to find and call high priority leads “Whether it’s a lead queue, SLA alert, or dashboard, reduce all friction in finding and calling leads.” In this dashboard, reps, sales managers, and marketing managers can slice/dice by lead status, SLA, campaign, parent campaign, owner, sales team, manager, timeframe, etc.
Measure rep capacity early and often “If you’re generating 4000 leads a month, and only have the headcount to call 1800 leads a month… well, you do the math.” But this is one of the best perks of an outsourced BDR agency: the demand gen and events teams can model busy seasons, and expand/contract the BDR team when needed.
Do you agree on BANT criteria, or what an Opportunity even is? Are rejection reasons standardized? Who creates the Opportunity once it’s qualified? “Do you have clear reporting into volume, attribution, and velocity?” Is your data clean and complete?
Get your s%!t together “the cost of the agency will shine a glaring light on every crack in your lead-to-revenue process:” Have you defined the lifecycle stages? Are the handoffs crystal clear across your documentation, automation, and sales teams?
Measure your baseline SLA compliance first “Before embarking on any changes to process or staffing, get a baseline KPI.” Why? Because SLA compliance is usually abysmal. Our client’s inside team completely ghosted 60% of all inbound leads 🤯, and only met the SLA 16% of the time. The transparency was a shock to the system, and it helped build a case for radical intervention. It also eased the pressure on the agency when they hit 25% SLA compliance because, after all, it was an improvement.
Measure your baseline SLA compliance first “That’s usually SLA compliance rates for calling and booking meetings with inbound leads and outbound prospects.” Why? Because SLA compliance is usually abysmal. Our client’s inside team completely ghosted 60% of all inbound leads 🤯, and only met the SLA 16% of the time. The transparency was a shock to the system, and it helped build a case for radical intervention. It also eased the pressure on the agency when they hit 25% SLA compliance because, after all, it was an improvement.
Before embarking on any changes to process or staffing, get a baseline KPI. That’s usually SLA compliance rates for calling and booking meetings with inbound leads and outbound prospects. “Our client’s inside team completely ghosted 60% of all inbound leads 🤯, and only met the SLA 16% of the time.” Get your s%!t together
Before embarking on any changes to process or staffing, get a baseline KPI. That’s usually SLA compliance rates for calling and booking meetings with inbound leads and outbound prospects. “The transparency was a shock to the system, and it helped build a case for radical intervention.” Get your s%!t together
Before embarking on any changes to process or staffing, get a baseline KPI. That’s usually SLA compliance rates for calling and booking meetings with inbound leads and outbound prospects. “It also eased the pressure on the agency when they hit 25% SLA compliance because, after all, it was an improvement.” Get your s%!t together
Don’t be tempted by magical thinking – outsourcing BDRs won’t fix your problems. In fact, the cost of the agency will shine a glaring light on every crack in your lead-to-revenue process: “Have you defined the lifecycle stages?” Do you agree on BANT criteria, or what an Opportunity even is? Are rejection reasons standardized? Who creates the Opportunity once it’s qualified?
Don’t be tempted by magical thinking – outsourcing BDRs won’t fix your problems. In fact, the cost of the agency will shine a glaring light on every crack in your lead-to-revenue process: “Are the handoffs crystal clear across your documentation, automation, and sales teams?” Do you agree on BANT criteria, or what an Opportunity even is? Are rejection reasons standardized? Who creates the Opportunity once it’s qualified?
Have you defined the lifecycle stages? Are the handoffs crystal clear across your documentation, automation, and sales teams? “Do you agree on BANT criteria, or what an Opportunity even is? Are rejection reasons standardized? Who creates the Opportunity once it’s qualified?” Do you have clear reporting into volume, attribution, and velocity?
Do you have clear reporting into volume, attribution, and velocity? “Is your data clean and complete?” Are you using Leads, Contacts, or both? How do you match Leads to Accounts?
Is your data clean and complete? “Are you using Leads, Contacts, or both? How do you match Leads to Accounts?” How are leads assigned? Do you “pace” large list uploads from content syndication or events?
Are you using Leads, Contacts, or both? How do you match Leads to Accounts? “How are leads assigned? Do you “pace” large list uploads from content syndication or events?” While you start vetting agencies, work through these internal debates and document/automate everything. Otherwise you’ll waste months of agency fees hitting every obstacle you’ve haven’t cleared.
Do you agree on BANT criteria, or what an Opportunity even is? Are rejection reasons standardized? Who creates the Opportunity once it’s qualified? “Do you have clear reporting into volume, attribution, and velocity?” Is your data clean and complete?
Hire an FTE internally “even if you hire an outsourced BDR team, you still need a full-time employee to manage the program.” Running reports and analyzing results
And constantly adapting to changing needs “If you hire a BDR agency, they should not report to a sales manager or a marketing ops manager.” Pick an agency on the merits of their team manager
And constantly adapting to changing needs “They just won’t be given the time/attention they need, and the program will fail.” Pick an agency on the merits of their team manager
This one may sting – even if you hire an outsourced BDR team, you still need a full-time employee to manage the program. Every single week will be consumed with: “Running reports and analyzing results” QAing transfers and ensuring no lead is left behind
Running reports and analyzing results “QAing transfers and ensuring no lead is left behind” Resolving questions and technical issues
QAing transfers and ensuring no lead is left behind “Resolving questions and technical issues” Augmenting data and refining lists
Pick an agency on the merits of their team manager “Pick an agency based on the strengths of their team manager, and evaluate them with the same scrutiny as an internal hire.” We look for a BDR manager who:
We look for a BDR manager who: “Intimately understands the entire BDR process, including working the lead queue, using the script, sending emails, [re]scheduling meetings, and entering data into Salesforce.” Is ready and willing to distribute and QA every lead.
Intimately understands the entire BDR process, including working the lead queue, using the script, sending emails, [re]scheduling meetings, and entering data into Salesforce. “Is ready and willing to distribute and QA every lead.” Updates lists and flags problems.
Is ready and willing to distribute and QA every lead. “Updates lists and flags problems.” Can learn and further teach your ICP, key persona, competitors, and product differentiators.
Updates lists and flags problems. “Can learn and further teach your ICP, key persona, competitors, and product differentiators.” Creates and analyzes Salesforce reports every day.
Creates and analyzes Salesforce reports every day. “If money is tight, begin your engagement with a solid month just getting the agency’s BDR manager up to speed and building that relationship.” Make it dead easy for outsourced BDRs to find and call high priority leads
Creates and analyzes Salesforce reports every day. “Then bring in the actual reps who will “smile and dial”.” Make it dead easy for outsourced BDRs to find and call high priority leads
Make it dead easy for outsourced BDRs to find and call high priority leads “Whether it’s a lead queue, SLA alert, or dashboard, reduce all friction in finding and calling leads.” In this dashboard, reps, sales managers, and marketing managers can slice/dice by lead status, SLA, campaign, parent campaign, owner, sales team, manager, timeframe, etc.
On the same dashboard, reps can see their entire call list and take immediate action against each contact: “And everyone is working from a single source of truth, and holding each other accountable:” Measure rep capacity early and often
Measure rep capacity early and often “If you’re generating 4000 leads a month, and only have the headcount to call 1800 leads a month… well, you do the math.” But this is one of the best perks of an outsourced BDR agency: the demand gen and events teams can model busy seasons, and expand/contract the BDR team when needed.
Going forward, SLA compliance will become a mission-critical KPI. SLAs are pretty emotional topics… we’ve seen teams who can crush 8-minute SLAs, and we’ve seen reps protest that 48 hours is too tight! “Define your new SLA carefully, using performance data.” Speaking on the phone within the first 24 hours was the most predictive factor to finding an Opportunity.
Define your new SLA carefully, using performance data. Our client found: “Speaking on the phone within the first 24 hours was the most predictive factor to finding an Opportunity.” After 6 attempted phone calls, the lead was dead.
Speaking on the phone within the first 24 hours was the most predictive factor to finding an Opportunity. “After 6 attempted phone calls, the lead was dead.” Emails only worked for hand raisers (like “contact us” form fills). Prospects registering for webinars or downloading content simply didn’t respond to email.
After 6 attempted phone calls, the lead was dead. “Emails only worked for hand raisers (like “contact us” form fills).” And remember, SLAs go both ways! How timely will lists be uploaded after events or campaigns?
After 6 attempted phone calls, the lead was dead. “Prospects registering for webinars or downloading content simply didn’t respond to email.” And remember, SLAs go both ways! How timely will lists be uploaded after events or campaigns?
Emails only worked for hand raisers (like “contact us” form fills). Prospects registering for webinars or downloading content simply didn’t respond to email. “And remember, SLAs go both ways! How timely will lists be uploaded after events or campaigns?” Hire an FTE internally
Get your s%!t together “outsourcing BDRs won’t fix your problems.” Have you defined the lifecycle stages? Are the handoffs crystal clear across your documentation, automation, and sales teams?
How are leads assigned? Do you “pace” large list uploads from content syndication or events? “Otherwise you’ll waste months of agency fees hitting every obstacle you’ve haven’t cleared.” Create an SLA you believe in
Updates lists and flags problems. “Can learn and further teach your ICP, key persona, competitors, and product differentiators.” Creates and analyzes Salesforce reports every day.
Is your data clean and complete? “Are you using Leads, Contacts, or both? How do you match Leads to Accounts?” How are leads assigned? Do you “pace” large list uploads from content syndication or events?
We look for a BDR manager who: “Intimately understands the entire BDR process, including working the lead queue, using the script, sending emails, [re]scheduling meetings, and entering data into Salesforce.” Is ready and willing to distribute and QA every lead.
Don’t be tempted by magical thinking – outsourcing BDRs won’t fix your problems. In fact, the cost of the agency will shine a glaring light on every crack in your lead-to-revenue process: “Are the handoffs crystal clear across your documentation, automation, and sales teams?” Do you agree on BANT criteria, or what an Opportunity even is? Are rejection reasons standardized? Who creates the Opportunity once it’s qualified?
Measure your baseline SLA compliance first “Before embarking on any changes to process or staffing, get a baseline KPI.” Why? Because SLA compliance is usually abysmal. Our client’s inside team completely ghosted 60% of all inbound leads 🤯, and only met the SLA 16% of the time. The transparency was a shock to the system, and it helped build a case for radical intervention. It also eased the pressure on the agency when they hit 25% SLA compliance because, after all, it was an improvement.
Measure your baseline SLA compliance first “That’s usually SLA compliance rates for calling and booking meetings with inbound leads and outbound prospects.” Why? Because SLA compliance is usually abysmal. Our client’s inside team completely ghosted 60% of all inbound leads 🤯, and only met the SLA 16% of the time. The transparency was a shock to the system, and it helped build a case for radical intervention. It also eased the pressure on the agency when they hit 25% SLA compliance because, after all, it was an improvement.
Before embarking on any changes to process or staffing, get a baseline KPI. That’s usually SLA compliance rates for calling and booking meetings with inbound leads and outbound prospects. “Our client’s inside team completely ghosted 60% of all inbound leads 🤯, and only met the SLA 16% of the time.” Get your s%!t together
Before embarking on any changes to process or staffing, get a baseline KPI. That’s usually SLA compliance rates for calling and booking meetings with inbound leads and outbound prospects. “The transparency was a shock to the system, and it helped build a case for radical intervention.” Get your s%!t together