I started my sales development career more than a year and half ago and have never been more pleased with the decision I made. I’ve prospected into enterprise accounts and trained next level SDR’s, but one aspect remains consistent throughout it all, the childlike love I have for getting the next big account or seeing someone reach their full potential.
The Life of an SDR can be comparable to the grind I felt as a college athlete. Early morning’s turn into late nights, but with always one ultimate goal in mind-
The thrill of getting the game winning hit/closing the account you’ve been chasing for months.
Youthful Exuberance
When I left the sports world, I thought I’d never feel the same passion and thirst for success. Like many of us, our dreams of playing professional sports is cut short for a multitude of different reasons- Injury, Life, Skill, etc.
One reason for drive has transitioned extremely well into the sales development world: a youthful exuberance. We’ve all been around the SDR who throws their hands up and slams the headset down after getting a “Yes” from a VP of a long sought after account. They smile from ear to ear and usually run to their nearest manager to let them know they took down Goliath.
The immediate feeling is incomparable and will held onto for months and years; at times, it can get daunting and tedious. Remembering these times and keeping this exuberance alive will allow for unparalleled success.
It’s a Child’s Game
We’ve often heard this line when referring to pro-athletes in their respective sport, but the same goes for an SDR. Prospecting, generating interest, building relationships, and creating a partnership are all skills vital to longevity in this industry.
All these skills are learned and exposed in your first few months as an entry-level sales rep. I think of the early stages of a career as the first few years of tee-ball and little league.
Core principles and fundamentals are built here, but most importantly, the love for the game.
Maintaining the Love for the Game
We start in our 20s with the world at our finger tips and the desire to digest as much information as possible. If you ask every SDR what they strive to be, you’d hear “CEO’s, VP of Sales, and Directors”. These titles equate to the “Big Leagues” in our respected industry.
Without the youthful love of the core principles of Sales Development, SDR’s would begin to look at other aspects of their job as measures of success.
If there is one takeaway coming from a 24 year-old sales development professional, it is to always live for the grind of prospecting; staying up late scouring Linkedin for the next opportunity, jumping on it as soon as you sit down in the office, and watching the account close.
Knowing your hard work has paid off.
Never lose sight of where you started, and continue to hold onto the young 24-year-old Sales Rep late into your sales development career.
Tanner Robinson was a top performing SDR for InsideSalesTeam representing DiscoverOrg for a year and a half, and has recently moved to Periscope Data. Tanner’s interest lie within baseball, hiking, and loves a good cup of iced coffee. The views in this post are those of Tanner and do not necessarily reflect those of Periscope Data.
Great post! I love your comparison of sales to being “in the game.” Our most recent podcast guest shared a similar perspective as well as an interest in sports: https://www.salestuners.com/morgan-j-ingram/
In short, he has learned to think big even if you start small and understand that sales isn’t easy just because it’s simple.
He also changes the game by asking what we think is one of the most powerful questions. We’d love it for you to come check out the podcast!
Thanks again for your hard work and for sharing your story!