# Building a Sales Development Team from Scratch

Building a sales development team is one of the highest-leverage investments a B2B company can make. Done right, it creates a predictable pipeline engine. Done wrong, it burns cash and demoralizes talent. This guide covers every step: hiring, onboarding, training, ramping, compensation, management, culture, and scaling.

## Hiring SDRs

### The Ideal SDR Profile

The best SDRs are not necessarily experienced salespeople. They are coachable, resilient, organized, and hungry to learn. Experience matters less than traits.

| Trait | Why It Matters | How to Assess |
|-------|---------------|---------------|
| **Coachability** | SDRs must rapidly absorb feedback and change behavior | Give real-time feedback in the interview, see if they adjust |
| **Resilience** | 85-90% of outreach is ignored or rejected | Ask about adversity: "Tell me about a time you failed repeatedly and kept going" |
| **Writing skill** | Cold Calling 2.0 is email-first; writing quality drives response rate | Ask them to write a sample email live in the interview |
| **Curiosity** | Great SDRs ask great questions during qualification | Note the questions they ask you during the interview |
| **Organization** | Managing hundreds of accounts across sequences requires discipline | Ask how they organize their day, tasks, and follow-ups |
| **Competitiveness** | Internal drive to hit and exceed targets | Look for competitive history: sports, debate, academic achievements |

### Where to Find SDR Candidates

| Source | Quality | Volume | Cost |
|--------|---------|--------|------|
| University recruiting | High (raw talent, coachable) | High | Low |
| Employee referrals | High (pre-vetted) | Low | Low-Medium |
| LinkedIn job postings | Medium | High | Medium |
| SDR-specific job boards (Bravado, RepVue) | Medium-High | Medium | Medium |
| Career changers (teachers, retail, hospitality) | High (customer-facing skills) | Medium | Low |
| Internal transfers (support, success) | High (product knowledge) | Low | Low |
| Recruiting agencies | Variable | High | High |

### Interview Process

| Stage | Duration | Purpose | Interviewer |
|-------|----------|---------|-------------|
| **Phone screen** | 20 min | Culture fit, motivation, basic qualification | Recruiter or SDR Manager |
| **Writing exercise** | 30 min (async) | Write a Cold Calling 2.0 email to a provided target | SDR Manager |
| **Live interview** | 45 min | Deep dive on traits, role-play, real-time coaching | SDR Manager + Senior SDR |
| **Final interview** | 30 min | Team fit, career goals, compensation alignment | VP Sales or Sales Director |
| **Reference check** | 15 min | Verify coachability and work ethic | Recruiter |

### Interview Red Flags

- Cannot articulate why they want this specific role
- Defensive when given feedback during the interview
- Writing sample is verbose, generic, or full of errors
- No questions about the team, culture, or career path
- Talks about wanting to "skip" SDR and go straight to AE
- Cannot provide a specific example of handling rejection

## Onboarding Program: Week-by-Week

### Week 1: Foundation

| Day | Focus | Activities |
|-----|-------|-----------|
| Monday | Company and culture | Company history, mission, values, org chart, team introductions |
| Tuesday | Product deep dive | Product demo, key use cases, competitive landscape |
| Wednesday | Customer deep dive | ICP definition, buyer personas, customer stories |
| Thursday | Tools and systems | CRM setup, email sequencing tool, LinkedIn Sales Navigator |
| Friday | Cold Calling 2.0 intro | Methodology overview, email templates, response handling |

**Week 1 deliverable:** SDR can explain the product, ICP, and Cold Calling 2.0 methodology to a peer.

### Week 2: Skills Building

| Day | Focus | Activities |
|-----|-------|-----------|
| Monday | Email writing workshop | Write 10 personalized emails to real target accounts |
| Tuesday | Research and list building | Build first account list of 50 targets using tools |
| Wednesday | Qualification (ANUM) | Practice qualification framework, role-play discovery calls |
| Thursday | Objection handling | Common objections, response frameworks, role-play |
| Friday | Shadow experienced SDRs | Listen to calls, read email exchanges, ask questions |

**Week 2 deliverable:** SDR has written and received feedback on 10+ emails and can run a qualification call script.

### Week 3: Guided Practice

| Day | Focus | Activities |
|-----|-------|-----------|
| Mon-Tue | Send first emails | First 25-50 outbound emails with manager review before sending |
| Wed-Thu | Handle responses | Manager shadows response handling, provides coaching |
| Friday | First week review | Review metrics, email quality, qualification calls, set goals |

**Week 3 deliverable:** SDR has sent 50+ emails and handled at least 3-5 responses with coaching support.

### Week 4: Increasing Independence

| Day | Focus | Activities |
|-----|-------|-----------|
| Mon-Fri | Full daily workflow | SDR runs the full daily schedule independently |
| Daily | Manager check-in | 15-minute daily debrief on wins, challenges, coaching points |
| Friday | Month 1 review | Formal review of progress, areas for improvement, ramp targets |

**Week 4 deliverable:** SDR is operating independently with daily check-ins. Volume is at 60-70% of full capacity.

## Training Program

### Core Training Modules

| Module | Duration | Frequency | Format |
|--------|----------|-----------|--------|
| Product knowledge | 2 hours | Quarterly refresher | Presentation + quiz |
| ICP and persona updates | 1 hour | Monthly | Discussion with marketing |
| Email writing workshop | 1 hour | Bi-weekly | Peer review, manager feedback |
| Call coaching | 30 min | Weekly | Listen to recorded calls, group feedback |
| Objection handling | 1 hour | Monthly | Role-play scenarios |
| Competitive intelligence | 1 hour | Monthly | Competitive teardown sessions |
| Tool proficiency | 30 min | As needed | CRM, sequencing, LinkedIn tips |

### Role-Playing Program

Role-plays are the single most effective training tool for SDRs. Run them regularly.

**Role-play scenarios to practice:**

1. Cold call to a referred contact (SDR calls after email referral)
2. Qualification call with a skeptical prospect
3. Handling "We already use [Competitor]"
4. Handling "Send me information" (polite brush-off)
5. Handling "I don't have budget right now"
6. Navigating a gatekeeper to reach the referred contact
7. Discovery call with a prospect who gives short answers

## Ramp Expectations

### Ramp Timeline

| Phase | Timeline | Quota Expectation | Manager Involvement |
|-------|----------|-------------------|---------------------|
| **Training** | Weeks 1-2 | No quota | Very high (daily training) |
| **Guided practice** | Weeks 3-4 | No quota | High (daily review) |
| **Early ramp** | Month 2 | 25-40% of full quota | Medium (3x/week check-in) |
| **Mid ramp** | Month 3 | 50-75% of full quota | Standard (weekly 1:1) |
| **Full productivity** | Month 4+ | 100% of full quota | Standard (weekly 1:1) |

### Ramp Warning Signs

| Warning Sign | At Week | Action |
|-------------|---------|--------|
| Cannot write a clean email | 2 | Extra writing coaching, consider fit |
| Zero responses after 200+ emails | 4 | Review email quality, ICP targeting, and deliverability |
| Cannot run a qualification call | 4 | More role-play, shadow senior SDRs |
| Below 25% quota at Month 2 | 8 | Intensive coaching, consider performance plan |
| Below 50% quota at Month 3 | 12 | Performance plan, evaluate fit for the role |

## Compensation Design

### Structure

SDR compensation should have a meaningful variable component tied to outcomes, not just activity.

| Component | Percentage of OTE | Tied To |
|-----------|-------------------|---------|
| Base salary | 60-70% | Showing up and doing the work |
| Variable / commission | 30-40% | Results (qualified opportunities) |

### Variable Compensation Triggers

| Trigger | Amount | Example |
|---------|--------|---------|
| Per qualified opportunity | Fixed bonus | $100-$300 per qualified opp |
| Monthly quota attainment | Multiplier | 1x at quota, 1.5x at 120%, 2x at 150% |
| Opportunity that closes | Downstream bonus | $200-$500 per closed deal sourced |
| Quarterly kicker | Bonus | Extra $1K-$3K for hitting quota all 3 months |

### Compensation Anti-Patterns

| Anti-Pattern | Why It Fails |
|-------------|-------------|
| 100% base, no variable | No incentive to perform above minimum |
| Variable tied to emails sent | Rewards activity, not results |
| Variable tied only to closed deals | SDR cannot control AE's close rate; too delayed |
| Uncapped but unrealistic quotas | Feels like a bait-and-switch |
| Low base with high variable | SDRs feel financially insecure, high turnover |

## Performance Management

### Weekly 1:1 Structure

Every SDR should have a weekly 1:1 with their manager. Keep it consistent and structured.

| Agenda Item | Duration | Purpose |
|-------------|----------|---------|
| Wins and highlights | 5 min | Celebrate progress, build confidence |
| Metrics review | 10 min | Review weekly activity and outcomes vs. targets |
| Pipeline review | 10 min | Walk through active prospects, discuss strategy |
| Coaching moment | 10 min | One specific skill to work on this week |
| Blockers and support needed | 5 min | Remove obstacles, provide resources |

### Monthly Performance Review

| Category | Metrics | Weight |
|----------|---------|--------|
| Results | Qualified opportunities generated | 50% |
| Activity | Emails sent, calls made, responses handled | 20% |
| Quality | Email quality score (peer/manager review), qualification accuracy | 20% |
| Development | Coachability, improvement trajectory, initiative | 10% |

## SDR Motivation and Culture

### What Motivates SDRs

| Motivator | How to Provide It |
|-----------|-------------------|
| **Career growth** | Clear SDR-to-AE or SDR-to-Manager path with defined criteria |
| **Competition** | Leaderboards, monthly contests, team challenges |
| **Recognition** | Public shout-outs for big wins, weekly highlights |
| **Learning** | Ongoing training, lunch-and-learns, conference budget |
| **Autonomy** | Let top performers experiment with messaging and strategy |
| **Money** | Achievable variable comp that rewards excellence |
| **Team belonging** | Team events, SDR Slack channel, shared wins |

### Culture Killers

- Unrealistic quotas that nobody hits
- Micromanaging activity (counting emails instead of coaching quality)
- No career path visibility
- Tolerating poor performers (drags down the whole team)
- Blaming SDRs for pipeline misses when the real issue is ICP or messaging

## Scaling the Team

### When to Scale

Scale your SDR team when you have validated these conditions:

- [ ] First SDR(s) consistently hitting quota for 2+ months
- [ ] Conversion rates are stable and documented
- [ ] Pipeline math model is calibrated with real data
- [ ] Onboarding and training program is documented
- [ ] CRM and sequencing tools can handle more volume
- [ ] AE capacity exists to close the additional pipeline

### How to Scale

| Phase | Team Size | Focus |
|-------|-----------|-------|
| **Prove** | 1-2 SDRs | Validate outbound works for your ICP and deal size |
| **Build** | 3-5 SDRs | Hire SDR Manager, formalize process and training |
| **Scale** | 6-12 SDRs | Add team leads, segment by market or territory |
| **Optimize** | 12+ SDRs | Dedicated enablement, specialized SDR segments, career paths |

### Hiring Cadence

- Hire in cohorts of 2-3 (shared onboarding, built-in peer support)
- Space cohorts 4-6 weeks apart (manager capacity to onboard)
- Never hire more SDRs than your manager can effectively coach (6-8 per manager max)

## The SDR Manager Role

### When to Hire

Hire a dedicated SDR Manager when you have 3 or more SDRs. Before that, the VP of Sales or founder can manage SDRs directly.

### SDR Manager Responsibilities

| Category | Activities |
|----------|-----------|
| **Hiring** | Source candidates, run interviews, make offers |
| **Onboarding** | Execute week-by-week onboarding for every new hire |
| **Coaching** | Weekly 1:1s, call reviews, email reviews, role-plays |
| **Performance** | Track metrics, run performance reviews, manage PIPs |
| **Process** | Own and improve outbound playbook, sequences, templates |
| **Reporting** | Weekly pipeline report to VP Sales, monthly team performance |
| **Culture** | Contests, recognition, team events, motivation |
| **Cross-functional** | Align with Marketing on ICP, with AEs on handoff quality |

### SDR Manager Profile

| Trait | Why |
|-------|-----|
| Former top SDR or AE | Understands the role from experience |
| Coaching orientation | Gets energy from developing people, not just hitting numbers |
| Data-driven | Manages by metrics, not gut feel |
| Organized | Can manage hiring, onboarding, and coaching simultaneously |
| High energy | SDR teams feed off their manager's energy |
| Patient | Ramp takes time; new hires need support, not pressure |
