The Ultimate Guide to Crushing It as a New SDR

Even If You’re Starting From Scratch

You’ve just stepped into the world of sales as an SDR (Sales Development Representative), and you’re probably feeling a mix of excitement and nerves. That’s totally normal. But here’s the thing—you’ve just entered one of the most rewarding (and yes, challenging) careers out there. With the right approach, you can go from newbie to high-performing SDR faster than you think.

So let’s skip the fluff and dive into the actionable steps you need to crush it in your new role.

1. Embrace the Learning Curve (And Stay Cool Under Pressure)

You’re brand new to sales, and guess what? You don’t need to know everything right away. Sales is a skill, not a talent, which means it’s something you can learn. The best SDRs aren’t born—they’re made through trial, error, and a lot of practice.

In your first few weeks, you’ll make mistakes. You’ll fumble calls, forget key points, and maybe even freeze up. That’s fine. Every "no" or awkward conversation is an opportunity to learn and improve. The key is to not let those early failures define you.

Pro tip: Check out our “SDRs Guide to Self-Care” for tips on handling stress and avoiding burnout. Taking care of yourself mentally and physically is crucial in a job as high-pressure as this one.

Action step: After every call, spend 5 minutes reviewing what went well and where you can improve. This small habit will help you level up faster than most.

2. Master Your Script, Then Ditch It

Your company will likely hand you a call script, and it’s a fantastic starting point. But here’s the thing: Don’t become a robot. Learn the script inside and out, but then practice sounding natural. The best SDRs don’t just recite lines—they adapt to the conversation, listen carefully, and ask the right questions.

You can also take it a step further and create your own Cold Call Question Playbook. This helps you prepare for objections and steer conversations in the right direction.

Action step: Practice with a peer or record yourself making calls. Focus on how you sound. Are you reading from a script, or are you having a real conversation?

Try Blue to practice cold calls without judgement.

3. Volume is King, Consistency is Queen

Here’s the truth about being an SDR: It’s a numbers game. You’re going to need to put in the reps. The more calls you make, the more emails you send, and the more prospects you talk to, the better you’ll get.

But remember, consistency is just as important as volume. You can’t make 50 calls one day and slack off the next. It’s the SDRs who show up every day and do the work consistently that get results.

Action step: Set daily and weekly goals. Make 50 calls a day? Send 30 emails? You decide the numbers, but make sure you’re tracking them consistently. Our “SDR Playbook: Metrics” can guide you in setting realistic and impactful targets.

4. Obsess Over the Process, Not the Results

Sales is about patience. You’re not going to close deals right away—your job as an SDR is to create opportunities. This means that your immediate focus should be on the process rather than the outcome.

Focus on improving a little bit each day. Ask yourself: Are you making enough calls? Are you booking meetings? Are you following up? The more you refine the process, the better your results will be over time.

Pro tip: Read “The Daily Habits of High-Performing SDRs” to see how the best in the game stay consistent, and build momentum every day.

Action step: Build a daily routine that includes prospecting, making calls, sending follow-ups, and tracking your progress. Review your routine weekly to see where you can improve by just 1%.

5. Get Feedback Early and Often

One of the quickest ways to accelerate your learning is to seek feedback. It’s easy to fall into the trap of thinking you’re doing great (or terrible) without a second opinion. Ask your manager, your peers, or even senior SDRs to review your calls and outreach. Their insights can help you spot blind spots you might not see yourself.

Don’t wait for formal reviews—be proactive. Every bit of feedback helps you get better faster.

Action step: After a particularly tough call or email, ask a colleague or manager to listen in and give feedback. Implement their suggestions on your next outreach.

6. Know Your Ideal Customer Profile (ICP) Like the Back of Your Hand

As an SDR, you’ll be reaching out to a lot of prospects, but not everyone is your ideal customer. Understanding your ICP (Ideal Customer Profile) is critical for focusing your efforts on the right people.

Not all leads are created equal. If you spend time chasing after leads that don’t fit your product or service, you’re wasting time. Instead, make sure you know who your best-fit customers are, what their pain points are, and how your product solves their problems.

Pro tip: If you're unsure how to refine this, our “ICP Blueprint” will walk you through how to define and understand your ideal customers, so you can target your outreach better.

Action step: Spend some time talking to your sales team and researching your ideal customer. Write down key characteristics and pain points of your ICP, and reference this every time you make calls or send emails.

7. Time Management is Your Secret Weapon

As an SDR, you’ll quickly learn that time is your most valuable resource. Between making calls, sending follow-ups, and researching prospects, it’s easy to get overwhelmed.

That’s why you need to get laser-focused on time management. Create a schedule and stick to it. Break your day into blocks—prospecting in the morning, cold calling in the afternoon, follow-ups later in the day. The more organized you are, the more effective you’ll be.

Pro tip: Our newsletter, “The Insider’s Guide to US Sales,” offers a ton of useful strategies for staying organized and productive as an SDR.

Action step: Block off time on your calendar every day for each task—researching prospects, cold calling, email follow-ups. Stick to this schedule to make sure you’re balancing all the important activities.

8. Stay Resilient: You’ll Hear “No” A Lot

Here’s a reality check: You’re going to hear “no” a lot. Rejection is just part of the job. The key to long-term success as an SDR is resilience. You can’t let the rejections get to you. Instead, see every “no” as a step closer to a “yes.”

The best SDRs don’t take rejection personally. They bounce back quickly, review what went wrong, and move on to the next opportunity.

Pro tip: When it gets tough, revisit our newsletter on “Why Every SDR Needs a Cheat Sheet” for quick tips on how to stay motivated and on track, especially when dealing with tough prospects.

Action step: Keep track of your rejections and your wins. For every “no,” ask yourself, “What can I do better next time?” Celebrate small wins, and keep moving forward.

---

In Summary
Being a new SDR is exciting, but it’s also challenging. The key to success is consistency, curiosity, and an obsession with improving the process. Lean on the advice, tools, and strategies shared in this guide, and remember: success in sales doesn’t happen overnight. It’s a marathon, not a sprint.

But if you put in the work, stay patient, and keep learning, you’ll be on your way to becoming a high-performing SDR in no time.

Here’s to your success! 💪

When you’re ready, we’re here to assist you in three ways:

1. B2C SDRS or Aspiring first-time SDRs - Join our Online Cohort beginning October 8th (admissions now open) to learn from us and your peers about securing a role at a B2B SaaS company.  We cover everything from the process and skills to extensive mock interview practice.

   To Apply, You can book a time here

   Companies like Birdeye, Rippling, Epicor, Salesforce, Deel, Alaan, LambdaTest, Chargebee, VWO, Netradyne, Sogolytics, ConvertCart & Zluri has hired our SDRs with CTC that will blow your mind.

   Now we have 2 Mentors from the Top SaaS companies to help you not only learn the skills but understand how hiring managers hire.

Check out our free resources at learn.schoolofsdr.com

You can sign up for a 1:1 chat here

2. Train your SDR Team: We offer a 4-week/onsite customized program designed to train your B2B sales reps on modern prospecting. Get in touch by setting up a time here.

3. Hire SDRs from us- We are currently training a team of 15 SDRs who’d be job ready SDR in 4 weeks. Get in touch by setting up a time here.

   Companies like Birdeye, Salesforce, Zoom, Rippling, Quizziz, Alaan, LambdaTest, Chargebee(hired 2 SDRs), VWO, Netradyne, Epicor, Sogolytics, ConvertCart & Zluri(hired 2 SDRs) has hired our SDRs in the past 3 months.

Bonus: Try Blue, Our AI powered Sales Coach to help you get instant feedback on Cold Emails and Cold Calls.