5 Tips for Gen Z Remote SDRs

5 Tips for Gen Z Remote SDRs

Written by Ohm Panchal

Pursuing a degree in Business Management at the University of South Florida, Ohm, a Gainesville native, is a determined and confident individual who is passionate about learning new things and helping others in need.

You check the time on your phone while seated on the not-so-comfortable seat at a local coffee shop. You straighten out the folder sitting in front of you and suddenly your eyes dart to the sound of the entrance door opening. As you stand up, you press down on your sports blazer, hopeful that they are not creased. You extend your arm out with a confident, but nervous grin to firmly shake the hand who may potentially be your biggest client to date.

Many people imagine a similar scenario being played when thinking about the sales process. This is an old-fashioned, prototypical, “schedule a meeting” usually portrayed in the movies and shows.

However, in recent months, in-person and offline B2B appointments have become increasingly rare. The advanced technology and software, such as video chats, online meetings, webinars, and many more services, which can make the selling experience a lot more productive, have become the “new normal.”

As sales development representatives (SDR), our role is to support the appointment setting process. While we are in an ever-changing environment and most remote, there are ways to enhance our remote space and make it better suited to support the Account Executive team.  Here are 5 tips that I have found useful as a remote SDR:

1. Build a Comfortable Workspace – Whether one works at the office of a 100-story tower overseeing Silicon Valley or belongs to a remote, work-from-home team, it is important to build a comfortable workspace. For starters, a quiet room with a spacious and organized desk and a comfortable chair will do. Then, invest in digital tools, which will drive sales methods and help understand a prospect’s wants and needs. Having access to customer relationship management (CRM), video-conferencing software, and a marketing automation service are essential to have to do remote business-to-business sales. Some of the key services such as SalesForce, a CRM, Zoom for video-conferencing, and Hubspot, a marketing automation service, are prime examples to assist an individual begins the remote journey. 

2. Gather the Right Target Industry – Before gathering clients and prospects and making phone calls, an SDR needs to know the right target market. For example, a start-up IT company will not do any good pitching its services to a storefront company that carries only a single device of technology. An SDR must understand the company’s products and services first to find the right prospects. To generate leads, begin with broad demographics. This will not only allow SDR teams to narrow down the target segment but also reach similar prospects. Garnering the right target market includes appealing to the main consumers, researching your market, measuring and segmenting the overall market, and understanding why the consumer would want to buy the product or service.

3. Practice, Practice, Practice – The science of selling improves after repetition and trial and error. Remote sellers today lack face-to-face interaction with their prospects and therefore cannot see the emotions, facial and body gestures, and other non-verbal communication that the SDR can catch. It is now about facing behind a computer with a headset attached to the ears, hoping to deliver a message well enough to be able to sell. A salesperson may start acclimating by creating a call script. A call script yields consistency when talking to a prospect and helps to stay on topic while maintaining your appeal. Also, following the script serves as a benchmark to assess the effective techniques and areas of improvement. 

4. Being Creative Through Outreach – In these remote times, selling is not the only technique that could be used to deliver your product or service to others. Networking, making connections through social media, and sharing posts and comments are common ways to outreach. While many may be reluctant to pick up the phone and listen to a monotone, script-reading seller on their most days, they will be more intrigued to see a post and read blogs, ratings, and reactions to the product or service. Webinars and surveys are also excellent ways to navigate customers who would best benefit from the product or service. An SDR may choose any outreach methods; it is more important to continuously engage the prospects. People will react upon how a certain company will outreach, those people who will recognize your company logo to have “the best designs” or the best “engaging demos and webinars,” and those are the same people who will turn into your prospects.

5. Learn from your Mistakes – Learning from one’s own experience is a virtue in every aspect of life. In remote sales, learning from the mistakes yields an opportunity to hone the entire sales process. As an emerging sales professional at The Selling Factory, the best successes came from understanding my mistakes. I learned that I will not win over every prospect. If one technique does not work, it is time to get up and move on. Being able to learn from your mistakes will not only help you perfect your sales process, but it will also allow you to share those learning experiences with others.

Remote selling cannot be done solo. Success will not only come through prospecting and interacting with people, but also through the camaraderie of your SDR team. Gaining insight and advice from your colleagues will prepare the salesperson to drive results in the long-term. It could even make remote selling as enjoyable!

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Victoria Zamitalo

Campaign Manager

Victoria received a BA in History and Economics from the University of Florida in May 2023. She is a driven sales professional with over 5 years combined experience in customer service, consumer relations and outbound sales, and is deeply passionate about fostering close relationships between consumers and sellers. She aims to train the next generation of sales professionals in not only the tricks of the trade, but also interpersonal skills that make sales the exciting and ever-changing industry that it is.

victoria@thesellingfactory.com

Mia Semel

Campaign Manager

Before graduating with a B.A. in Sustainability Studies, Mia took on multiple roles while interning at The Selling Factory, including sales development, recruiting, and leading campaigns. She is an active listener and effective communicator, specializing in fostering genuine connections and finding common ground among differing perspectives. She aims to find practical, creative solutions regarding sustainable development, biodiversity and the climate crisis.

mia.semel@thesellingfactory.com

Kira Grieve

Senior Campaign Manager

Kira graduated from the University of Florida and received her Master of Science in Entrepreneurship. She is passionate about helping businesses grow and connecting with new people. Some of her hobbies include traveling and hiking. She hopes to visit all of the National Parks one day!

kira@thesellingfactory.com

Jared Glosser

Vice President

After graduating from UF in 2014 with a B.A. in history, Jared started his professional career Fundraising for a non-partisan political lobby in South Florida. In 2016, Jared moved back to Gainesville to work for a non-profit, recruit students for international travel opportunities, and pursue his MBA at UF. Jared has been with The Selling Factory since 2019 focusing on operations, client onboarding, and client success.

jared@thesellingfactory.com

Ian Massenburg

Chief Operating Officer

A graduate of University of Florida (B.A. 2001), Ian Massenburg brings over 18 years of sales executive and sales management experience to The Selling Factory. Before coming on-board, Ian worked alongside Brad at Infinite Energy, and then spent his next 3 years as VP of Partnerships selling SaaS products B2B. Ian brings his vast knowledge and experience to the team and to our partner companies served.

ian@thesellingfactory.com

Damien Paulk

Campaign Manager

Damien is a University of Florida graduate that recently joined the team full time after working as a Sales Development Intern for one year. As a Campaign Manager, Damien looks forward to contributing to the growth and success of The Selling Factory. When Damien is not at work he enjoys exploring Gainesville with his girlfriend and dog or watching the Gators dominate college football.

damien@thesellingfactory.com

Brendan Viehman

Campaign Manager

Brendan graduated from Liberty University with a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration and Project Management. For the past 5 years, he has enjoyed working with blockchain technology and cryptocurrency development. In his free time, he surfs and makes personal finance videos for his YouTube channel.

brendan@thesellingfactory.com

Savannah Howard

Campaign Manager

A graduate from the University of Florida’s College of Journalism and Communications, Savannah obtained her Bachelor of Science in public relations with a concentration in French. After almost two years as a sales development intern for The Selling Factory, she joined the leadership team in 2021 taking on the role of Campaign Manager. In her free time, Savannah enjoys going to concerts and festivals and cooking for her friends and family.

savannah@thesellingfactory.com

Zack Kampf

Campaign Manager

Zack is a creative technologist with experience in advertising, event planning, and game design. He started as an SDR in 2018 and has been with TSF ever since. Upon graduating UF in 2019 he became a campaign manager and is currently seeking a master's degree from NYU. In his spare time, you can find him at the intersection of Art & Technology!

zack@thesellingfactory.com

Josiah Blakemore

Growth Manager

Josiah has over 10 years of sales experience, worked with Brad and Ian at Infinite Energy, and also spent time selling SaaS as Director of Partnerships at SharpSpring. He’s always been very competitive and has a love for sports and games. He enjoys solving problems and coaching team members to do the same!

josiah@thesellingfactory.com

Sue-Ming Frauenhofer

Marketing Manager

Sue-Ming received both her B.S. in Psychology and M.S. in Management from The University of Florida. As a student, she took on multiple roles while interning at The Selling Factory, including sales development, marketing, and recruiting, eventually leading to her current role as Marketing Manager. She enjoys refining her taste in music and visual art, engaging in mindfulness and meditative practices, and frolicking outside with her sidekick pup.

sueming@thesellingfactory.com

Adam Grossman

Chief Development Officer

Adam is an ordained rabbi, who has founded multiple ventures focused on workforce development. Hired as CEO by a failing non-profit, in over 5 years, his ingenuity saved the organization, which led Slingshotfund.org to recognize it as one of North America’s most innovative Jewish non-profits. His expertise to identify, cultivate, and on-board talent ensures our student teams meet our partners’ needs.

adam@thesellingfactory.com

Brad Gamble

Chief Executive Officer

After graduating from UF in 1999 with a B.S.B.A, Brad Gamble has dedicated himself to sales management, branding, coaching, and building companies. He served as the VP of Sales & Marketing for Infinite Energy until 2014, when he founded The Selling Factory. He has dedicated himself to teaching critical skills to tomorrow’s leaders, and helping companies achieve sales success and revenue growth.

brad@thesellingfactory.com