Every company struggles to find the right customers and make meaningful connections. Numbers don’t lie: B2B marketers agree that the primary challenges they are facing are the quality of leads and boosting conversion rates (54%), along with the need to generate a higher quantity of leads (41%).
That’s why many businesses are utilizing B2B lead generation services which involve leveraging the expertise of outsourced SDR services. However, how can you determine whether outsourcing SDR services is the right choice for your business?
To connect with the right people, close more deals, and increase ROI, companies must be open to trying new approaches. In fact, successful companies thrive because they have a skilled sales team that helps them grow and sell effectively. But what if your company can’t afford to hire a sales manager or train your own sales team?
This is where SDR outsourcing comes into play. So, what is SDR outsourcing anyway?
What is SDR Outsourcing in B2B?
SDR outsourcing, or sales development representative, is a practice where a company partners with a third-party provider to handle the critical tasks of lead generation and lead nurturing on their behalf. This means that a specialized team outside of the company is responsible for identifying and engaging potential customers, leaving the in-house sales team to focus on closing deals and converting those leads into customers.
It also assists companies from various industries in creating a reliable and consistent way to sell their products. In fact, a recent survey found that 80% of US businesses want to outsource their sales because it can make their business run more smoothly and grow faster. Additionally, they get the opportunity to collaborate with experts.
How Does Outsourcing Work?
SDR outsourcing is the practice of partnering with external agencies or professionals. They handle lead generation and nurturing on your behalf. It involves a structured collaboration where the outsourcing partner becomes an extension of your sales team. They focus on identifying and nurturing potential leads, leaving your in-house team to concentrate on closing deals.
Tips and Guides:
To effectively implement SDR outsourcing, here are a couple of tips in sentence form for effectively implementing SDR outsourcing:
- Choose the Right Partner: When outsourcing SDR services, it’s crucial to select a partner with expertise in your industry and a proven track record. A good fit ensures they understand your target audience and can represent your brand effectively.
- Communication is Key: Maintain open and clear communication with your outsourcing partner. Regular updates, feedback, and collaboration will help ensure that they align with your objectives and provide the best possible results.
- Data Security Matters: Protect sensitive customer data by setting up clear data security protocols and agreements with your outsourcing partner. This safeguards your company’s reputation and minimizes the risk of data breaches.
Related: Everything You Need to Ask When Choosing a Lead Generation Company
Why Outsource SDR?
Many businesses often question the wisdom of outsourcing SDRs instead of handling them internally. The reason it’s recommended to outsource your SDRs is that it offers a practical solution.
It’s a simple concept. Outsourcing your outbound sales development allows you to direct your focus towards your internal team, including account executives and regional sales managers. Moreover, it relieves you of the burdens associated with in-house hiring, training, and management of outbound sales development.
So, the question is: should you hire an outsourced SDR team or have your own in-house sales team?
Are you ready to outsource your lead generation?
Advantages and Disadvantages of Outsourcing SDR Services
Outsourcing is a widely used method and the advantages of outsourcing can be significant, including cost-effectiveness, increased efficiency and lead generation, and more!
However, it’s important to acknowledge that when you outsource, you may also lose some control over the functions you delegate. It’s essential to thoroughly assess the advantages and disadvantages of outsourcing before making decisions about contracting out any business activities or operations.
The pros:
Increased lead generation
SDRs have a deep understanding of identifying and confirming potential leads, whether they are qualified for marketing or sales. This expertise enables your business to concentrate on the most promising prospects.
Additionally, their specialized abilities and know-how can make a substantial difference in your efforts to find new leads, leading to a better conversion rate and more revenue.
Cost-effectiveness
One of the biggest challenges that you will face when opening up multi-location companies every time you expand into a new region is how you will be able to incorporate your social media marketing efforts into your overall business strategy. So, when you’re setting up your social media presence in a new region. Make sure that all your global social media marketing efforts tie into your overall business goal of building up your brand awareness.
In addition to this, bringing on board and teaching an internal SDR team can be an expensive venture. While, choosing outsourced SDR services can result in substantial cost reductions because you avoid the expenses associated with hiring, training, and providing employee benefits. This enables you to manage your financial resources more efficiently, directing your investments into other aspects of your business.
Improved customer insights
DRs engage directly with potential customers, offering valuable information about customer likes, concerns, and objections. This data can be used to improve your sales and marketing plans, leading to more precise campaigns and increased conversion rates.
Fast-paced
A big part of why establishing an internal SDR is more expensive than outsourcing is that it has a lower setup and consumes more time before you can start generating ROI. When you outsource your SDR service, it still takes time, yes. However, if you hire the right people, they will all be working in your best interest and it’s going to be time well invested.
Having a fully outsourced SDR team, your consultations, negotiation terms, etc. will be much faster versus having to build an in-house team from scratch.
Less effort
As stated already, it takes less effort to outsource than building an in-house team. Although, don’t confuse it with it not taking any effort at all. Many misunderstand outsourcing as kicking back and relaxing after you hire a firm and letting them do all the work for you.
Outsourcing is simply the easier option, but you still have the responsibility to provide them with all the right information to help them fulfill their jobs. You have to be on top of all tracking metrics for your SDR team to adjust their outreach strategies accordingly. That being said, it won’t take too much effort nonetheless. So, outsourcing your SDR team is the best investment and use of your time.
Related: The Power Couple: SDR Outsourcing and Next-level Outbound Lead Generation
No special skills needed
Hiring an SDR team is nothing to be intimidated by as it doesn’t require any special skills at all. You need to set certain success criteria, do the general overseeing of the operations, and do the negotiations which is certainly doable and not strenuous work. Whereas hiring an internal team, will require more skills as you have to set up a recruiting pipeline, you have to learn how to interview SDR yourself as well as evaluate their work. So, if you don’t have any prior experience in this field, you’ll have a harder time.
The cons:
When you decide to outsource SDR services, it’s important to make sure that the SDRs match your brand’s image and values. They will be the face of your company when dealing with potential customers. Any mismatch in how they communicate or the messages they convey can damage your brand’s reputation. That’s why it’s very important to carefully evaluate and choose a trustworthy SDR service provider. Doing so will help you ensure your brand image remains consistent.
Data tracking. A lot of it.
Whether you have an in-house or an outsourced team, you have to do a lot of data tracking. However, if the company you hired is outside of your immediate input, you need to do even more data tracking than usual.
Information that goes unnoticed and unchecked
Your SDR will have access to all the types of information that can make you outperform your competitors. As we all know, nothing is more valuable than your prospects and customers being able to echo back to you their exact needs and expectations.
However, since SDR companies rarely receive incentives for you with your client’s and prospect’s feedback, it can easily fall through the cracks. So, keep in mind that you would have to invest a little more. This will help increase your chances of getting that crucial feedback. At the end of the day, it is all on a case-to-case basis, and you will have to talk through it with your SDR team so that you’re all on the same page.
Not enough Transparency
As with every company you partner with, you have to make sure that you can trust them. You also need to make sure that transparency is not going to be an issue but a strength. So, when you scout for your SDR candidates, be sure to be careful with your selection process. Ask all the right questions from the start. Also, lay down your conditions for transparency and control when it comes to all the data and information.
Conclusion
Now that you can properly weigh out the pros and cons, there is still more than meets the eye. So whether or not you should outsource an SDR team completely depends on your company’s needs as a whole. SDR can only work if you find the right one for you. This means that you need to look into the ones who are experts in their field and are transparent about all the ins and outs of their operations with you.
Outsourcing your SDR sure does come with certain risks. But when you make the right choice after extensive research, it is worth the investment in time and finances.
