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looper1010

Solutions Specialist

Celebrated Contributor
Arsonist
Politicker
+11

Help, one of my SDRs is getting burnt out!

Our newest SDR is beginning to feel burnt out from all the rejections (2 months in and first SDR role). He was 100% outbound before. We changed it up so he can start qualifying some inbound leads. He's hungry, always learning but I can see his soul breaking from all the no's. I encourage mental health days, celebrate every win, reassure his work ethic, and role play with him. How do I keep his spirits up and not let the rejection get to him?


I'm worried about his mood and outlook. That peppy new job smile is beginning to fade and SDR reality is setting in :(


-Concerned AE

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49 comments

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Accidental_Sales_Guy
Politicker
14
Account Executive
I applaud your concern. So many AEs and leaders would just say "on to the next."

For me, getting mentored by my AE gave me the perspective that everyone hates rejection and the SDR lyfe is so short in your total career. A reminder that someone personally cares about your success can flip the script.
Chep
WR Officer
8
Bitcoin Adoption Specialist
Constantly remind him to detach his worth from the calls. We get too many nos to have our self-worth wrapped up in a yes. Once you master detaching you have a huge leg up when it comes to fighting burnout.
looper1010
Celebrated Contributor
1
Solutions Specialist
It's his first cold call role.  It took some time to not take things personally.   He stuck it out and he's starting to get used to it!
jefe
Arsonist
0
🍁
One of the things Josh Braun says that is actually EXTREMELY valuable.

Detaching from the outcome is the only way forward. Focus on the process.
Adslanger1
Opinionated
6
Senior Account Executive
Nature of the beast. Welcome to cold-call paradise podna.

I would say keep pushin and fallin on your face little fella your “baby grapes” will drop soon enough. 🤘🏻


StonedColdCloser
Opinionated
0
Business Development Manager
This guy has clearly made cold calls before. 
Adslanger1
Opinionated
1
Senior Account Executive
Yeah buddy a couple here and there.
CaneWolf
Politicker
4
Call me what you want, just sign the damn contract
Your concern is nice and way beyond what most people would think about but he's gotta power through. That's the job, man. We've all had slumps, brutal quarters and years, days of getting rejected endlessly. I think it's actually better if he figures out this isn't for him now.
looper1010
Celebrated Contributor
0
Solutions Specialist
Yeah, it's part of the outbound sdr process
eds
Opinionated
3
Salesy
Get him laid.

Jokes aside, help him get small wins and celebrate those, help him find ways to enjoy the journey and not just the destination.

Above all, help him learn about resilience, it will help not only with work but also with life.
looper1010
Celebrated Contributor
1
Solutions Specialist
It's 4 months in now.  We mixed it up with inbound leads which changed the mentality!  The wins help him keep pushing!
braintank
Politicker
2
Enterprise Account Executive
Maybe he just can't cut it. If the bloom is off the rose after 60 days sales might not be his calling. First job?
looper1010
Celebrated Contributor
1
Solutions Specialist
First corporate job.  He's hungry and doing the grind.  Seems to genuinely like sales and studies on his own time.  I can see the rejection getting to him.  
braintank
Politicker
6
Enterprise Account Executive
First important lesson I learned is to not take it personally. You can coach to this but also a switch he needs to flip mentally. Early mentor framed it as "abundance mentality".
Salespreuner
Big Shot
2
Regional Sales Director
Gotcha - may be some motivation training or stuff like that could help
bandabanda
Tycoon
1
Senior AE Mid Market
This is huge. One of our SDR's is experiencing the same thing and I'm watching him closely. He hasn't fully mentally grasped the "my value isn't tied to how many yes' or no's I get." I can see it. He gets utterly demoralized after hard days, and is riding high on the best days (the best reps I see handling this have figured out how to mentally even keel no matter what). 

The real, long-term change will come when he detaches from the outcome. 

Being mentored/coached by you is @looper1010 is huge! That shows he's learning, growing, and not getting struck in doing the same things that aren't working. So it sounds like he's adapting. 
yuh
Valued Contributor
2
Sales Development Representative
as a fellow new SDR, the biggest thing for me has been leadership who encouraged me and made me feel valued even when my numbers weren't reflecting my hard work. I would say there's never "too much" encouragement that you could give to a mildly depressed SDR. I always take what my leadership says about me as mental armor going into more rejections. helps me get up in the morning and dial all over again honestly.
Corpslovechild
Politicker
2
Inbound Sales Manager
Find out "why sales" for him. If he is really about the sales life he needs to push through it. IF he isn't about the sales life which is 1000000000% ok then he needs to get out as quickly as possible. 
looper1010
Celebrated Contributor
0
Solutions Specialist
4 months later, it seems he's getting used to the process.  I was really worried since he was reaching his break point AND over working.  Glad he stuck it out and built a tougher skin!
LegacySoftware
Opinionated
2
Strategic Account Executive
I'll echo what others have said, but add a bit more detail... 

Often BDRs have no idea what they're doing.
Even if they've been doing it for years - there is absolutely no method to the madness. Most rely on their "natural abilities" but learning a new software, its pesonas and its value to the market is tough. This should prompt a change in methodology

If they're open to it, workshopping through their process, how they're prospecting, how they're going about their business -- and providing some best practice, or things they could alter to make their lives easier could be helpful (if you, yourself are also helpful... ) 
looper1010
Celebrated Contributor
1
Solutions Specialist
Thanks for the extra perspective, this is certainly their first SDR role!
Clashingsoulsspell
Politicker
2
ISR
Your concern is nice and way beyond what most people would think about but he's gotta power through.
Hotlead
Politicker
1
Producer
Salesforce is down why is he burnt out today?
looper1010
Celebrated Contributor
0
Solutions Specialist
It's a culmination of all the cold calls, emails, and people hanging up on him.
Adslanger1
Opinionated
0
Senior Account Executive
😂 right 
SalesPharaoh
Big Shot
1
Senior Account Executive
Don't worry it happens to everyone one thing is to get them to do easy tasks or donkey work to keep their mind away from the calls for a while. Like let them do calls involving collection of invoices.
looper1010
Celebrated Contributor
0
Solutions Specialist
Yeah, a reason why we mixed in inbound leads to give him warmer convos.
Bittersweet0326
Politicker
1
Digital Business Associate
Sounds like you are doing the right things. It's tough to know if he is truly not cut out, or if it's just a rough time for him. All it takes is one and momentum is back in his favor!
looper1010
Celebrated Contributor
1
Solutions Specialist
Trying to send him easy wins for a confidence booster!
RedLightning
Politicker
1
Mid-Market AE
That's tough and we've all been there. Taking a day off every once in a while always helps me. Focusing on the process helps too.

Meeting are obviously the goal, but if you can celebrate the steps to that goal it can change your mindset into something you can control more and make the burnout of rejection hit a little less.

Think of all the spiffs you've been part of in the past and flip them to embrace rejection. First SDR to get hung up on gets X. First "take me off your list" gets Y. Get points for hearing XYZ objection.

Gamify the process and things can get fun. 
RedLightning
Politicker
1
Mid-Market AE
It's not somethign you can have constantly going on, but throwing it into the mix every once and while can get you out of those burnouts
looper1010
Celebrated Contributor
0
Solutions Specialist
This - he was super motivated ( a little too motivated) and not taking enough breaks.  Alarms went off in my head with burnout.  I've been encouraging some days off and setting boundaries with work/life balance.  He's getting better at taking time off but still working too much, imo.  
Gyro25
Notorious Answer
1
Account Executive
As a fully outbound BDR who faces rejection and gets told to fuck off by random Canadians every other day. Here's what I'd suggest. Let him know it's part of the game, embrace rejection as an opportunity to learn and move forward, words can't hurt you, let him know he's doing a good job and feeling the way he is is normal. 

Reassure him that you feel like that too sometimes and perhaps give him some affirmations on his hard work. Overall, it's a grind and being constantly rejected weighs on you, even for myself, but you just have to remember it's a numbers game, don't be disheartened by what some random person you'll never ever see in real life says to you and just keep making dials to thicken up your skin. 
RedLightning
Politicker
1
Mid-Market AE
It's not the right label, but apathy is a prospecting super power

Gyro25
Notorious Answer
0
Account Executive
Yup, causal indifference to the outcome helps me. 
looper1010
Celebrated Contributor
1
Solutions Specialist
Not taking it personally and sticking with the grind is huge.  2 more months later, he's getting used to it and adapting to the sales life <3!
JustGonnaSendIt
Politicker
1
Burn Towns, Get Money
When I was a BDR and getting burned out after having my ass kicked day after day, one of the most refreshing things was when my AE took me out of the call booth for a day to attend some client meetings with him.

Showed me the light at the end of my struggle tunnel.

Fringe benefit - Then I had a "in a meeting with a client recently" story to use in overcoming objections!
looper1010
Celebrated Contributor
1
Solutions Specialist
love this.  I offered to let him run some of the meetings he booked and we'd go through it together.  He's still a little nervous.  I'll give him more time
AutoSmiler
Arsonist
1
Account Executive
Tell him to keep on smiling, never stop dialing, but most importantly keep your head up and the results will follow. Two months in he's still gotta build up some pipeline never give up faith!
looper1010
Celebrated Contributor
0
Solutions Specialist
4 months in now and he's getting much better at cold calls! He starting to get used to the sales grind.  I'm glad he didn't give up!
AutoSmiler
Arsonist
1
Account Executive
You can't give up! If he gave up that's how you know he wasn't cut out for it...but another two months in and the results begin to show, all it takes is a little practice and great leadership
Blackwargreymon
Politicker
1
MDR
If they're open to it, workshopping through their process, how they're prospecting, how they're going about their business -- and providing some best practice, or things they could alter to make their lives easier could be helpful (if you, yourself are also helpful.
MaximumRaizer
Politicker
1
Sales Manager
I would say keep pushin and fallin on your face little fella your “baby grapes” will drop soon enough.
NotCreativeEnough
Big Shot
1
Professional Day Ruiner
gotta remind him that he's only an SDR for a short time period, then he'll be on to bigger and better things, and bigger and better paychecks. 

When you're an SDR, having an AE who has your back is always awesome. Maybe throw him a bone every once and awhile when you book your own meetings and let him put them in the system so that he gets paid on it. Let him shadow more than just first calls as well so he can experience a little of life after being an SDR. 
GDO
Politicker
1
BDM
You sound like a good boss. I would just ask him what you can do. Makelij a safe space for an honest answer.
MR.StretchISR
Politicker
0
ISR
Nature of the beast. Welcome to cold-call paradise podna.
antiASKHOLE
Tycoon
0
Bravado's Resident Asshole
Have you been able to turn this around yet?
Mr.Floaty
Politicker
0
BDR
Why do you book meetings with them if you think it’s a waste of time? Just curious.
Cyberjarre
Politicker
0
BDR
Presence doesn't help, but prospects sometimes ask to see when they hear him bark

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