Is the SDR today’s Telemarketer?

I put myself through HS and College telemarketing. a lot of it was a real grind but it taught me to be fearless on the phone, how to write a killer call script, and it gifted me an awesome work ethic. 

That got me thinking - telemarketing is basically dead (at least compared to what I grew up doing).  However, I see SDRs grinding it out now in a very similar fashion. Endless calls, constant micromanagement, and a sink or swim mentality.   You gut it out for a couple years hoping to get promoted - although too often moving out in order to move up.  You learn what it takes to make it sales or you discover that selling isn't for you. 

So is the SDR todays Telemarketer? 




Is the SDR the new Telemarketer?

Attached poll
*Voting in this poll no longer yields commission.
🎯 Career Development
🤠 Culture
✌️ Growing Pains
13
braintank
Politicker
5
Enterprise Account Executive
I think there are more similarities than we'd like to admit. However, since telemarketing has such a bad connotation people want to avoid the association. 
jefe
Arsonist
1
🍁
Agreed. Never been and SDR but have had people refer to inside sales as telemarketers and it makes me cringe. 
NoSuperhero
Politicker
1
BDR LEAD
The same goes for the salesman, hence the change to Business Developer, Account Executive, they don't sound like salespeople, but we all know they are.

Telemarketing is just a way to do sales, and if we're contacting people by phone and pitching to later hand off the deal to the closer, you bet your ass we're doing telemarketing in cold-calls.
Telehealth_2the_Moon
Notable Contributor
2
Director of Business Development
I can see a lot of the similarities, but I've always had the idea that telemarketing was casting the widest possible net without really changing up your approach or using much personalization. Is my assumption way off base?

Hopefully SDRs are able to be a bit more intentional with who they target and why, but I'm sure in larger companies that pretty much sell to everyone it could be a much more telemarketing role than others. 

I do see how those skills translate perfectly from telemarketing to SDR work. I'd love to hire SDRs with experience in telemarketing or fundraising, think school calling up grads for donations. 
Sunbunny31
Politicker
3
Sr Sales Executive 🐰
Tell it to those who are targeting me for products that don't fit and sent to me as a non-decision maker usually in the wrong department. 

SDR/BDRs aren't telemarketers because telemarketers are all bots these days.  


But seriously:  they're supposed to be (and the good ones are) focusing purely on accounts and ICP where it makes sense so that the message is getting to the right people.  There are similarities because the phone is still one of the primary tools, and cold calling is still a tactic, but they really aren't supposed to be randomly dialing irritated homeowners.
RealPatrickBateman
Politicker
2
🔪Amateur Butcher🔪
I guess that depends..... Are you calling me about my cars extended warranty or trying to sell me a product based upon deep research and an understanding of my need?
Pachacuti
Politicker
0
They call me Daddy, Sales Daddy
This isn't a question about the content of the calls but more related to the entry level position(s) of budding sales people.  I cut my teeth as a telemarketer, when the SDR role didn't exist.  Telemarketing today is robo-calls.  
RealPatrickBateman
Politicker
0
🔪Amateur Butcher🔪
Understood. 


Well, as a reasonably new member to the War Room I should let you know that sarcasm is the love language of all Sales Savages.... especially here. And while my comment may have seemed well thought out and potentially even "intelligent", I assure you it was neither. 

I wish you good tiding on your journey through this solar system and godspeed to any future endeavors you may pursue. 

Bateman, Out. 
Coffeesforclosers
Notable Contributor
1
Director Sales and Market Development
i run the sdr team i have so much empathy for them and they are truly a lifeblood to the sales org and company as a whole, but todays day and age there are a lot of self entitled assholes that forget we used to use our phones to do business and anytime they download an app, go on IG, or sign up for something online they are clicking accept to have their information shared. Then pull the take me off your list or how did you get this number shit still in this day, get the fuck outta here. 
CuriousFox
WR Officer
1
🦊
The truth we all needed to read.
nemix
Politicker
0
SDR
SDR's are just well paid telemarketers/appointment setters lol. 
AutoSmiler
Arsonist
0
Account Executive
SDR's can be considered telemarketers in the sense that, 1. we are basically the frontline marketers and 2. we do hammer down on the phones - but there is so much more that goes into the job than just spamming phone calls that considering the role a modern telemarketer is doing all SDRs a disservice. This role is more than just telemarketing because it has solidified itself as a career foundation whereas most telemarketing roles are high volume and provide people a means of getting instead of moving up.