Inside Sales / BDR Strategies

Inside Sales / BDR Strategies

Inside Sales / BDR Strategies

Contractors
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In House
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BDR-as-a-Service
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Appointment Setting

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Part-Time Contractors

Part-Time Contractors

Part-Time Contractors

What Tasks Do You Expect Them To Do?


There is often more to the role than touches. Building daily lists, handling messaging, building sequences, using LinkedIn/Email/Phone etc etc. The list goes on. Put it this way, there is not enough time in the day to do it all.

Even with a contracted, part-time BDR, annual costs can still add up quickly, especially with the internal resources needed for management and no guaranteed outcomes. Whether working 20, 30, or 40 hours a week to achieve 75 outbound touches a day, the expenses can escalate. Moreover, BDR performance is often hit or miss, with many stories of underperformance.

The Inevitable Sales Funnel – Someone Has to Do It

Key steps must be followed to build a strong sales pipeline. Here’s what the process looks like:

  1. Identify Targeted Accounts: Who handles this—Marketing or BDR?

  2. Identify Targeted Opportunities: Who's responsible—Marketing or BDR?

  3. Detect Key Decision Makers: Based on signals of fit, intent, and engagement.

  4. Engage Multiple Stakeholders: Involve all relevant members of the buying committee.

  5. Prioritize Opportunities: Focus on teams with the highest propensity to buy.

  6. Qualify Leads: Once they engage, qualify them for sales readiness.

  7. Create Real Pipeline: Progress leads into meetings everyone knows are real.

Questions to ask:

  • How much support are you providing these reps?

  • Is marketing using signal detection to find high-fit buyers who show intent?

  • Is marketing attracting and engaging buying group members?

  • Is marketing prioritizing opportunities for the BDR team, or are they expected to do everything?

  • Should the BDR's role be limited to qualification?

Part-Time BDR Expenses - Hourly
Do you really want to pay that much for 1/2 a BDR or even 1 Full BDR?

In-House

In-House

In-House

Base + Benefits + Commission + Constant Uncertainty

Cost per Result (e.g., Meetings, Qualified Leads)

Sales leaders may break down the BDR’s salary, benefits, and overhead into the cost of specific outcomes, such as the number of meetings booked or qualified leads generated. If the cost per meeting or lead is high compared to other lead-generation methods, it can raise doubts about ROI.

High Fixed Costs

Full-time BDRs come with fixed costs such as base salary, healthcare, bonuses, and other benefits, regardless of performance. This is a stark contrast to outsourcing or using a part-time BDR, where costs are more flexible and based on actual outcomes.

Performance Uncertainty

Hiring full-time BDRs doesn’t guarantee consistent results. Sales leaders may hesitate to invest in a role that can be unpredictable, with fluctuating performance based on market conditions, lead quality, or the individual’s skills. This unpredictability can make leaders reluctant to take on long-term commitments.

Scalability Concerns

Full-time BDRs don’t scale easily. If the company wants to quickly ramp up or down based on campaign needs, a full-time hire can limit that flexibility. In contrast, outsourcing or using part-time contractors allows for more agile adjustments.

Alternative Solutions (Tech and Outsourcing)

With the rise of sales automation tools, intent data platforms, and outsourced SDR/BDR services, leaders might find these options to be more cost-effective and results-driven, avoiding the management overhead of a full-time employee.

Cost of Training and Ramp Time

BDRs often require significant training and time to ramp up to full productivity. During this ramp-up, they still incur full salary costs, making the initial investment steep. If they leave the company after a short period, this investment may never pay off, further contributing to reluctance in full-time hires.

Turnover and Burnout

BDR roles tend to have high turnover due to the demanding nature of the work, leading to more hiring costs and a constant need to retrain. Sales leaders may weigh the potential turnover against the long-term value a BDR could provide, leading them to seek more flexible or performance-based alternatives.

Alignment with Sales Goals

If the company’s immediate sales goals focus more on closing deals or nurturing existing accounts rather than generating new leads, leaders may deprioritize hiring full-time BDRs. They might prefer allocating resources toward Account Executives (AEs) or Customer Success teams instead, leaving BDR roles to outsourced or part-time workers who can be scaled as needed.

Opportunity Cost

The budget used to hire a full-time BDR could be spent on other high-impact initiatives like advanced marketing technology, third-party lead generation services, or additional AEs who can close deals faster. Sales leaders may feel that these alternatives provide a better return on investment (ROI) compared to the uncertain outcomes of a BDR's efforts, especially when factoring in the cost of missed opportunities if the BDR underperforms.