You’re a BDR director who just joined a company with no prior BDR function at all. Your gut response is probably to start hiring right away, but that’s not the technique that worked best for today’s Sales Engagement guest.
In this episode, I interview Luke Boddis, BDR Director at Checkout.com, about building his BDR team from scratch.
Join us as we discuss:
- The importance of constantly refreshing the playbook
- Why video prospecting builds trust so quickly
- Key characteristics of great BDR candidates
- The onboarding/ramping program at Checkout.com
The importance of constantly refreshing the playbook
Luke said that when Checkout.com onboarded BDRs remotely, they kept a playbook they could always refer back to.
What made that playbook work was that his team kept updating it. The messaging is always changing, after all, so you don’t want a playbook created nearly a year ago. You have to adapt to meet new ways of selling.
“We first had to define who our ICP was at Checkout,” Luke told us. “We had to identify our best selling practices, as well.”
To do that, Luke listened in on as many sales calls as possible. He became a sponge, soaking up everything about the company. Once he learned all he could, Checkout could establish a BDR playbook. From there, the company could turn to hiring new BDRs.
Why video prospecting builds trust so quickly
One of the hardest parts of sales is building up enough trust to close with your prospect. Salespeople have a terrible fear of being perceived as money-hungry and willing to do anything for the quickest deal.
When you send a video, however, you’re putting your face and name in front of your prospect. It’s not a mass outreach method, but something personalized.
Videos are a great way to cut through the usual sales traffic. They’ve been very effective for Checkout and have shown success in all regions.
Checkout’s core European team, which sells in the UK, southern Europe, and France, has brought on some of its largest merchants through simple video on LinkedIn or through email.
“We’ve never received a bad response,” Luke said. “Even if someone says no, they still take the time to respond and say how much they love the approach.”
Key characteristics of great BDR candidates
Curiosity drives a great BDR.
For Luke, curiosity is broken down into three parts.
- Curiosity in yourself. What are you doing outside your professional role to develop your learning and skills? Are you taking courses, reading, or leading training sessions?
- Curiosity in Checkout. The company is evolving at a phenomenal rate. It’s an exciting place to be. Are you invested in Checkout’s values? Are you becoming an expert in all things payment and checkout related?
- Curiosity in the prospects. Curiosity about your prospects develops your messaging and calling. Are you asking in-depth questions that can streamline the entire sales cycle?
Checkout also looks for BDR candidates who are motivated, organized and — perhaps most importantly — coachable. Experience is nice, but Luke wants people who will admit when they need help.
The onboarding/ramping program at Checkout.com
Checkout provides a tailored, personalized training program to help new BDRs meet their goals. Guidance starts the very first day of onboarding where each candidate learns the next step they need to take to achieve what they need.
The onboarding process itself begins with a message from Luke. “Hey, can’t wait to work with you. I’m excited you’re joining the team. Here are some reading materials that will benefit you.”
The reading materials are documents about Checkout. Luke also sends along recordings of discovery calls, which can help alleviate that massive fear of cold calling that often plagues people who are new to sales.
From there, Checkout’s onboarding process breaks down into two parts:
- Business intelligence — Luke discusses Checkout payments, the competition, value-based selling, and everything that makes Checkout… well, Checkout.
- Sales skills — In this part, they discuss cold calling, emails, and other tools new BDRs need to get started at Checkout.
In month one, there’s no target. Luke wants new BDRs to build a fantastic foundation in what Checkout does and meet as many people as possible.
In month two, they start working inbound leads to practice. They do role plays. They listen in on more sales calls.
At the start of the second quarter, they get the tools and the opportunity to be an incredible success.
Luke’s Key Takeaways
- Have fun. As a BDR, you learn many different transferable skills that you can apply to any role moving forward.
- Be curious. Be motivated. Be organized. Be coachable.
- Never stop training. Your training should be personal, tailored, and focused on the goals you want to achieve.
Check out these resources we mentioned during the podcast:
- Legacy by James Kerr
For more engaging sales conversations, subscribe to The Sales Engagement Podcast on Apple Podcasts, on Spotify, or on our website.
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