5 Key Lessons I’ve Learned as a BDR

18 months ago, I decided to follow advice from mentors and get experience at the ‘sharp end’ of a business; immerse myself in the battle on the front lines if you will (A little overdramatic perhaps but you get the point...). The decision to move from a multinational to a tech start-up along with a shift from marketing into business development was a conscious decision to keep developing my business acumen. 

I was excited and apprehensive in equal measure making the move with the unknowns that awaited. Would I like the startup environment? Would I fit in at a tech company? Could I be successful in such a metric driven sales environment?

Well in hindsight the answer was an emphatic ‘yes’ to all three of these questions. It has me feeling reflective and thought to document what I felt I had learned thus far in my journey to act both as a reminder for myself but to also hopefully offer value to others who are considering or starting on their own BDR journey. 

So here goes, my 5 key lessons I’ve learned in my time as a BDR… thus far.

1. Be Resourceful 

“A resourceful person can see opportunity when others only see obstacles.” - Garrett Gunderson: Author

I remember a particular turning point or light bulb moment in conversation with my manager at the time, Wendy Hankemeier, who bluntly told me to 'get off BDR island’ as I went to her seeking guidance on prising open an account. It then smacked me in the face that a lot of the answers I was seeking could be obtained via the highly intelligent and experienced people working around me. 

When I speak to new starters in our organisation, it’s fairly common to answer the question of “what advice can you give me to be successful?” or “do you have any tips for me as I get started?”. I can now with confidence say I respond to this line of questioning with encouragement to be resourceful. Are you:

• Speaking, learning from and shadowing the most successful BDR’s in your org?
• Working closely alongside the highest performing and most experienced Account Executives?
• Conversing regularly with Sales Directors to strategise on accounts/get executive alignment on your accounts?
• Working with Customer Success and Account Managers to get the latest intel on how customers are using the product that can be relayed back into meaningful examples in your outreach? Alternatively, can they provide intro’s across markets to deliver ‘warmer’ net new conversations?
• Speaking with Solution/Tech-consultants to understand what prospects in the same verticals are asking, responding well to or feeling pain on?

I have never proclaimed to be the smartest, and I sure as heck am not the most intelligent in a tech organisation scaling at the rate we are, so why not leverage the brilliant brains around you…?

2. Seek, Digest and Apply Feedback

“Growth mindset … thrives on challenge and sees failure not as evidence of unintelligence but as a heartening springboard for growth and for stretching our existing abilities.” - Carol Dweck, Mindset: The New Psychology of Success

Perhaps born out of my athletic career, I’m a huge believer in those who develop fastest are those who are first prepared to fail but secondly continually search for guidance and feedback from others. The third element is whether you can decipher the feedback you receive and lastly how you apply it. Perspective is hugely valuable as part of this process as you are able to calculate and process everything before determining the right course of action. 

On my first day in my current role, I remember sitting in a meeting room (what a novelty), shadowing a discovery call that Rod Amies was running. A brand new vocabulary aside, I was blown away by the level of execution from Rod in his ability to coax information out of the prospect in such an organic way. We got off the call and despite his 10 years experience in this line of work versus my 1 day of experience, he immediately asked “what did you think? Any feedback for me”. 

It can be a truly scary concept in opening yourself up for criticism and we can also grow ignorant in not seeking continuous feedback as our experience grows. Rod delivered a clear reminder that the best don’t fall into this trap. I will always try to carry this experience forward. 

3. There’s No Replacement For Hard Work 

“I’m a great believer in luck, and I find the harder I work, the more I have of it.” - Thomas Jefferson: 3rd US President

There is most certainly an argument for working smarter not hard and seeking efficiencies is certainly worth recognition. I refer back to being resourceful… However, for me, there has always been a trend between working hard and getting the results I’m after. 

I moved from two previous marketing roles into my BDR role to test this hypothesis and see if there was a genuine ROI for the extra hours I put into my career. Whilst cheesy, for me I get genuine intrinsic satisfaction out of ‘the grind’ or the ‘hard yards’. I appreciate this isn’t necessarily for everyone but if you have that personal pride or competitive streak in you (most salespeople innately possess) then are you self-aware and honest enough with yourself to determine whether you’re holding yourself to a high performing work ethic?

Work hard over a consistent period of time and you will drive the results you are after.

4. Strategy Offers Clarity

“Strategy is style of thinking, a conscious and deliberate process, an intensive implementation system, the science of insuring future success.” - Pete Johnson: American jazz pianist

If you think you are organised and strategic, try working alongside a former Strategy Advisor to the Chief of General Staff in the British Army - Mind Blown! Throughout my time as a BDR, I’ve focused on working with complex, matrix enterprise businesses. Whilst have processes, clear guidance and direction to my work, it wasn’t until I had the opportunity to partner with Jase Buckley MBE that I truly saw what strategy could look like and how it could impact execution for results. 

If there’s a key learning I’ve taken away from my work with Jase it is that time invested up front to develop a clear, concise and data-backed plan that allows you to accelerate forward. Our analysis of accounts, also allows you to work ‘smarter’ and be more efficient with time knowing you’re going after business opportunities that hold genuine value. 

To quote Winston Churchill “However beautiful the strategy, you should occasionally look at the results” - I think this is poignant in not allowing the process to get in the way for process' sake. Eventually, you also need to execute as we’re in a results-based game! 

5. Seek Emotional Equilibrium 

“Successful people have fear, successful people have doubts, and successful people have worries. They just don't let these feelings stop them.” - T. Harv Eker: Author, businessman and motivational speaker

With the nature of the job, it’s easy to ride the exhausting peaks and troughs rollercoaster as you enjoy periods of success as well as periods of struggle. It’s easier said than done but being self-aware of where you are on the emotional sliding scale is powerful with you able to remind yourself to keep pushing hard when things are going well whilst also embracing the discomfort of when you’re working through a tricky patch. 

Next to working closely with James Herridge-Leng on a professional level, I had the opportunity to speak openly with him on a personal level - specifically surrounding mental health. This has been nothing short of instrumental in my ability to navigate periods of stress. If there's anything James has taught me, it's to speak up and get help when you need it. Thank you, James.

With this in mind, I now feel better equipped and begun to navigate this journey more effectively by doing a number of things: 

1. Trusting my process through thick and thin - I fall back on my hard work, openness to feedback and seeking help from others
2. I recognise and label my emotions to be more pragmatic in my execution 
3. I exercise to get clarity of thought and use it as an emotional level-set 
4. I determine whether to embrace or discard the emotion dependent on whether I think it’s going to help me

In summary, I try not to get too high and run the risk of becoming lazy when things are going well. Equally, I try not to allow myself to get too low and overwork or panic when I sense things are not going my way. 

I by no means feel like this is an area I’ve mastered but one I continue to develop and understand over time.

In conclusion

Embracing Aristotle's sentiment of “The unexamined life is not worth living”, the process of writing this piece has reaffirmed personal development that can be retained and built upon as I advance in my career. I look back with incredible pride on the journey travelled thus far and am excited to see what the next 18 months look like. Selfish pride aside, I do earnestly hope that there are some key takeaways for others as they pave their own path.  

I’d love to hear your thoughts and feedback…