Important Skills Every Sales Development Rep Should Have

by Radhika Pawar creative content writer

Sales development representatives play the important role of helping account executives close deals in the shortest time possible. Going with the difficult of this task, you need to be equipped with the right skills to succeed in this field. Some might argue that having traditional sales skills is enough.

However, there is more to becoming a successful sales development rep than the traditional sales skills. You need to have some hard and soft skills to help inside sales teams bring even more success. Having said that, below are top skills every sales development rep needs to master in.

Video Prospecting

Video prospecting is gaining immense popularity in the sales world with no signs of slowing down any time soon. You can deem it to be a customized outreach in a short, two-minute max video format. Unlike an email or phone call, the prospect gets to connect with you on a more personal level. Of course, this is without the time commitment of scheduling a Zoom call.

You don’t have to be a technical master to create effective videos for your potential customers as a sales development rep. All it takes is for you to be comfortable on screen, and you’re good too go.

Active Listening and Adaptability

Most sales development reps since to have no idea on how they can continue adding value to the sales process which seems to be becoming more automated every year. But you’d be surprised to know that this is among the simplest things you can ever do. One of the best ways to make this possible is through active listening.

While a chatbot can get you a lead, nothing asks questions and listens to information like a human. The interaction between a potential customer and a sales development rep should be genuine and helpful, not robotic and forced.

Regardless of your company’s offering, you must be highly attuned to phrases that indicate a potential customer could be a good fit for your product or service. That’s where active listening will work to your advantage. The best sales development rep prioritizes the collection of valuable information that will help a prospect further down the pipeline as opposed to checking lead qualification boxes.

Other important skills sales development rep needs include video prospecting, customized outreach, follow-up, coachability, self-awareness, organization, active listening and adaptability, relationship-building, overcoming objections, and curiosity, to mention a few.