Facebook Linkedin Instagram Tiktok Youtube
Talk to an expert

Tag: Outbound

The 7 Mistakes Companies Make When Hiring Their First SDR

Posted on by Hannah Sanders
The 7 Mistakes Companies Make When Hiring Their First SDR

For many growing businesses, hiring their first Sales Development Representative feels like a natural step. The Founder has been doing most of the selling, pipeline is inconsistent, and growth targets are increasing. Bringing in a dedicated salesperson appears to be the logical next move.

But building a successful outbound function is rarely as simple as hiring one person and expecting results.

Having worked with hundreds of organisations developing their sales functions, we regularly see the same mistakes appear again and again. Avoiding these pitfalls can save months of frustration and significant investment.

1

Hiring Before Building a Sales Plan

Many companies jump straight to recruitment.

The thinking is simple: we need more sales activity.

But without a clear plan, even experienced SDRs struggle to succeed.

Before hiring, organisations need clarity around:

  • target markets and ideal customer profiles
  • messaging and value propositions
  • qualification criteria
  • sales process structure
  • lead handover between SDR and closing teams

This is where an outbound sales playbook becomes critical. It provides the structure that enables new hires to operate effectively from day one and ensures your team is targeting the right prospects with the right messaging.

2

Expecting an SDR to Replicate Founder Success

Founders often underestimate how much of their own success comes from:

  • deep product knowledge
  • personal credibility
  • autonomy in conversations
  • passion for the business

A new hire simply does not have those advantages.

Expecting an SDR to immediately replicate founder-level results can quickly lead to disappointment. Even highly capable salespeople need time to develop confidence in the product, the market and the messaging.

3

Underestimating Ramp Time

Many businesses assume that once hired, an SDR will start producing meetings almost immediately.

In reality, most SDRs require three to six months before consistently generating pipeline.

During that time they must learn:

  • the market
  • the product
  • the messaging
  • the sales process
  • the objection landscape

Structured training and coaching are essential to accelerate that learning curve. In fact, this is exactly how we build high-performing outsourced SDRs within our own programmes.

Without that structure, early performance can appear disappointing and organisations may lose confidence in their investment before the foundations are in place.

4

Hiring the Wrong Type of Salesperson

Not all sales professionals are the same.

An SDR responsible for high-volume outbound activity requires a very different skill set from someone navigating complex enterprise buying groups.

When hiring your first SDR, businesses must think carefully about what the role actually requires.

For example:

  • high activity outreach versus account-based engagement
  • simple product conversations versus technical discovery
  • short sales cycles versus long consultative deals

Each of these scenarios requires a different type of salesperson.

Getting that match wrong can quickly slow pipeline development.

5

Ignoring the Importance of Data

Even highly capable SDRs cannot succeed without quality data.

Without a defined data strategy, new hires can spend large amounts of time:

  • researching prospects
  • validating contact information
  • identifying suitable target accounts

This dramatically reduces time spent actually selling.

Strong outbound performance depends on clear target profiles and access to clean, segmented data that enables SDRs to focus on conversations rather than research.

6

Underestimating the True Cost

Salary is only one component of building an SDR function.

Organisations must also account for:

  • recruitment costs
  • ramp time
  • sales technology
  • leadership management time
  • attrition risk

When everything is factored in, the real investment can easily exceed £70k-£100k in the first year before predictable pipeline emerges.

Many organisations only discover this after attempting to build the function internally.

7

Expecting Immediate ROI

Outbound pipeline takes time to build.

Deals generated today may not close for months depending on the sales cycle.

If expectations are misaligned internally, leaders can lose confidence in the investment before it has had time to deliver results.

A realistic plan for pipeline generation, opportunity creation and revenue forecasting is essential. Many organisations discover these challenges when reviewing their sales process and identifying where pipeline performance is breaking down.

Building a Sales Function the Right Way

Hiring your first SDR can absolutely be the right move. But success rarely comes from recruitment alone.

High-performing outbound teams are built on strong foundations:

  • a clear sales playbook
  • well-defined target markets
  • consistent messaging
  • structured coaching
  • realistic expectations around pipeline timelines

For some organisations, building this capability internally makes sense. For others, working with an outsourced SDR team can provide a faster route to consistent pipeline while avoiding the challenges of recruitment, ramp time and management overhead.

Final Thought

As Air Marketing Founder & CEO, Owen Richards, often says:

“You’re far more likely to get it wrong before you get it right.”

The key is learning from the mistakes others have already made.

If you’re reviewing how to build or scale your outbound function, we’re always happy to share what we’re seeing across B2B sales teams and how different organisations are approaching pipeline generation.

Complete the form below and we’ll get back to you within one working day.

Talk to an expert at Air Marketing - Trusted Outsourced Sales Agency UK

From Candidate to Closer: How We Build High-Performing Outsourced SDRs

Posted on by Hannah Sanders
Skilled outsourced SDRs from Air Marketing

An outsourced SDR should not be “ready-made”. They should be built, trained, tested and supported.
In B2B outbound sales, the difference between activity and pipeline is skill. That skill does not appear by accident. It is developed through deliberate recruitment, structured training, coaching, and real-world exposure.

At Air Marketing, we invest heavily in the journey from candidate to closer. Because when we resource outbound campaigns for clients, we are not simply allocating headcount. We are deploying trained, performance-ready professionals who understand how to represent complex brands and generate predictable pipeline.

This is the journey of an Air SDR.

Why Most Outsourced SDR Models Fall Short

A common pattern across growth-stage businesses is this:

  • They need pipeline quickly
  • They hire fast
  • They train lightly
  • They hope for results

The problem is obvious.

Outbound sales is a specialist discipline. It requires commercial intelligence, resilience, structured process, market understanding and conversational skill.

Without proper development:

  • Messaging becomes generic
  • Objections are mishandled
  • Targeting lacks nuance
  • Data is underused
  • Performance fluctuates

Clients feel the impact immediately.

We believe an outsourced SDR should feel like an embedded expert, not a temporary resource. That requires investment before a single call is made.

The Air SDR Journey: From Application to Live Campaign

Our recruitment and onboarding process has evolved over time. What follows is the structure we have refined over the last two years.

It is deliberate. It is performance-led. And it is designed to ensure clients receive skilled outbound sales capability from day one.

1

Stage 1: Application With Voice Note – Testing Communication Early

We begin with a written application and a short voice note.

Why?

Because sales is spoken performance. Tone, clarity, energy and confidence matter.

The voice note gives us insight into communication style, natural presence, commercial maturity, and willingness to step outside comfort zones. We are not looking for perfection. We’re looking for potential and coachability. This ensures we identify candidates with the foundational traits required for outbound sales development.

2

Stage 2: Interview – Assessing Commercial Mindset

Successful applicants are invited to interview with senior leadership and a Team Manager.

This stage focuses on resilience and mindset, curiosity and learning agility, understanding of commercial drivers, and cultural alignment with a target-driven environment.

Outbound performance is not purely technical. It is behavioural. We assess both.

3

Stage 3: Live Roleplay – Proving Sales Instinct

Every candidate completes a mock cold call roleplay with an existing BDE.

This is not theoretical. It tests objection handling, active listening, structure, confidence under pressure, and ability to think in real time.

This step is critical in ensuring we resource clients with SDRs who can operate in real outbound environments.

4

Stage 4: Campaign Allocation Before Day One

Based on roleplay performance and previous experience, we allocate the SDR to their first campaign before they start.

This matters.

Campaign allocation is strategic. We consider sector complexity, target persona seniority, sales cycle length, and messaging sophistication.

This allows induction to be aligned to real client context, not textbook sales.

5

Week 1: Induction, Systems and Sales Foundations

The first week includes full induction, sales process training, systems training, CRM and reporting structure, compliance and data handling, market immersion, and structured call framework training.

By Friday, there is controlled calling exposure.

Why introduce calling early?

Because confidence is built through action, not theory.

6

Week 2: Live Campaign With Ongoing Coaching

In week two, the SDR begins live calling on their allocated campaign.

Alongside this, additional training sessions run, calls are monitored and coached, objections are deconstructed, and messaging is refined.

Performance is not left to chance. It is supported daily.

7

Week 3 Onwards: Scaled Responsibility

If ready, and if campaign need dictates, a second campaign may be allocated.

This decision is based on call quality, meeting quality, confidence, feedback from Team Managers, and early conversion indicators.

8

The 3-Month Probation: Structured Performance Development

Probation lasts three months.

During this time, performance metrics are tracked closely, conversion rates are analysed, coaching is continuous, strengths and development areas are identified, and campaign suitability is reviewed.

What This Means for Clients

When clients engage Air Marketing for outsourced SDR support…

They are not receiving They receive
  • A temporary telemarketer
  • A junior resource without structure
  • A plug-and-play operator
  • A fully trained Sales Development Representative
  • Embedded into their brand and proposition
  • Operating within a proven outbound framework
  • Supported by Team Managers, HR & Operations
  • Backed by performance reporting
  • Continuously coached and optimised

The Commercial Impact of Proper SDR Development

  • Higher quality conversations
  • Stronger meeting conversion rates
  • Better alignment with ICPs
  • More accurate qualification
  • Stronger forecasting confidence
  • Reduced ramp time
  • Lower performance volatility

Outbound is a performance discipline. When skill meets data, activity converts into pipeline.

From Candidate to Closer – And Beyond

The journey does not end at probation.

Ongoing development, campaign evolution and performance refinement continue throughout the lifecycle of every outsourced SDR engagement.

Because we are not simply supplying activity.

We are building revenue engines.

And that begins long before the first call is dialled.

Ready to See What a Properly Built Outsourced SDR Function Looks Like?

If you are evaluating outbound support, ask one simple question:

“How are your SDRs recruited, trained and developed?”

If the answer is vague, so will the results be.

If you would like to understand how our structured SDR model could embed into your growth strategy and build predictable pipeline, we would welcome the conversation.

Complete the form below and we’ll get back to you within one working day.

Talk to an expert at Air Marketing - Trusted Outsourced Sales Agency UK

Everyone Else Is Slowing Down. That’s Exactly Why You Should Be Prospecting This December

Posted on by Hannah Sanders
air marketing sales in december - prospecting - outsourced sales agency uk

Everyone Else Is Slowing Down. That’s Exactly Why You Should Be Prospecting This December

The Christmas decorations are up. Calendars are filling with end-of-year socials. Slack messages start to include phrases like “back in January”.

And inevitably, the same question comes up in sales teams across the UK:

“Should we just ease off prospecting until the New Year?”

Our Founder & CEO, Owen Richards , has been answering that question for over a decade. His response hasn’t changed.

Carry on as normal.

Not because he’s allergic to Christmas cheer – but because the data, the behaviour, and the commercial reality all point in the same direction. December isn’t a dead month. It’s a misunderstood one.

Why December prospecting still works in 2025

At Air Marketing, outbound is our day job. We make hundreds of thousands of calls every year across multiple sectors, seniority levels, and markets. That volume gives us a clear view of what actually happens in December – not what people assume happens.

As the year winds down, decision-makers are more open to conversation, call quality improves, and meaningful discussions happen faster.

Inbox pressure drops. Meeting overload eases. People finally have breathing room to think rather than react.

Even in the final two weeks before Christmas, engagement rates remain strong. Appointments may land for January, but the groundwork happens in December.

And when teams switch prospecting off entirely? January becomes a cold start instead of a warm continuation.

Three reasons December still delivers results

1

Conversations are better, not worse

December isn’t quieter because people stop working. It’s quieter because the noise reduces. Decision-makers are clearing desks, reflecting on the year, and are often more relaxed and open. That leads to longer, higher-quality conversations with less defensiveness and more honesty.

2

Budgets and priorities are already in motion

By December, leadership teams are shaping the year ahead. Budgets are being finalised, suppliers reviewed, and performance gaps acknowledged. December is ideal for positioning your proposition and securing January conversations with real intent.

3

Switching off costs more than people realise

Write off December and you lose around 8% of the selling year. Add summer, Easter, and other “bad timing” periods and suddenly a quarter of the year disappears. Top-performing sales teams prioritise consistency, not perfect conditions.

A realistic December caveat

December isn’t the time to launch brand new sales initiatives from scratch. If a campaign is already running, keep momentum going and build pipeline for January. If something requires heavy onboarding or major change, wait until the New Year when teams are refreshed.

December feels like the wrong time to prospect. That’s exactly why it works.

While competitors slow down, the teams that keep going quietly build advantage – and reap the rewards in the new year.

If you want January to start with momentum rather than zero, our sales specialists can help build pipeline that lasts beyond the Christmas break.

Get in touch with Air Marketing to see how we can support your growth into 2026.

Talk to an expert

Outbound: The Sales Function That Refuses to Die

Posted on by Hannah Sanders

Every few years, someone writes its obituary. The market moves. Budgets tighten. A new technology promises shortcuts. And yet, outbound keeps delivering.

It happened in 2020, when remote work and shifting priorities made cold outreach feel tone-deaf. It happened again in 2023, when leaders were told to do more with less. And now, in 2025, AI is the latest silver bullet pointed at SDR teams, hailed as the cheaper, faster, smarter alternative.

Each time, the same story plays out: outbound gets cut first, then rebuilt later. Because when the pipeline slows, every business rediscovers the same truth: you can’t grow predictably without outbound.

Why outbound keeps coming back

On a spreadsheet, cutting SDRs looks tidy. In the real world, it creates a different cost: the cost of silence. Inbound puts you in front of buyers who are already looking. Outbound gets you in front of the ones who should be.

  • Creates net-new conversations with accounts that aren’t coming inbound yet.
  • Brings timeliness – you don’t wait for intent signals; you create them.
  • Builds reach across buying groups where deals are won (or quietly lost).

The problem isn’t outbound – it’s bad outbound

Much of what gets labelled “outbound” is just mass automation. That isn’t strategy, it’s noise. Effective teams treat outbound as a craft.

  • Precise ICP & segmentation over spray-and-pray lists.
  • Human talk tracks that show understanding, not just personalisation tokens.
  • Consistency and coaching that compound into pipeline, not just activity.

AI won’t replace SDRs – it’ll expose weak ones

AI will sharpen research, trigger detection and message drafting. Useful. But the decisive moment is still human: a relevant opener, control of the conversation, confident qualification.

Reality check: Buyers don’t buy the model. They buy the person who makes the problem feel solvable.

What high-performing outbound looks like in 2025

  • Clean, segmented data with role and timing context.
  • Tight talk tracks focused on pain, impact and next step.
  • Phone-first discipline supported by email, social and paid, not replaced by them.
  • Outcome metrics: meetings, opportunities, revenue, not just dials and opens.
Bottom line: Outbound isn’t dying, it’s evolving. Pair disciplined SDRs with smart data and pragmatic coaching, and you get the one thing the board cares about most: predictable pipeline.

Final thought

Every few years, someone will try to retire outbound. The businesses that keep growing don’t argue, they execute. They modernise the function, back their people, and keep the phone ringing.

Opinion piece by Gracie-May Bryan, Client Strategy Manager at Air Marketing

Inbound Plateaued? Here’s How Outbound Can Restart Your Growth Curve

Posted on by Hannah Sanders

Inbound has had a good run.

It’s consistent, measurable, and when it works, it works well. But for many B2B businesses, especially in competitive markets, the growth curve eventually starts to flatten. Content takes longer to convert. SEO rankings stabilise. Paid campaigns become less efficient. And despite best efforts, pipeline momentum begins to stall.

If this sounds familiar, you’re not alone. We speak to growth-focused leaders every week who tell us, “We’ve hit a ceiling with inbound.”

So what’s the next move?

It might be time to take outbound seriously.

Why outbound — and why now?

Outbound today is a different beast. It’s not about scripted calls or generic outreach. When done properly, it’s a scalable, insight-led growth channel that drives proactive pipeline. It targets the right personas at the right time with the right message.

Crucially, outbound doesn’t replace inbound. It enhances it. When layered into your demand engine, it turns inconsistent interest into consistent opportunity.

1. Outbound gives you control

Inbound relies on timing. Buyers need to be looking for your solution when they find you. Outbound changes that. It lets you choose who to target and when, based on strategic priorities rather than search traffic.

You’re not waiting for the right leads to come to you. You’re going to them.

2. It builds predictable pipeline

With outbound, you can model volumes, track conversions, and forecast with far greater precision. This makes it much easier to report with confidence, plan with clarity, and justify investment.

It also speeds up pipeline generation. You’re not reliant on how well a blog performs or whether this month’s paid campaign hits.

3. It complements inbound, not competes with it

Some of your best-fit prospects may never engage with inbound. They’re not searching for your solution. They’re not reading your whitepapers. Outbound lets you reach these audiences directly and spark commercial conversations earlier.

In many cases, outbound turns passive prospects into active pipeline.

4. When it’s informed by insight, it works

Modern outbound is powered by data — intent signals, firmographics, technographics, and buyer behaviour. This allows for highly relevant messaging that feels timely rather than intrusive.

When it lands well, it doesn’t feel like a cold outreach. It feels like you’ve read the room.

5. It tightens the sales and marketing loop

Outbound brings marketing and sales closer together. Sales teams benefit from the awareness marketing has already built. Marketing gets real-time feedback on what messages are landing with decision-makers.

This insight makes every part of your demand strategy sharper.

Time to restart your growth curve?

If your inbound activity is no longer moving the needle, outbound can help you break the plateau. It brings structure, accountability, and commercial urgency into your pipeline strategy.

But outbound only works when it’s done properly:

  • Dedicated, experienced resource

  • Accurate, segmented data

  • Sharp, pain-led messaging

  • Consistent, multi-touch follow-up

  • Continuous testing and refinement

That’s exactly what we deliver at Air.

If your current approach isn’t cutting it, let’s build one that does. Talk to us today.

Take Control of Your Sales Pipeline

Your pipeline shouldn’t depend on who finds you.

At Air, we help businesses reignite growth by designing and executing outbound strategies that work in the real world. We uncover where opportunity is being missed — whether that’s in targeting, messaging, cadence or conversion — and build outbound engines that generate consistent, qualified pipeline.

Our approach surfaces what’s holding you back and unlocks faster, more predictable revenue.

TALK TO US TODAY