Trained Offshore Junior SDRs for Scale-Ups: SDR Bootcamp Reflection

Our most requested role from clients is sales development representatives (SDRs), yet SDR roles were the roles we found hardest to place.

Our clients were dealing with two critical pain points: sky-high costs for quality SDRs and terrible retention rates once they found them. On our end, we were struggling to find candidates who could step into junior SDR roles and actually succeed from day one. There are very few experienced SDRs in the South African market, and the good ones get promoted to senior sales roles within two years.

That's when we decided to stop being part of the problem and start building the solution. Our pilot SDR training program was born out of this market necessity. After reflecting on our week-long sales development bootcamp hosted in Cape Town at the beginning of June, we're confident that we've created an SDR training solution that addresses both client pain points and our talent shortage.

That's when we decided to stop being part of the problem and start building the solution. Our SDR training program was born out of this market necessity.

Our approach was straightforward: we selected 10 top graduates from South Africa's two most prestigious universities - the University of Cape Town and Stellenbosch University - and provided them with comprehensive SDR skills training, professional mindset development, and industry exposure needed to excel in entry-level SDR positions.

We're confident that we've created an SDR training solution that addresses both client pain points and our talent shortage.

SDR Training Program Design

We structured our SDR bootcamp as a one-week intensive SDR certification program led by a top UK-based sales trainer who we flew in to Cape Town.

The comprehensive SDR training program covered essential sales development fundamentals including:

• Cold calling techniques and phone prospecting

• Email outreach strategies and follow-up sequences

• Lead qualification methodologies

• CRM management and sales pipeline development

• B2B sales prospecting best practices

We concluded with a networking event at a local pub.

Shared Office Experience:

After training, all our SDRs work from a shared office space in Cape Town alongside their fellow associates who are already hired through us for various other global scale-ups. Research shows that having a friend at work significantly increases job satisfaction and performance. By placing our trained SDRs together, we create a supportive community where they can collaborate, share experiences, and motivate each other.

This shared workspace approach helps combat the isolation that often leads to high turnover in remote SDR roles. Our graduates have built-in peer support and can learn from each other's successes and challenges, creating a stronger, more resilient team dynamic.

Real Results: Emihle's Success at London Weightlifting Academy

Emihle recently secured a position with London Weightlifting Academy as their SDR after going through our training program. The client was so impressed during the interview process that they commented on what a strong candidate she is, leading to her job offer. She'll be working from our shared office space in Cape Town, where she'll have the support of her fellow bootcamp graduates as she begins her new role.

Ready to build your offshore SDR team with trained professionals? Get in touch to learn more about our junior SDR training program and placement opportunities.