Building a Sales Development Stack
Tools, sequences, and hiring playbook for your first SDR team.
The SDR Stack
Choose tools based on your stage and budget. Start simple.
Data: Apollo, Lusha, or ZoomInfo for prospecting plus enrichment.
Sequencing: Instantly or Smartlead for multi-channel sequences.
CRM: HubSpot or Salesforce for pipeline tracking.
LinkedIn: Sales Navigator for social selling.
Sequence Design
A 5-step outbound sequence:
Step 1 - Email: Value-first intro. Reference their company or recent event. Step 2 - LinkedIn: Like or comment on their post. Add context. Step 3 - Email: Case study relevant to their industry. Step 4 - LinkedIn DM: Direct but low-pressure ask. Step 5 - Email: Breakup email. No hard feelings.
Personalization That Works
Company research: 30 seconds per prospect minimum. Reference specific funding, product launches, leadership changes. Avoid generic templates.
Hiring Your First SDR
Look for: 1-2 years B2B sales, strong writing skills, resilience.
Ramp plan:
- Week 1-2: Product training plus ICP definition
- Week 3-4: List building plus tool setup
- Week 5-6: 50+ calls and 100+ emails daily
- Week 7-8: Pipeline generation target: 5x quota