{"id":4933,"date":"2023-08-08T09:25:23","date_gmt":"2023-08-08T09:25:23","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.klenty.com\/blog\/?p=4933"},"modified":"2024-04-15T10:33:54","modified_gmt":"2024-04-15T10:33:54","slug":"actor-and-sdr-sam-holeman-sales-tips","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.klenty.com\/blog\/actor-and-sdr-sam-holeman-sales-tips\/","title":{"rendered":"Sam Holeman, SDR at Momence, Exceeds His Quotas With Grit and Wit"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

The SDR X Factor is a series of long-form stories that aims to reveal what sets top-performing sales reps apart. How do they go about their day? What do their cold calling and cold emailing strategies look like? How are they crushing quota every time? We extract their key strategies, tips and tricks so you can sell better. <\/em><\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

For the third part of this interview series, Sam Holeman<\/a>, a Sales Development Representative (SDR) at Momence<\/a>, joins us. Momence is a SaaS company that provides online platforms for businesses in the experience economy<\/a>, like fitness studios, salons and spas. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Having worked earlier as a retail salesperson for Tesla<\/a>, and now being an SDR in the SaaS space, Sam shares with us how he ended up in sales, his secrets for exceeding his meeting quota every month, and how he does cold calling and cold emailing.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

1. From Tesla Car Salesman to Tech SDR<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n
\"car-key<\/figure>\n\n\n\n
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<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In two years of his professional career, Sam has accrued experience in both retail and SaaS software sales. Having graduated with a double major in Strategic Communications and English from University of Denver in the middle of the COVID-19 pandemic, he was anxious about landing a job, given the bleak job market<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

He decided to take a chance, and walked into a Tesla showroom in Denver, Colorado shortly after his graduation. \u201cI started talking to the manager. I was actually searching for a job, but I didn’t ask to get hired there,\u201d he recalls. As luck would have it, the manager told him about a job opening there, and whether he was interested.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Sam went on to spend a year at Tesla, where, as an automotive salesperson, he helped customers understand the cars, the purchasing process, and the delivery process. \u201cA lot of it was account management. I wasn\u2019t cutting deals,\u201d he adds. A year later, as he moved to Los Angeles, California, he landed his current job as an SDR at Momence.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

So, what difference does he find between retail and software sales? <\/p>\n\n\n\n

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“With retail and automotive sales, in a way, you’re meeting demand. On the other hand, being an SDR involves creating demand. I’m calling someone with the idea of having a conversation about why they might be interested, or why it might be advantageous for them, to meet with us and learn more about what we’re doing.”<\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n

As a top-performing SDR, he\u2019s been regularly hitting his quota of booking 12 demo meetings every month, and in November 2022, he managed to book 19 demo meetings, which was over 150% of his monthly quota.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Sam is also an actor<\/a>, and has appeared in short films and TV series. He says that as an SDR, he enjoys connecting with people, understanding how they think, and influencing their minds. \u201cBeing a salesman takes grit and wit,\u201d he asserts. \u201cYou\u2019ve got to be smart, and you also have to be persistent. And you have to be passionate.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n

i) What Sets Him Apart?<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

a) Emotionally Invests in the Prospect\u2019s Business While Interacting<\/h4>\n\n\n\n

\u201cWhen I first get on the phone, I am investing<\/em> in their business,\u201d he says. Instead of sounding like a telemarketer reading off of a script, he delivers his opener with confidence and assertiveness that not only shows that he has researched them well, but also explains the benefits that the prospect will get from his product.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

After introducing himself to the prospect, he continues: \u201cMost people who are using our platform, they’re looking for something to save them time, save the money, increase the return on investment and give them more features to control their client journey. Would you be interested in learning more about any of these things at a later time?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

b) Cultivates a Mindset To Sell a Solution, Not Just a Product<\/h4>\n\n\n\n

Solution selling <\/a>involves presenting your product as a solution to the specific pain points of the prospect, as opposed to a generalized, one-size-fits-all product selling. An advocate of solution selling, Sam notes that no good business wants to just take the customer\u2019s money, but to provide them with a service. \u201cA big part of my job is cutting through obstacles and barriers and getting people to understand what we’re really trying to do,\u201d he describes his selling process.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

c) Uses Spontaneity to Tackle Unpredictable Situations<\/h4>\n\n\n\n

\u201cEvery day is different. And that’s what’s fun about the sales and being an SDR,\u201d he says. With every day being a brand new day in sales, Sam resorts to spontaneity to tackle this unpredictability. For cold calling, he doesn\u2019t have any script that he sticks to, because each prospect is different. Some could be defensive and others could be blunt. \u201cYou have to match energy with people,\u201d he explains. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

2. How Sam Pulls off Making 100 Cold Calls a Day<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

When it comes to outreach, Sam prefers cold calling over emailing, as he found from experience that calling works better with his target market of fitness studio owners. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Calling will also generally be the first step in outreaching, as he might not have the correct information on the prospect in his CRM. \u201cDepending on how those calls go and where it goes, then I might put them into different sequences depending on what kind of call it was, if I got an answer or not, a gatekeeper, and if it’s qualified,\u201d he says.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Also, Sam manages to make at least 100 cold calls in a day\u2014a number most SDRs wish they could pull off. On a regular day, it takes him around 5 to 6 hours to make 100 calls.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

From research to booking a meeting, how does Sam\u2019s cold calling process pan out? Let\u2019s take a look:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"telephone-chat-gossip-communication\"<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

i) Spends Minimal Time on Research; Gets Only the Essential Details<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Given that he\u2019s making 100 calls a day, one way that Sam cuts down on time is to not spend too much time researching the prospect. Having checked the list of prospects in his CRM, he dials the prospect\u2019s number and pulls up only 2 pieces of information: <\/p>\n\n\n\n