Episode 5: Becoming the #1 SDR with Jennifer Linker of Vision Critical

Tips and Tricks to Becoming the Best Sales Development Representative
Persistence is key, but so is building relationships.

Jennifer Linker is the top Business Development Associate at Vision Critical, a cloud-based customer engagement platform that allows companies to get customer feedback and insights in real-time. Jen’s sales career started at a young age, and she has risen to the top of the SDR leaderboard in just a few months. Jen shares some of her tips and tricks to making it to the top, but also reminds us of the value of focusing on your clients as people, too.

Tweetable Quotes

“I have a long-term plan of where I’m going in the future, but I also have a short-term plan of how I’m getting there.” Tweet this

“What got me to #1 was my attitude, and the realization that you don’t stay #1 for long.” Tweet this

“At the end of the day, you can’t take “no,” personally.” Tweet this

“It’s all about building relationships, building trust and getting to know your prospects.” Tweet this

“I don’t necessarily view it just as dollar signs. I view these people as humans.” Tweet this

“Tell everyone that you know, where you want to be in life, and people around you are going to help and support you.” Tweet this

Key Takeaways:

[:25] Scott welcomes today’s guest — Jennifer Linker.
[2:34] What are some things that have allowed Jen to get to the top, and differentiate herself? Organization, goal-orientation, open-mindedness, future-orientation and courageousness.
[5:44] How does Jen incorporate goal-orientation in her life? She has long-term goals of what she wants to achieve, as well as short-term goals of how to achieve them.
[7:35] Jen shares a little bit about Vision Critical, her role, and how she made it to the top.
[9:21] Jen consistently outperforms the average sales development representative on all success metrics.
[10:15] How did Jen get into sales?
[12:23] What was her process for moving up the ranks so quickly?
[13:06] Jen’s morning routine sets her on the path to success.
[15:30] Breaking her day down into smaller chunks helps Jen be more productive throughout the day, and work towards achieving her long-term goals.
[16:50] Is it quantity or quality of the activities, that contributes most to the odds of getting a sales meeting?
[19:02] What style or type message works best for Jen in securing sales meetings?
[22:29] Jen gets commended for her persistence and effort in reaching out to clients who appreciate her passion.
[26:07] What are other habits and routines that are central to Jen’s success?
[27:33] Jen recommends that everyone should have a whiteboard, and describes the elements of her whiteboard.
[30:15] Jen has a “hit list” of companies to call and arrange meetings.
[31:42] Many of Jen’s practices and routines are reflected in Manny’s Sales Journal.
[32:40] What other apps and tools does Jen have in her arsenal to help her in her work?
[34:50] What is Jen’s information diet?
[37:27] Jen advises SDRs to “just do it”! A method or style may not work for you, but you won’t know until you try.
[38:25] How would Jen describe her style? Genuine.
[39:20] Jen’s goal-orientation and perfectionist personality traits motivate her to strive for the top.
[40:55] SDR can be a stepping stone for a lot of people. Jen talks about her career path, what her goals are for the future, and how Vision Critical supports her in reaching for those goals.
[42:49] What does Jen believe that the average SDR thinks is crazy? And vice versa?
[44:51] Jen gives some advice to SDRs starting out in their roles.
[47:25] What does Jen want to know about other top SDRs?
[48:20]  What is the best, most productive, cadence for Jen? What happens after the cadence has been completed?
[:53:15] Holidays and special occasions are a great reason to reach out to people on your hit list. It’s also a great way to recognize that they’re human, and celebrate that.
[55:41] Who is the most successful salesperson Jen knows?
[57:53] Jen shares a short anecdote of how she was inspired at a young age.
[1:02:12] Challenge yourself! 1) Go into work each day with a goal and structure your day around that. 2) Focus on one thing that your want to improve on, and surround yourself with the people and information that can help you achieve that.
[1:03:21] Subscribe to Sales Success Community to get more information on examples of what SDRs say in communications, and Jen’s views on mentoring and mentorship.

Mentioned in This Episode:

Top1.fm
Nudge
Jennifer Linker
Vision Critical
The Sales Journal created by Manny Alamwala
LinkedIn Sales Navigator
ZoomInfo Growth Acceleration Platform
SalesLoft
Influitive