You’ve decided to outsource your SDR function—yay! Now what? Choosing the right partner isn’t just about vendor capabilities; it’s about knowing exactly what your organization needs before you even start talking to potential vendors.
In fact, when we meet prospects who come to us after another vendor hasn’t met their requirements, most of the time, it’s not because the vendor was inherently bad at what they do. Rather, they weren’t set up for success. When expectations aren’t clear or important needs aren’t communicated upfront, things can easily go off track.
Before you start talking to vendors, get alignment internally about a few key things:
1. Clearly define what the outsourced team will do
Start by clarifying exactly what you expect your outsourced SDR team to handle. Are they responsible for inbound lead follow-up, outbound lead creation, opportunity management, appointment setting, event support, or something else? Also, ensure clarity around your Ideal Customer Profile (ICP), project timelines, reporting frequency, and identify your top three non-negotiable requirements. Being clear on these upfront helps everyone stay aligned and accountable.
2. Determine if industry expertise is critical —and evaluate talent quality
Ask yourself if you need a vendor that specializes in your industry or if you’d prefer one that excels in fundamental sales training. Specialized teams understand your market faster, while sales fundamentals provide agility across industries.
Also look closely at your vendor’s talent pool. Do they have rigorous hiring practices? At memoryBlue, our recruitment team and managers have honed a keen eye for top SDR talent, supported by structured training programs, direct hires, and proven pathways through our internal academy.
And remember to inquire about how your partner handles data access, prospecting, intent tools, and CRM setup. Will they use your Salesforce or their own client portal? Having a ready-to-go data set can significantly shorten the ramp-up to success.
3. Decide how much personalization your buyers need
How critical is personalized interaction to your prospects? Vendors can heavily rely on automation (emails, drip campaigns), but this may sacrifice meaningful engagement.
Especially in complex or disruptive sales cycles, prioritize vendors who emphasize phone outreach. A strong telephone approach allows reps to gather intelligence, understand competitive landscapes, perform progressive profiling, and—crucially—hear objections or preconceived notions directly from prospects, information they rarely share via email.
Consider your desired channel mix carefully: phone vs email vs social.
4. Evaluate remote vs. in-office SDR teams
Clearly determine whether you prefer remote or office-based teams. While remote setups work for many roles, our own experiment in North America showed roughly a 30% productivity drop when we shifted entirely remote.
SDR teams often thrive with in-person collaboration, training, and camaraderie—so choose a partner whose working environment matches your productivity goals.
5. Plan for scale and flexibility
If your sales strategy includes expansion, assess how easily your vendor can scale and adapt. Ask them directly about their flexibility if your company needs to pivot quickly or expand globally. Selecting a partner with agility helps prevent disruptive transitions, downtime, and potential service gaps.
6. Consider short-term campaigns vs. long-term strategic partnerships
Are you testing a short-term pilot (3-6 months) or aiming for a long-term partnership? Vendors that invest in human capital—like memoryBlue’s Resource Transfer Model—provide additional strategic value.
This approach creates a conveyor belt of talent, allowing you to build your AE team from seasoned SDRs who already understand your company and market. Also, consider cultural alignment.
You wouldn’t choose a colleague who didn’t match your ambition; similarly, pick a vendor whose culture and values align closely with yours. It’ll make collaboration more effective, enjoyable, and successful.
7. Single-channel outreach or multi-channel (surround) strategy?
Finally, determine your outreach strategy. Do you want your SDR partner to focus solely on one channel—phone, email, LinkedIn—or do you prefer a strategic mix of these methods? Clarity here ensures you choose a vendor who can effectively reach and engage your prospects on their preferred channels.
8. Find a partner to help you discover your winning formula
If you’re still refining your sales approach, look for a vendor that can help you define your ICP, leverage customer insights (Voice of the Customer), and build or refine your sales playbook. The right partner doesn’t just execute—they help you codify a scalable, repeatable sales process.
The bottom line
Success in sales outsourcing depends largely on clearly answering these questions internally before engaging potential vendors. When your decisions are aligned, you:
- Quickly narrow down your list of potential SDR outsourcing vendors.
- Clearly communicate your expectations through a well-structured RFP.
- Set your chosen vendor—and your company—up for success from day one.
Ready to start refining your criteria? Reach out for a copy of the 2025 sales outsourcing buyer’s guide – a great vendor-neutral tool to refine your internal criteria so you can narrow down the vendors to evaluate, streamline your RFP, and confidently select the perfect outsourced sales partner for your company.
