GREAT TOOLS. QUIET PHONES.
Even with the best tools and cadences, BDRs struggle to make real connections. Factor 8’s BDR training and SDR training gives reps the skills and confidence to own the phone, connect faster, and book more qualified meetings. Here’s where calls usually fall apart:
Hiding behind email
Reps lean on email and automation instead of live conversations.
Low phone confidence
Short calls and nerves mean fewer real conversations.
Can’t reach buyers
Reps struggle to find the right people and get them on the phone.
Stuck at the brush-off
One “not interested” and the call is over.
No meeting at the end
Needs go unexplored and next steps never get set.
That’s a skills problem, not a software problem.
“Your training is different because I go right back to my desk immediately, use it, and see the results.”
Rebekah K., Sales Development Rep
FIVE SKILLS THAT FILL THE PIPELINE
Every BDR and SDR training program is built from the same five skill areas, customized to your team’s experience level and goals.
Outbound calling
Engage prospects confidently, from ice cold to warm.
- SWIIFT℠ Introductions That Work
- Messages That Get Returned
Investigative skills
Find decision-makers, qualify opportunities, and plan account penetration.
- Capture Contacts
- Qualify & Categorize
- Planning for Prospecting
Conversation mastery
Openings that capture attention, extend talk time, and build trust.
- Engaging Your Customers
- Question Like a Pro
- Uncovering Sales Opportunities
Objections + persistence
Get past early dismissals, earn callbacks, and move opportunities forward.
- Overcoming the Brush-Off
- Transitioning to Close
- Call Bridging
Engagement over automation
Fewer canned emails, more live conversations that create pipeline.
- SWIIFT℠ Value Statement
- Prospecting with AI (live workshop)
What a typical BDR program looks like
Need new reps on the phone fast? New hire events run 1–5 days with live calling built in.
RESULTS THAT SHOW UP IN THE PIPELINE
increase in SDR conversion (6.1% to 8.9%) and a record month of qualified discovery calls
SAGEincrease for SDRs in under 30 days, while BDR close rates rose from under 1% to 3%
RINGCENTRALlead conversion increase in two months for a struggling SDR, who became #1 on the team
CATAVOLTnew accounts identified, qualified, and categorized by a brand-new BDR team in 3 weeks
R+L LOGISTICSMore results from teams like HPE, Azuga, Unitrends, and ARI are in the brochure. Download it here.
NO TWO PROGRAMS ARE THE SAME
Every program starts with your team’s real calls. Here’s an example of how we turn what we hear into a plan. Yours will be built from your calls.
We listen first
We review your team’s real calls to find the patterns costing you meetings.
We prescribe
Each gap maps to specific courses, so your team only trains on what it needs.
We sequence it like a call
Skills build from the first 10 seconds to the committed next step.
We make it stick
Managers coach the same few behaviors every week, and we check progress with fresh calls.
HOW IT WORKS
- AssessInterviews and call reviews set the roadmap
- CustomizeBuilt from your calls, buyers, and objections
- TrainLive workshops, virtual or on-site, with real calls
- ReinforceManager coaching and AI call scoring
- MeasureQuarterly reviews against your KPIs
BDR SKILLS STICK WHEN MANAGERS COACH THEM
Managers get trained before their reps do, then get coaching cheat sheets, call scoring forms, and a call library to reinforce every new skill in huddles, 1:1s, and call coaching.
“I got my life back!”
“It can be like pulling teeth to get sales managers to coach, but Factor 8’s tools and tips absolutely fixed it. Now managers are coaching new skills consistently.”
Heather F., Sr. L&D Manager, HSIAI-POWERED SALES TRAINING
Our methodology is built into AI at every step. AI amplifies the skills we teach. It never replaces them.
Want to take a deeper dive into our BDR training?
SEE OUR TRAINING IN ACTION
Take a quick look inside our virtual and in-person workshops. This short highlight reel shows the energy, interaction, and hands-on practice that make Factor 8 training different; from reps building real skills to managers learning how to coach with confidence. It’s a fast way to see what your team will experience.
PICK THE MODEL THAT FITS YOUR TEAM
On-Demand Training
Unlimited self-paced sales training for individuals and small teams
Best for: sellers, managers, or teams with more bandwidth than budget
- 40+ interactive, role-based eLearning courses for reps and managers
- Scripts, templates, coaching guides, and call recordings built in
- Real-world examples and interactive practice
- New training resources added regularly
Classes + Coaching
Virtual sales training with expert guidance and accountability
Best for: small teams (under 10) needing ongoing skills coaching
- On-demand courses paired with live group coaching
- Call grading and skill development from Factor 8 experts
- Manager involvement and certification upon completion
Full-Service
Your trusted partner for customized, high-impact virtual sales training
Best for: growing sales teams (10+) ready for customized training
- Fully tailored live workshops and coaching sessions
- Real-time calling and skill application
- “Coach the Coach” manager training
- Ongoing support and performance tracking
Everboarding℠
Customize and deliver Factor 8’s award-winning sales training internally
Best for: enablement teams building or scaling in-house training
- Exclusive to Factor 8: soft copies of our instructor-led sales workshops
- Train-the-trainer and manager coaching support
- LMS-ready content you can brand, edit, and deliver as your own
- Long-term license with ongoing updates and partnership support
Not sure which model fits? We’ll help you choose.
Build BDR career paths, funded by grants
Factor 8 is an Approved Training Provider for a Registered Apprenticeship program, so eligible teams can have training costs subsidized.
See how our BDR and SDR training works
Download the brochure to share with your team, and we’ll reach out to talk through your goals.
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
What should a BDR and SDR training program include?
The strongest BDR and SDR training programs are built from your team's real calls, not a generic curriculum. Factor 8 programs cover five skill areas: outbound calling, investigative skills (finding decision-makers and qualifying opportunities), conversation mastery, objections and persistence, and engagement over automation. A typical program pairs about 10 hours of live workshops across 6 to 8 modules with about 12 hours of follow-up coaching, trains managers first, and tracks progress in quarterly leadership reviews.
How long does BDR training take?
It depends on team size, experience level, and the gaps we find in your calls. A typical Factor 8 BDR training program includes about 10 hours of live workshops plus about 12 hours of follow-up coaching, spaced out so reps apply each skill on real calls between sessions. For new hires, Factor 8 runs new hire events of 1 to 5 days with live calling built in.
How do you train new BDRs?
New BDRs need confidence on the phone, strong intros, better questions, and a process for handling common brush-offs. Factor 8 trains new BDRs through new hire events of 1 to 5 days with live calling built in, plus role plays, call coaching, and real-world practice, so they turn conversations into meetings faster.
How do you get managers to reinforce BDR training?
Train the managers first. In Factor 8's Coach the Coach program, BDR managers are trained before their reps and get coaching cheat sheets for each skill, call scoring and feedback forms, and a library of real calls to coach from, plus a custom plan for reinforcing new skills in huddles, meetings, and 1:1s for the first two months. At ZipRecruiter, a custom 6-week program that trained managers only increased sales conversions by 23%.
How do you measure the ROI of BDR and SDR training?
Measure BDR and SDR training against the metrics the skills are meant to move: callbacks, connect rates, talk time, conversations, meetings booked, and show rates. Factor 8 sets KPIs at kickoff and tracks them in quarterly leadership reviews. For example, HPE BDRs trained by Factor 8 performed 50 times better than untrained peers and generated more than $1M in new pipeline in the first 15 days.
How is AI used in BDR training?
Factor 8 builds its sales methodology into AI at every step of BDR training. An AI sales call assessment analyzes your team's real calls to map strengths and gaps, a live Prospecting with AI workshop teaches reps to build account briefs and sharpen intros, and AI-enhanced call coaching scores recorded calls against the skills that were trained. AI supports the skills Factor 8 teaches. It does not replace them.
Is BDR training virtual or in person?
Both. Factor 8 delivers BDR and SDR training virtually or on-site. Every workshop blends about 30 minutes of eLearning pre-work with live, instructor-led sessions full of activities, role plays, live calls, and coaching.
What's the difference between a BDR and an AE?
BDRs focus on finding and qualifying opportunities. They prospect, connect with potential buyers, and book meetings. AEs take those opportunities, run discovery, deliver demos, and close the deal. Because the roles are different, the training should be different too. BDRs need prospecting, phone confidence, and call control. AEs need discovery, value conversations, objection handling, and closing.
How do you know if your BDRs need more training?
If your team has lots of activity but not enough meetings, low connect rates, weak call openings, or trouble handling objections, your BDRs probably need more training. The signs usually show up in pipeline long before anyone says them out loud.