Trials and Triumphs: Kevin Gaither's 30-Year Sales Journey & Vision for the Future of SDR

In the latest episode of "The Enterprise Sales Development Podcast," we delve into the vast experience of Kevin Gaither, a seasoned sales consultant with an impressive three-decade track record. Gaither pulls back the curtain on his journey, candidly discussing the missteps he's encountered along the way and, more importantly, the invaluable lessons each one taught him. From the pitfalls of overconfidence to the necessity of adaptability, he offers a rare glimpse into the trials and tribulations that have shaped his successful career. Gaither also sheds light on his concerns regarding the Sales Development Representative (SDR) role, questioning its current direction and potential pitfalls. Yet, as always, he balances critique with constructive guidance, sharing a wealth of coaching tips for upcoming sales professionals. Whether you're a veteran in the sales field or just starting, Gaither's insights promise a fresh perspective, reminding us all of the importance of continuous learning and evolution in the sales arena. WHAT YOU’LL LEARN Mistakes and lessons learned in Kevin’s 30 year trayectory in sales SDR role future and concerns Coaching tips QUOTES “if you say dials don't matter, you're missing the point because you have to have some inputs.” - Kevin Gaither [10:12] “It's not one funnel, and so oftentimes I see leaders they wanna have like one spreadsheet or one tab, and it's just not true. You know, you've got to be looking at, you know, the sources of your revenues from inbound marketing, outbound, SDRS, ae, self sourcing, channel sales, and channel partnerships, and referrals, and then once you can then say, great, I'm going to break my revenues up into those four channels.” - Kevin Gaither [17:37] “I see that the curiosity levels of SDRS in the business these days, is very low.” - Kevin Gaither [23:44] “I tell my salespeople in my SDR, your job is to DQ, your job is to DQ, and I wanna take, I want the prospect to show us that, they deserve to be in our pipeline and I'm not trying.” - Kevin Gaither [44:33] TIMESTAMPS [0:00] - Meet Kevin Gaither [5:11] - Kevin’s most valuable mistakes he´s made [14:38] - Kevin’s advice when reading reports  [16:53] - Advice to start planning your 2024 sales goals [21:36] - “Meritocracy” in sales [23:22] - Kevin’s concern on SDR’s  [33:32] - The “challenger” sale [40:48] - Kevin’s coaching tips [47:26] - Connect with Kevin CONNECT Kevin's LinkedIn CIENCE on LinkedIn CIENCE on Facebook CIENCE on Twitter CIENCE on Instagram Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices