SDR Operations
Part of SDR-to-sales handoffs
Agreeing on a minimum useful handoff record
Choose the fields a receiving salesperson needs to accept and prepare for an SDR handoff, then check the template against real decisions.
A minimum useful handoff record lets a receiving salesperson decide whether to accept the proposed action and prepare for it. Define the fields with the people who receive handoffs. If a field changes neither decision, do not require it merely because the CRM offers it.
Start with the receiving decision
Have the SDR and receiving salesperson review the same proposed handoff: Would you accept this next action? What must you know before speaking with the prospect? Use gaps that repeatedly change those answers to define the shared record. Leave room for offer-specific requirements.
| Field | Minimum useful content |
|---|---|
| Account, contact and owner | Who was involved, their stated role where known, and who owns the next action |
| Prospect’s reason | The issue, goal or question as the prospect described it, with its source and date |
| Fit and constraints | Relevant conditions, confirmed mismatches and material unknowns |
| Agreed next step | Purpose, participants, preparation and timing, where agreed |
| SDR assessment | Why the SDR proposes the action, labelled as an assessment |
Do not fill gaps with a presumed budget, buying date or desire for a demonstration. Mark a missing fact unknown and specify whether it must be checked before or during the next action.
Minimum Useful Handoff Record Fields
- Account, contact and owner
- Prospect’s reason
- Fit and constraints
- Agreed next step
- SDR assessment
Define what a usable field means
Prefer a statement that guides preparation. “Asked whether the current data platform can supply the required export” identifies a question; “high intent” does not. Include a known objection or delivery limit even when it weakens the proposal.
Keep one current record or a clear pointer to it. When the prospect corrects a detail, update the account used for the next decision. For APP entities, Australian privacy guidance requires reasonable steps to ensure that personal information used or disclosed is accurate, up to date, complete and relevant for its purpose.
Using Presumed Information vs. Known Facts
- Pro
- Using presumed data (e.g., budget, buying date)
- Con
- Not verifying facts before handoff
- Pro
- Marking missing data as 'unknown' with ownership
- Con
- Leaving fields blank without explanation
Australian Privacy Compliance Requirements
- APP 3Reasonable Steps for Accuracy
- APP 3Collect Only What's Necessary
- Compliance Focus
Check the template against actual decisions
Have receiving owners decide a varied set of proposed handoffs using the draft fields. Identify missing facts that genuinely prevented acceptance or preparation, and fields nobody used. Revise the definitions before making a field mandatory.
Assign who completes each field, who may return an incomplete record and what reason they must give. An urgent prospect question may justify a specialist check before every ordinary field is known; name the unresolved question and owner rather than treating blanks as favourable answers.
Keep personal details limited to the business purpose. Where APP 3 applies, an APP organisation may collect solicited personal information only where reasonably necessary for its functions or activities. A useful minimum gives the salesperson the context needed for the next action without asking the prospect to repeat the first conversation.
Validating the Handoff Template
- Have receiving owners review varied handoffs using draft fields
- Identify missing facts that blocked acceptance or preparation
- Remove unused or non-essential fields
- Assign responsibility for each field and required justification for incompleteness
- Ensure personal information is limited to business purpose
