An in-house SDR gives you control but needs a manager, tools and months of ramp-up. An agency is quick to start but usually stops at booked meetings. A senior partner costs more per month than either, but brings judgement, joins the calls and can help close. The right choice depends on deal size and who will manage the work.
What an in-house SDR really costs
- Salary and incentives.
- Data, email and calling tools.
- A manager's time to coach and review calls.
- Months of ramp-up before the hire books meetings reliably.
- The cost of starting again if the hire leaves.
What an agency gives you
Agencies start quickly and bring tools and process. Most are paid per meeting or a monthly fee and stop at the booked meeting. Quality depends heavily on how well they understand your buyer.
What a senior partner adds
A senior partner researches accounts, writes and runs outreach, joins first calls, qualifies, and can help steer deals to signature. The monthly cost is higher, and it makes sense when deals are large enough that one extra win pays for months of work.
A simple test
Estimate the gross profit from one typical deal. If one or two extra deals a year would cover the annual cost of the option you are considering, it is worth testing. If not, keep selling yourself or choose a cheaper option.
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