Automation in sales development and prospecting

Automation is pivotal in today’s sales environment, but there’s a balancing act to consider. The human element is at the heart of any effective sales strategy, particularly in prospecting and sales development.

Jason Dorfman, CEO and Co-Founder of Orum, shared his thoughts on how and where to scale back automation and where to use it to maximize the conversations your sellers are having with prospects.

Automation: A Powerful Tool, But Not the Whole Solution

Automation is generally a good thing—you need speed, but you also need quality. Reps need to think for themselves and be creative. Automation helps sales teams scale their outreach, but reps must remain strategic and analytical about how they use it.

A cadence tool, for example, can lay out a solid playbook for new SDRs, giving them a clear next step. However, reps need space to approach each account holistically, deciding which touchpoints are most effective for a prospect. By allowing reps the flexibility to craft a message that speaks to their prospects, they can avoid treating accounts as a sequence of tasks rather than an opportunity for personalized engagement.

Zoning out while dialing in

Automation goes wrong when the rep effectively turns their brain off. They start thinking about the account on a prospect-by-prospect basis instead of holistically. This is a surefire way to reduce effectiveness, as sales development requires creative problem-solving and strategic thinking. Simply checking off tasks in a cadence isn’t going to break into complex accounts.

When I sold into AIG, my initial prospect list was hundreds of IT contacts deep, with no clear decision-maker in sight. I used automation to narrow my focus and make initial connections. I eventually found the right contact but also gained valuable context from every conversation with each person who was, in theory, the wrong contact. This is where automation shines: not replacing human ingenuity but amplifying it.

Training SDRs to Think Critically

So, how can sales leaders help SDRs develop that strategic mindset while taking advantage of automation's advantages? Get in the trenches.

As a manager, especially a frontline manager, you should do some of the job yourself. This hands-on experience gives you the context needed to guide your team effectively. Once you understand the nuances of your company’s sales process, you can provide more meaningful advice to your team.

Rather than locking reps into rigid scripts or playbooks, encourage them to experiment and personalize their outreach. What works for one rep might not work for another, and geography can influence conversational tone. The key is to strike a balance: provide the tools and frameworks but let the reps bring their unique strengths.

List Building: A Delicate Art, Not a Science

List building can feel daunting when prospecting, particularly for new SDRs. We fetishize targeting too much. While intent signals and lead scoring tools can help guide SDRs toward the most likely buyers, they shouldn’t be overly relied upon. Volume matters. It’s okay to take a broader approach and sometimes talk to the wrong person. That can be informative, too.

Prospecting is not just about hitting the perfect target every time—it’s about exploration and discovery. By casting a wider net, SDRs can gather valuable insights about the organization, structure, and key players, even when their conversations don’t directly lead to a sale.

These “wrong” conversations often help disqualify unpromising leads or even point the rep in a better direction. This broad-based list-building approach improves short-term results and strengthens the SDR’s long-term ability to navigate complex sales cycles.

The Human Factor: Why Automation Shouldn’t Filter Too Much

Automation is a valuable tool but should never replace the human factor in sales development. Overly filtering out prospects through intent signals or narrow targeting can leave many potential deals on the table.

At its core, sales is about relationships, persuasion, and problem-solving. While automation can streamline repetitive tasks, the most successful SDRs are the ones who engage directly with prospects, gather intelligence, and adjust their approach based on real-time feedback. It’s better to err on the side of broader. You don’t want a list full of sludge, but sometimes, you need to go through the sludge to find the gold.

Maximizing Channels: The Modern SDR's Toolbox

How should an SDR split their time in today’s multi-channel sales landscape? While the phone remains the best tool for booking meetings, we always advise a combination of phone, email, and LinkedIn to maximize results.

However, customizing those written messages is essential, and written skills honed through live phone conversations can enhance email communication. Reps who are well-versed in speaking directly with prospects can more easily identify the key points to hit in email follow-ups, making their outreach more impactful.

Automation is critical to any modern sales development strategy but is only part of the equation. Sales leaders can set their teams up for success by balancing automation and human creativity, giving reps the freedom to think strategically and focusing on long-term learning over short-term gains.

It’s not an either/or. It’s about mixing the two in the right way. That’s the formula for driving success in prospecting and sales development.