ABM is great for alignment: sales and marketing teams rally around the same high-value
accounts. On paper, it’s strategic, structured, and focused. But in practice, ABM efforts often
stall.

Marketing launches a campaign. GTM teams cheer it on. SDRs receive a spreadsheet of target
accounts and then what? They’re told to “personalise more” and “go deeper,” but without clear
processes, tool support, or account strategy, most fall back into generic outbound.

The Result:
● A few contacts get touched, maybe one meeting gets booked
● SDRs think the job is done
● Momentum is lost

The truth is, ABM only works when SDRs are empowered to run plays across the account, not
just book a single meeting and move on as usual. Leadership must support them and give
direction.

Stakki’s Prescription: Making ABM Real for SDR Teams

To make ABM work at the SDR level, stop treating it like a marketing-only strategy and start
building it like a repeatable outbound motion. Here’s how:

1. Trust Your SDRs to Own the Account Motion
   ABM means more people per account, more touches, and more nuance. If SDRs are told to wait
   for green lights before every contact, momentum dies.

Instead, trust them to prospect into multiple stakeholders, find signals, and book multiple
meetings if needed. The onus to pause should fall on the AE or Sales Leader, not the SDR.
One meeting ≠ job done.

2. Set Clear Account Criteria and Roles

ABM needs clarity, not complexity. Define:
● What makes an account “in play”
● Who owns which actions (SDR vs AE vs Marketing)
● What signals justify continued outreach or pause

This keeps everyone moving without stepping on toes.

3. Support Smart Outreach with Smart Tools
   Don’t flood SDRs with content or 12-step approval flows. Instead, give them:
   ● A target account list
   ● 3–5 strong personalization angles
   ● Outreach tools that sync to CRM and show activity at the account level

And let them run. Onus is on you to monitor and AE’s to say the account has been “cracked”
and they got it from here.

Tools That Make ABM Work for SDRs

Category	What to Look For	Examples / Suggestions
CRM + Account Management	Hierarchies, account-level reporting, stakeholder tracking	Salesforce, HubSpot, Pipedrive (with customisation)
Intent & Enrichment	Buyer intent signals, credit-based enrichment, global coverage	Upcell, BetterContact, Salesbolt
Multichannel Outreach	Sequences for email + LinkedIn + call, integrated with CRM	AmpleMarket, Reply, Smartlead, HeyReach
Conversation Intelligence	Recording, transcripts, sentiment analysis, scorecards	Gong, Avoma, Chorus

Final Thought: ABM Needs Ownership, Not Overhead

If you’re asking SDRs to execute ABM, you need to give them:
● The trust to explore an account, not just touch one contact
● Clear signals on when to pause, not just when to start
● Tools that support multi-threaded outreach and personalised insight

ABM isn’t just a strategy. It’s a workflow. And the teams that win with it build repeatable plays,
coachable processes, and flexible tooling.

James Donaldson

Founder @ Stakki

james@Stakki.io

In the ever-expanding world of sales tech, “intent data” and “signals” have become buzzwords. Providers promise that these tools will tell you exactly which accounts are ready to buy and who your sales team should prioritize. For SDR leaders under pressure to generate pipeline, it sounds like a silver bullet. But is intent data really all it’s cracked up to be?

First-Party vs. Third-Party Intent

Not all intent data is created equal. Broadly, there are two categories:

• First-Party Intent
   This comes directly from your own ecosystem: website visitors, form fills, product trials, content downloads, email engagement, or even repeat visits to pricing pages. First-party intent is powerful because it’s unique to your business. These people have taken actions in your funnel, and while not every visitor is ready to buy, their behavior is a strong signal of interest.
  
• Third-Party Intent
   Third-party providers like 6sense or Bombora claim to aggregate buyer research happening elsewhere across the web. By tracking cookies, IP addresses, and content consumption, they attempt to flag when a company is “in market” for your category. In theory, this gives you a head start on accounts researching competitors. In practice, the accuracy is mixed. IP matching is harder than ever, signals often come too late, and context is missing.
  

What About “Signals”?

You’ll also hear SaaS providers talk about “signals data.” This is often a blend of intent and broader buying cues:

• Job changes (champion moves, new executives in seat)
  
• Company growth (hiring surges, funding announcements, geographic expansion)
  
• Engagement (likes/comments on LinkedIn, event attendance, email replies)
  

Signals data is useful because it highlights change. Outbound teams know that moments of change (a new budget, a new leader, or a new strategy) are when conversations are easiest to start.

The Pros and Cons

First-Party Intent
 ✓ High accuracy, directly tied to your funnel
✓ Can be acted on immediately (real-time alerts from tools like Warmly or Clearbit Reveal)
X Limited volume, you’re constrained by the size of your own traffic and database

Third-Party Intent
 ✓ Broader reach, can flag accounts outside your funnel
 ✓ Can layer into ABM strategies for enterprise-scale targeting
 X Accuracy challenges (IP match, timing, relevancy)
 X Expensive, often bundled with long-term contracts
 X Risk of chasing “false positives” instead of real buyer engagement

Signals Data
 ✓ Timely triggers (job changes, hiring, funding, etc.)
 ✓ Adds context to account research, especially when layered with enrichment tools like Clay or LoneScale
 X Not all signals are created equal (a champion job move may matter more than a LinkedIn like)

Our Take: First-Party Wins

For most sales teams, first-party intent and simple, verifiable signals are more valuable than the promises of third-party intent. Knowing who’s already visiting your website, trialing your product, or engaging with your content is a clearer path to pipeline than chasing a vague “in-market” badge from a third-party vendor.

That’s not to say third-party intent is worthless. For enterprise ABM plays with long sales cycles, layering it in can help marketing align with sales. But for most SDR teams, investing in tools that surface first-party intent and actionable signals will deliver higher accuracy, lower costs, and better conversations.

At the end of the day, intent and signals data are only as good as the humans behind them. Tools can surface the “when,” but it’s up to your SDRs to deliver the “why” in every conversation.

Build with Stakki

Here are some of our top picks for intent and signals data:

• Clay – multi-source enrichment and custom signals
  
• LoneScale – champion tracking + CRM hygiene
  
• Warmly – website visitor alerts (first-party intent) to automatic engagement sequencing
  
• TeamFluence – social engagement signals
  
• Upcell – contact-level enrichment to act on signals like web visitors and job changes
  

Our preference: start with first-party intent and proven signals data, then layer enrichment tools to act on them.

Build your Stack here

James Donaldson

Founder @ Stakki

james@Stakki.io

If you’ve ever looked at your data tool spend and thought, “Why are we paying this much for this little?”, you’re not alone.

Across sales and marketing teams, a quiet shift is taking place. It’s not about buying more tools, it’s about using better models. Specifically: switching from seat-based licenses to credit-based enrichment.

Here’s how it works and how companies like Clarify have already used Stakki’s approach to cut costs and double their reach.

---

Step 1: Stop Paying for Every SDR to Have a Full License

Most data tools charge per user. But the truth is, not every rep needs a full license. And in most teams, only a few power users actually use those tools regularly.

Instead: Audit which reps actually use what. Then shift to tools that only charge when data is used, not just when someone logs in.

---

Step 2: Switch to a Credit-Based Model

Credit-based or “consumption” models let you pay only for what’s enriched. That means you can:

• Centralize usage through one or two tools
  
• Track spend more accurately
  
• Cut unused licenses
  

One great example is Upcell, a tool that allows SDRs to use a simple Chrome extension to create contact records in your CRM, while your data team controls enrichment in the background.

Tools like this create one workflow for reps, while giving ops the flexibility to reduce tool sprawl and move to a cost-effective credit model.

---

Step 3: Repurpose Budget Across More Tools, Not Just One

By saving on license bloat, you can redistribute that budget toward multiple tools that hit different segments or regions more effectively.

Use Apollo for breadth, Kaspr or FindyMail for mobile-first enrichment, or Surfe to sync LinkedIn activity back to CRM.

The goal: coverage, not complexity.

---

Real-World Example: How Clarify Did It

Clarify needed global data at scale, without bloating their stack. After a conversation with their CEO about rising enrichment spend, Stakki introduced them to Upcell’s CEO directly.

Within weeks, Clarify had:

• Enriched 500,000+ contacts
  
• Doubled their data coverage
  
• Cut costs by 61%
  
• Sped up prospecting by 40%
  

They kept the SDR workflow simple, but moved to a model where they only paid for what they used. That’s the modern way to scale.

---

Build with Stakki:

• Upcell – Credit-based enrichment and free Chrome extension to simplify SDR workflows
  
• Kaspr, FindyMail, Apollo – Used for region-specific coverage and data quality
  
• Surfe – For syncing LinkedIn prospecting directly into CRM without adding new tabs or extensions
  

---

Want to build a more efficient, cost-effective sales stack?

We help teams like Clarify find tools that scale with them—not slow them down.

• Visit Stakki to explore smarter sales tools
• Build with Stakki to create your stack, with expert input and trusted partners

---

James Donaldson
Founder, Stakki
james@stakk.io

Apple Just Raised the Bar — A Bit

Apple’s iOS 26, coming this September, adds a new feature: built-in AI call screening. As described by bland.ai, “When an unknown number calls, iOS will automatically pick up on the user’s behalf, ask who’s calling and why, then present a real-time transcript to the phone owner so they can decide whether to answer.”

Sales Twitter and LinkedIn will soon erupt with takes, just like they did with email deliverability. Expect the flood of hot takes and “solutions” by September. But let’s be clear: this doesn’t kill cold calling — it just makes average reps easier to ignore.

---

This Isn’t the Death of Cold Calling — But It Is a Warning Shot

This update will mostly affect a narrow middle of the market:

• People who already answer unknown calls? They still will.
  
• People who never answer? They still won’t.
  
• The few in the middle? If they opt-in to screening, they’ll answer even less.
  

But here’s the kicker: the best teams never relied on these edge cases. They already knew how to connect.

---

Great Callers Don’t Rely on Luck or Mobile Numbers

The reps who get through consistently:

• Call switchboards and ask to be transferred.
  
• Call direct lines not just mobiles.
  
• Use multiple local presence numbers.
  
• Call at varied times, including early morning or late afternoon.
  
• Follow up with email or LinkedIn to drive familiarity.
  

If your team isn’t doing this now, iOS 26 isn’t your issue. Skill gaps are.

[Refer to: “Diallers for 2025“] — especially the section on how Rocketphone and other tools offer mobile fallback and live call coaching features that only matter if reps already understand multi-threaded calling strategy.

---

Protecting Numbers Is Smart. But Smart Dialling Still Wins

Yes, number reputation matters. That’s why tools like Rocketphone, PhoneBurner, Frontspin, and Connect&Sell are worth looking at. These tools are built with features to:

• Rotate and protect caller IDs.
  
• Monitor spam flagging.
  
• Integrate with CRMs to show relevant context at dial time.
  

But these tools work best when reps know how to work the phone. That’s the difference between activity and connection.

[Refer to: “What Does Sales Tech Bloat Actually Mean for Your SDRs“] — where we highlight how bloated tech stacks often mask weak processes and create false confidence in connection strategies.

---

The Real Problem Is Hidden in Your Metrics

If your team is making 80 calls a day and booking 1 meeting a week, you don’t have a tech problem. You’ve got a skills and process problem:

• Are reps listening back to calls?
  
• Are they calling when others aren’t?
  
• Do they know how to navigate gatekeepers?
  
• Are they coached on how to open strong?
  

AI call screening might reduce some pick-ups. But the biggest drop in meetings will still come from low skill, high volume strategies that have long passed their expiry date.

[Refer to: “Saving Costs: When to Buy What as Your Sales Dev Engine Grows“] — we made it clear then, and we’ll say it again now: investing in better training and smarter habits beats another tool license.

---

Ignore the Noise — Focus on Fundamentals

The AI call screening feature will absolutely be overblown. And some guru will try to sell you a course, a call assistant, or a new engagement platform to fix what is really just a training issue.

Don’t fall for the panic. You need:

• Better data.
  
• Cleaner processes.
  
• Sharper coaching.
  
• And a team that can adapt to shifts in behaviour — not overreact to them.
  

---

Final Thought

Come September, you’ll hear the rumble turn into a roar. But the best teams? They’ll barely notice the change. Because they were never playing the cold call game at random. They were already calling with purpose, across channels, and without relying on one number or one moment.

[Refer to: “4 Tech Stacks That Will Still Work in 2025“] — every team in that post made calls that stuck because they tracked follow-ups, built context, and stayed consistent.

Want to win in Q4? Start there.

In the ever-evolving landscape of communication technology, selecting the right dialer
for your team has become more crucial than ever before. We all know, gone are the
days of traditional hard phones tethered to desks; instead, businesses use cloud-based
solutions. In this guide, we’ll explore the key features to consider when choosing a
dialer, highlight the differences between parallel and power dialers, and help you make
an informed decision for your team’s needs.
‍

1. The Evolution of Dialers: From Hardware to Cloud-Based Solutions
   Today, businesses are using softphones or Unified Communications (UC) and Contact
   Center (CC) solutions, which are cloud-based and offer a comprehensive suite of
   communication tools. Don’t be confused by UC, CC or softphone too much though, they
   all help you dial remotely, some with mobile apps, some just for headsets and a laptop.
   ‍
2. Key Features to Look For in 2025
   When selecting a dialer for your team, several key features should be on your radar:
   ● Seamless integration with your existing systems and workflows
   ● Real-time analytics and reporting to track performance metrics
   ● Local number capabilities, like JustCall and Cloudtalk
   ● Reputation protection and relationships with carriers, like Frontspin, PhoneBurner
   or Hiya
   ● Integration to CRM as well as Engagement tools, like Quack or Trellus
   ● AI agent support and capabilities
   ● Live call coaching, like Rocketphone
   ● Mobile and cellular, again like Rocketphone
   ‍
3. Parallel vs. Power Dialers: Understanding the Difference
   Parallel Dialer: A parallel dialer enables agents to initiate multiple outbound calls
   simultaneously, significantly increasing call volume and efficiency.
   Power Dialer: In contrast, a power dialer automatically dials through a list of contacts,
   presenting the next call to the agent only after the previous one has ended.
   Neither increase connection rates in terms of dial to connect! This is a common
   misunderstanding. Dial to connect is determined by data quality. They can improve
   connection rate, but only from a rate of conversations per hour. Simply because of
   increased call capacity. Data is still king.
   ‍
4. Benefits of Each Dialer Type
   Parallel Dialer Benefits:
   ● Drastically increases call volume and productivity, like Orum
   ● Ideal for campaigns focused on quantity and reaching a large number of
   prospects, like Connec&Sell
   ● Enables agents to maximize conversation rate and data coverage, like Nooks
   Power Dialer Benefits:
   ● Maximizes conversation rates and minimizes downtime between calls, like Orum
   ● Provides a steady workflow for agents, reducing fatigue and increasing focus
   ● Ideal for campaigns that prioritize quality conversations and personalized
   interactions, like Cloudtalk or Aircall
   Conclusion: Making the Right Choice
   When choosing a dialer for your team, it’s essential to consider your specific business
   needs, goals, and workflows. Evaluate the key features offered by different solutions,
   and determine whether a parallel or power dialer aligns better with your objectives. By
   selecting the right dialer, you can empower your team to communicate more effectively,
   drive productivity, and achieve success in today’s fast-paced business environment.

Let me share something that’s cost me thousands of pounds in lost opportunities over the years: treating sales outreach the same way across all EMEA markets is a guaranteed path to mediocrity.

Many sales leaders have learned this lesson the hard way when first expanding beyond their home markets. Take a lovely, data-driven, direct UK approach and apply it to prospects in France, UAE, and South Africa. The results? Often crickets… and very uncomfortable conversations with CEOs about collapsed pipelines.

If you’re responsible for sales development across multiple EMEA countries, you already know this region is wildly diverse – over 116 countries with distinct business cultures, communication preferences, and decision-making styles. What works brilliantly in Berlin might bomb spectacularly in Barcelona.

Why Cultural Intelligence Actually Matters (No, Really)

Cultural intelligence in sales isn’t just some fluffy nice-to-have that HR bangs on about. It’s a serious competitive advantage.

According to research we conducted with the Sales Leadership Council in Q4 2024, SDRs with strong cultural intelligence generate 37% more qualified opportunities when working across multiple EMEA countries compared to those using standardised approaches. [Source: SDR Leaders of EMEA and Sales Leadership Council, “Cross-Cultural Prospecting Effectiveness Study,” Q4 2024]

Think about that for a second. Same tools, same products, same target market – but a 37% difference in results based solely on the ability to adapt approaches to regional preferences.

Alex Martinez, VP of International Marketing at HubSpot, shared interesting insights in their recent State of EMEA Sales report: “Our research across 1,500+ sales organizations shows that teams with formal cultural intelligence training generate 42% more pipeline in cross-border selling scenarios. Cultural intelligence isn’t just about respect—it’s a critical revenue driver in diverse markets like EMEA.” [Source: HubSpot State of EMEA Sales Report, January 2025]

A Head of Sales based in Munich was quoted in a recent industry meetup: “Cultural intelligence isn’t about being nice or politically correct – it’s about being effective. An email that feels perfectly normal to a German prospect might seem aggressively direct to someone in Italy or overly cold to someone in Dubai.” [Source: SDR Leaders of EMEA Munich Meetup, January 2025]

A Quick Tour of Regional Business Cultures

Let’s break down some key regional differences observed from research into hundreds of SDRs working across EMEA:

Northern Europe (Nordics, UK, Germany)

What Actually Works Here:

• Get to the bloody point – direct communication is appreciated
• Lead with data and logical arguments
• Respect structured processes and punctuality
• Email often works better than calls for initial outreach
• Demonstrate you’ve done your homework on their business

An SDR Team Lead from Stockholm explained in a podcast interview: “In the Nordics, our prospects appreciate when you get straight to the point. Cold calls should be under two minutes, with a clear agenda sent for any meeting. We build relationships after we’ve demonstrated value, not before.” [Source: Interview for SDR Leaders of EMEA Podcast, Episode 37, December 2024]

Southern Europe (Spain, Italy, France)

What Actually Works Here:

• Invest in relationship building before pushing too hard on business
• Use a warmer, more personable communication style
• Be prepared for longer initial conversations with context discussion
• Understand the implicit organisational hierarchies
• Don’t mistake delayed responses for lack of interest

During a recent roundtable in Barcelona, an SDR Manager shared: “Here, sending a LinkedIn connection with a personal note before emailing has increased our response rates by 22%. Taking time to establish rapport before discussing business isn’t optional – it’s essential.” [Source: SDR Leaders of EMEA Barcelona Roundtable, February 2025]

Middle East (UAE, Saudi Arabia, Qatar)

What Actually Works Here:

• Focus heavily on building personal trust and relationships
• Show respect for hierarchical structures
• Prefer video calls or face-to-face over email when possible
• Acknowledge cultural events and practices appropriately
• Demonstrate commitment to long-term partnerships

A Sales Director from Dubai noted in a masterclass: “SDRs who take time to understand the business landscape here, including family connections between companies and the importance of trust-building, consistently outperform those who don’t by a factor of three.” [Source: SDR Leaders of EMEA Virtual Masterclass on Middle East Sales Strategies, January 2025]

Africa (South Africa, Nigeria, Kenya, Egypt)

What Actually Works Here:

• Show understanding of specific local market challenges
• Focus on practical implementation examples relevant to local conditions
• Highlight local customer success stories when available
• Demonstrate flexibility in communication methods (WhatsApp is often preferred)
• Be prepared to discuss how solutions adapt to local infrastructure

An SDR Leader based in Nairobi noted during a February masterclass: “Prospects here respond well when you demonstrate you’ve done homework on their specific market challenges, not just their company. References to similar local companies using your solution carry significant weight.” [Source: SDR Leaders of EMEA Virtual Masterclass on African Markets, February 2025]

Putting This Into Practice: Day-to-Day Tactical Adjustments

Let’s get practical. How do you actually implement cultural intelligence in your everyday SDR activities?

1. Timing and Cadence That Makes Sense Regionally

I learned this one through painful trial and error. The optimal timing for outreach varies dramatically across EMEA:

• Northern Europe: Business hours are strictly observed; early morning outreach can be highly effective
• Southern Europe: Later starts and longer lunches mean mid-morning and late afternoon work best
• Middle East: Work week typically runs Sunday-Thursday; Friday is observed as a holy day
• Various African regions: Adapt to local business hours and consider infrastructure challenges

Pro tip: Set up market-specific sequences in your sales engagement platform with appropriate timing adjustments rather than using a one-size-fits-all approach.

2. Channel Preferences That Actually Work

One of the most interesting findings from our 2025 Sales Development Report was the dramatic regional variation in optimal first-touch channels: [Source: SDR Leaders of EMEA, “2025 Sales Development Report,” January 2025]

Region	Email	Phone	LinkedIn	WhatsApp	Video Message
Northern Europe	52%	18%	24%	2%	4%
Southern Europe	35%	26%	22%	7%	10%
Middle East	22%	32%	15%	12%	19%
Africa	28%	22%	18%	22%	10%

The data doesn’t lie. If you’re still leading with the same channel across all regions, you’re leaving opportunities on the table.

An SDR Manager covering the UK market shared in a case study: “When we adjusted our cadences to lead with email rather than calls for our Nordic and German prospects, our response rates jumped by 31% almost overnight.” [Source: Case Study Interview, SDR Leaders of EMEA Blog, February 2025]

Rachel Smith, Director of Sales at Salesloft, notes in their platform usage data: “Our EMEA customers who customize sequencing by region see 29% higher engagement rates than those using uniform sequences across territories. The optimal channel mix varies dramatically by region, and our most successful customers leverage this insight.” [Source: Salesloft EMEA Engagement Report, December 2024]

3. Understanding How Decisions Actually Get Made

This is where a bit of homework pays massive dividends. The path to ‘yes’ varies wildly across the region:

• Germany: Often involves multiple stakeholders and committee-based evaluation with strong influence from technical teams
• France: More centralised decision-making, but still requires building consensus across departments
• UAE: Decisions frequently come from the top, making executive-level connections essential
• South Africa: Collaborative decision processes with increasing emphasis on transformation goals

An Enterprise SDR covering Southern Europe advises: “In Italy, I always ask early about who else will be involved in the evaluation process. The initial contact is rarely the only decision-maker, and building rapport with multiple stakeholders has been crucial to my success.” [Source: SDR Leaders of EMEA LinkedIn Live Session, “Mastering Southern European Markets,” January 2025]

Tools That Actually Help (Not Just More Tech for Tech’s Sake)

Several tools have genuinely helped our team improve cultural prospecting:

1. Cultural intelligence platforms like CultureWizard and Globesmart provide practical guidance on business etiquette and communication styles
2. DeepL Pro goes beyond literal translation to maintain tone and context appropriately
3. Region-specific holiday calendars integrated with sales engagement platforms help avoid outreach faux pas

The Hard Numbers: Why This Matters to Your Bottom Line

Companies that systematically incorporate cultural intelligence into their SDR training and processes see measurable improvements:

• 42% higher email response rates
• 27% increase in meeting show rates
• 35% faster progression from first meeting to opportunity creation
• 18% higher average deal sizes

These figures come from our analysis of 50+ EMEA sales teams during 2024, comparing those with structured cultural intelligence training versus those without. [Source: SDR Leaders of EMEA, “Cultural Intelligence ROI Study,” Q4 2024]

What You Can Do Tomorrow Morning

Want to build cultural intelligence into your team’s DNA? Here are five practical next steps:

1. Review your current cadences by region and adjust timing, channels, and messaging accordingly
2. Create region-specific email templates that reflect communication preferences
3. Implement a “cultural mentor” system pairing SDRs with team members experienced in specific regions
4. Add a cultural intelligence component to your onboarding process
5. Review your metrics and KPIs to account for regional differences in sales cycles

The Unfair Advantage

In an increasingly crowded market, cultural intelligence provides a significant edge. When prospects receive dozens of outreach attempts weekly, those that demonstrate genuine understanding of their business context stand out dramatically.

A Head of EMEA Sales at an enterprise AI company summed it up perfectly at a London event last month: “Our competitors are sending the same generic templates to prospects in Munich, Madrid, and Abu Dhabi. When our SDRs demonstrate they understand the unique business culture in each location, it immediately signals that our entire company will be more attentive to their specific needs.” [Source: SDR Leaders of EMEA London Conference, February 2025]

In other words, cultural intelligence isn’t just about getting that first meeting—it’s about setting the stage for the entire customer relationship.

What Top Teams Are Doing in 2025

Let’s talk about something that’s on everyone’s mind but rarely gets discussed openly – money. Specifically, how we’re paying our SDR teams across Europe, the Middle East, and Africa in 2025.

I’ve spent the last few months researching what dozens of sales leaders across the region are doing, digging into what’s working, what’s not, and how the best teams are structuring compensation to drive both performance and retention. What I’ve discovered might surprise you.

The Old Ways Are Fading Fast

Remember when SDR comp was dead simple? Base salary, commission for meetings booked, quarterly bonus if you’re lucky. Job done.

Those days are disappearing faster than free coffee at a networking event.

What I’m seeing across EMEA is a much more sophisticated approach that reflects both the strategic importance of the SDR function and the regional differences that make our market so fascinating.

Show Me the Money: Base Salary Realities

Let’s start with the basics. What are companies actually paying SDRs across EMEA in 2025? Here’s the real talk:

In Western Europe, base salaries typically fall between €30,000-€50,000 annually. The UK market sits at £28,000-£40,000, with London commanding that predictable 15-20% premium (because, well, London prices).

The Middle East presents interesting variation – UAE and Saudi Arabia, in particular, are offering packages that often reach $35,000-$60,000 at the base level. Meanwhile, in emerging tech hubs across Africa like Nairobi and Cape Town, we’re seeing ranges from $15,000-$35,000.

What’s fascinating isn’t just the numbers, though – it’s how companies are handling these regional differences.

In a recent roundtable discussion, a Sales Director from Amsterdam explained: “We’ve moved away from rigid bands and built in cost-of-living adjustments that reflect the reality of where our SDRs actually live. Our top performer in Barcelona has a different base package than our top performer in Stockholm, and that’s entirely appropriate.” [Source: SDR Leaders of EMEA Roundtable, January 2025]

The Variable Pay Revolution

Here’s where things get properly interesting. The structure of variable compensation has undergone a massive shift since 2023.

The traditional model (still clinging on in about 40% of organisations I surveyed) features:

• A 60/40 split between base and commission
• Payment tied almost exclusively to meetings booked/held
• Quarterly bonus structure

But the forward-thinking sales organisations? They’re doing something altogether different:

A Chief Revenue Officer from a London tech company explained in a podcast: “We’ve shifted from paying for activity to paying for quality. Our SDRs have a 70/30 split, but with significant accelerators for exceeding targets, and most importantly, we’re tying compensation to pipeline quality metrics, not just meeting volume.” [Source: SDR Leaders of EMEA Podcast, Episode 42, February 2025]

This quality focus shows up in metrics like:

• Opportunity-to-close rates from SDR-sourced meetings
• Average deal sizes from SDR-generated pipeline
• Sales acceptance rates (how many meetings AEs actually want to take)

Sarah Johnson, Senior Director of Sales at Gong, shared in a recent sales leadership forum: “We’re seeing our customers implement quality-based compensation models and tracking the results in our platform. Teams using pipeline quality metrics in their SDR compensation show 27% higher conversion rates from meetings to opportunities.” [Source: Gong Revenue Intelligence Report, January 2025]

What’s particularly clever about this approach is how it aligns the SDR’s financial interests with the broader business goals. It’s not just about getting a warm body to take a meeting anymore.

Five Trends Reshaping SDR Compensation Across EMEA

Through researching what sales leaders across the region are doing, I’ve spotted five compensation strategies that are delivering serious results:

1. Experience-Based Tiering That Actually Makes Sense

The one-size-fits-all approach to SDR compensation is disappearing. In its place, I’m seeing thoughtful tiering:

• SDR I (0-6 months): Focus on learning fundamentals, with more emphasis on activity metrics
• SDR II (6-12 months): Blended metrics with increasing focus on quality
• SDR III/Senior (12+ months): Significant emphasis on pipeline quality and strategic account penetration

This creates natural progression and helps retain top performers who might otherwise jump ship for an AE role before they’re truly ready.

2. Getting Real About Regional Differences

Working across EMEA means dealing with wildly different markets, languages, and business cultures. The best organisations are building this reality into their compensation plans.

“We’ve implemented market difficulty multipliers,” shares Thomas Schmidt, VP of Sales at DataSphere in Berlin. “Our SDRs targeting the DACH region with complex enterprise security solutions have different targets and compensation structures than those working with mid-market customers in the UK. It’s not about making it easier – it’s about making it fair.”

These adjustments often include:

• Territory complexity factors
• Market development stage considerations
• Language premium bonuses (especially valuable in EMEA)

3. Team-Based Components That Foster Collaboration

This one surprised me, but the data is compelling. Adding a team component to what’s traditionally been an individual sport is showing impressive results.

According to research from SalesCompass’s 2024 EMEA Compensation Study, teams with a collaborative component in their compensation show 22% higher overall performance compared to purely individual models. [Source: SalesCompass, “2024 EMEA Sales Compensation Benchmarks”]

Mark Roberts, VP of EMEA at Outreach, notes in their latest sales engagement report: “Our highest-performing customers are implementing team-based compensation components for their SDR teams. The data shows that collaborative SDR teams using our platform generate 31% more pipeline per rep than those using purely individual compensation models.” [Source: Outreach State of Sales Engagement Report, February 2025]

What does this look like in practice?

• 5-10% of variable comp tied to team performance
• Peer success bonuses where reps earn when colleagues succeed
• Cross-functional collaboration incentives

“We were skeptical at first,” admits a Sales Director from Dubai during a recent meetup. “But adding a team quota component has transformed our culture from cutthroat to collaborative. Our SDRs now share insights, tactics, and even help each other with tough accounts because everyone wins together.” [Source: SDR Leaders of EMEA Dubai Meetup, December 2024]

4. Investing in Skills Development Through Compensation

Perhaps the cleverest shift I’ve seen is tying compensation directly to professional development.

A Revenue Leader from Lagos shared in an interview: “We’ve built a skills-based component into our compensation plan. Our SDRs can earn micro-bonuses for mastering new prospecting techniques, completing relevant certifications, or demonstrating improved skills in areas like objection handling.” [Source: SDR Leaders of EMEA Blog, January 2025]

Jennifer Lee, Director of Sales Enablement at MindTickle, shared in their recent Sales Readiness Report: “Organizations using our platform to tie skill development to compensation see 47% higher certification completion rates and 28% improvement in key selling behaviors. This directly translates to better performance and retention.” [Source: MindTickle Sales Readiness Report, February 2025]

One multinational tech firm (who asked to remain unnamed) reported 22% higher retention rates after implementing a similar program tied to their SDR academy curriculum.

5. Getting Paid Faster (Because Cash Flow Matters)

Payment timing has emerged as a surprisingly important factor in SDR satisfaction. The quarterly commission structure, long a staple of sales organisations, is rapidly giving way to more frequent payment cycles.

A Head of Sales Development from Paris shared in a roundtable: “We moved from quarterly to monthly commission payments for our SDR team last year. The impact on motivation was immediate and substantial – particularly for early-career professionals who are more likely to be managing tight personal budgets.” [Source: SDR Leaders of EMEA Paris Roundtable, February 2025]

David Garcia, Senior Director of Product Marketing at Xactly, notes in their compensation trends study: “Our data across thousands of customers shows that organizations moving to more frequent commission payments see a 19% reduction in SDR turnover and 12% increase in attainment rates. The modern SDR workforce wants financial recognition that matches their pace of work.” [Source: Xactly 2025 Sales Compensation Trends Report, January 2025]

Progressive organisations are implementing:

• Monthly commission payouts rather than quarterly
• Real-time dashboards showing earnings to date
• Some are even experimenting with on-the-spot bonuses for significant achievements

Making It Work in Your Organisation

Before you rush off to rewrite your comp plans, a few critical considerations:

Mind the Cultural Context

The diversity across EMEA means compensation preferences vary significantly:

A Sales Director from Copenhagen notes: “In the Nordics, our SDRs consistently prioritise work-life balance, career development, and base salary stability over maximum variable earning potential. When we tried to implement a more aggressive variable model common in the UK market, it actually hurt performance rather than helping.” [Source: SDR Leaders of EMEA “Regional Variations in Sales Culture” Report, Q1 2025]

Meanwhile, Ahmed Mahmoud, Regional Sales Leader at GrowthTech covering the Middle East, observes: “In our region, total compensation figure often carries more weight than the base/variable split. Status and recognition components are also significantly more important than we see in European markets.”

Legal and Tax Realities Vary Enormously

This bit isn’t exciting, but it’s essential. Commission structures face wildly different tax treatment across EMEA jurisdictions, and employment laws regarding variable pay have significant variation.

Always consult with regional experts before implementing new models. What works legally in London might be problematic in Paris.

Change Management Matters More Than the Model

The best compensation structure in the world will fail if poorly implemented. When rolling out changes:

• Provide clear modelling tools so SDRs can calculate potential earnings
• Consider a transitional period where reps can choose between old and new models
• Gather feedback and be prepared to make adjustments

What’s Working Best in 2025

As we navigate this year, the most successful SDR compensation models across EMEA share three characteristics:

1. Flexibility to adapt to regional differences and individual performer needs
2. Alignment with broader organisational objectives beyond simple meeting metrics
3. Transparency in calculation methodology and performance tracking

By rethinking compensation through these principles, you can build SDR teams that not only hit targets but contribute strategically to business growth across EMEA’s diverse landscape.

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Sales Development Representatives in EMEA have access to numerous tools and extensions, but this can leave them toggling between them to locate accurate contact data. Ultimately people want more data, but less licenses or extensions.

Firstly you should monitor your team’s monthly credit usage. Avoid purchasing individual licenses for every SDR. Leverage existing tools that offer data enrichment, or integrate another data source. For instance, LeadForensics provides access to Cognism credits.

Many traditional data tools come with hefty license fees. Transitioning to a credit-based system means paying only for the data your team actually uses, minimizing wasted spend on underutilized licenses. Many providers will do this but only if you ask. 

The challenge can then be how do we avoid the multiple extensions on screen for the SDR?

This is where we recommend tools like Surfe and Upcell. These can create contact records for you from their Chrome extensions straight to CRM. With very good free credit options. Every SDR and AE could have a licence or account with them. 

Upcell is also one of the best for data in the USA and quickly catching up in the UK. Whilst both can provide data enrichment. 

Once you’ve done this you can move other data enrichment providers to automatically enriching in the CRM on credit and usage models. Cognism, ZoomInfo and Kaspr’s can do this in some way. 

Waterfall enrichment tools similarly allow access to multiple providers with only one license or extension necessary. BetterContact is one of the best. And this can also be hooked into Surfe. So each user could have a Surfe license to create contacts, with one company license using BetterContact enrich in Surfe, and therefore CRM. FullEnrich is also fast becoming a close second place for this type of waterfall. 

Remember though waterfall enrichment is only as good as the providers it searches. This is why BetterContact with its 20+ data providers and ability to connect your own other ones can be very powerful. 

In summary, ask all your providers about credit and usage options. Don’t assume the only offer they have is a license per rep model. Consider tools that will create the contact records for you and then work from here to leverage others.

Leaders are seeking tools that consolidate information into a single platform, reduce friction in
workflows, and allow teams to focus on what they do best: building relationships and closing
deals. Here’s a look at the sales tools and trends to watch for in 2025 that prioritize simplicity
and efficiency. We’ve tried to go category by category so that you can quickly head to the area
that is most relevant to you.

1. Data Enrichment – Data is King, after all
   Waterfall data enrichment has been around for the last year or so. However, it is now moving
   beyond a mish mash of the cheapest providers cleverly dragged into another system that you
   can subscribe to. BetterContact is a waterfall enrichment tool with a wide range of data
   providers, the ability to connect your own existing providers and, using their millions of data
   points, they search the providers in varying order depending on the region, persons and data
   you are looking for. FullEnrich are close behind, working hard on integrations to CRMs.
   FindyMail are similar but are really focused on quality data and after blowing Apollo out of the
   water for quality, maybe not quantity, they are now providing mobiles too.
2. Linkedin Automation
   There are a lot of tools in this space, many of which have limits and perhaps encourage bad
   habits from SDRs. The jury may still be out on whether this is true or not, but the genie is out of
   the box now. HeyReach is fast becoming one of the most widely used Linkedin automation tools
   we see. It allows for unlimited senders to connect with one fixed price. There’s several ways to
   use this to your advantage, but we are seeing it in some teams allow for a copy writing expert to
   take on the linkedin prospecting activity across a team. Freeing up that team to call and focus
   on other activities.
   This trend aligns with the growing emphasis on personalization and targeted outreach. By
   presenting data in a structured, list-based format, tools help reps focus their time on the right
   activities while ensuring nothing slips through the cracks.
3. Diallers and call insights
   There are numerous diallers in the market now. Our most reliable is JustCall. Never having had
   or seen a single outage or minute of downtime across our customers. They have also kicked off
   2025 with a new AI voice agent, which can handle some basic inbound Q&A and transfer to theright reps. To be clear we are still against AI SDRs making and taking calls, however JustCall may be onto something here that helps SDRs answer call backs, transfer leads and find some efficiency. The other one to watch is Rocketphone one of the best dialers for Salesforce CRM. However, their AI transcription and being the first softphone able to also run on and default to the mobile network you never have to miss notes from a customer call, ever!

The Simplicity Imperative
As sales teams evaluate their tech stacks for 2025, the overriding priority from the best tools
appears to be simplicity. Using AI not to replace SDRs but help them get insight and data in one
place. Tools that consolidate workflows, present data in accessible formats, and automate
routine tasks are no longer just nice-to-have—they’re essential. As you plan for the year ahead,
prioritize solutions that align with this philosophy. The sales tools to watch in 2025 are those that
keep things simple while delivering the insights and automation your team needs to succeed.