How to Create and Conduct Mock SDR Calls
- Rosa Peraza
- Jul 2
- 23 min read
Effective cold calling is a critical skill for Sales Development Representatives (SDRs) in B2B companies. One of the best ways to build this skill is through mock cold calls – realistic practice conversations that simulate real prospect interactions.
This guide will walk sales teams in SaaS, Fintech/Education, Customer Experience, and Finance industries through the process of creating and conducting a successful mock SDR cold call.
We’ll cover the purpose and benefits of mock calls, how to craft a cold call script step by step, provide sample scripts for common B2B scenarios, list common objections (with responses), and share tips for running impactful mock call sessions. Let’s dive in!
What Are Mock SDR Calls?
Mock sales calls are essentially role-play calls where a manager or trainer acts as the prospect. They are invaluable “dress rehearsals” for sales reps. The purpose is to let reps practice in a safe setting and refine their techniques before they get on the line with real prospects.
In a typical sales process, reps rarely get to practice the actual call in advance; mock calls fill that gap by offering a safe environment to navigate awkward conversations, learn from mistakes, and perfect their pitch.
The value of mock SDR calls extends to many areas of sales readiness. Some key benefits include:
Realistic practice without risk: Reps can experience challenging scenarios in a comfortable setting without risking an actual sale. This prepares them for the real world by building familiarity with various call situations.
Improved objection handling: Since objections are one of the toughest parts of cold calling, the best way to get good at handling them is to practice under pressure in a role-play. Managers can simulate common pushbacks so reps learn thoughtful counter-tactics.
Skill development and confidence: No matter a rep’s experience level, there are always new strategies or techniques to learn. Mock calls encourage reps to try new approaches and self-analyze their performance by listening to recordings, which helps pinpoint areas for improvement. Over time, this practice reduces stress and boosts confidence, so real calls go smoother.
Identify strengths and weaknesses: Sales managers can observe mock calls to spot what each rep does well and where they struggle. It’s an opportunity to diagnose issues (e.g. talking too fast, not asking questions) and coach in a low-stakes setting.
Consistent messaging: By role-playing calls, teams ensure everyone is using the preferred talk tracks, value propositions, and qualifying questions that align with the company’s playbook. New SDRs especially benefit from seeing the standard structure in action.
In short, think of mock calls as the ultimate practice run – a chance for SDRs to get the jitters out, refine their cold calling skills, and build confidence before they dial real prospects. These sessions are a staple of modern sales training because they elevate reps’ effectiveness dramatically.
How to Create a Realistic Cold Call Script
One core element of a successful mock call is a realistic cold call script. This script isn’t meant to be read verbatim on a live call, but it provides a structured game plan for the conversation. Below is a step-by-step guide to creating a script that feels genuine and effective for B2B prospects.
Each step will help you tailor the script to your target audience, whether it’s an IT manager at a SaaS company, a finance director for a Fintech solution, a procurement officer, or an operations lead in a customer experience role.
Define your target persona and goal: Identify who you’re calling (e.g. IT Manager, CFO, Head of Customer Support) and why you’re calling them. Clarify the primary goal of the call – typically to introduce your product and secure a follow-up meeting or demo. A clear objective keeps your script focused.
Research the prospect and company: A little research goes a long way in making your cold call relevant. Spend a few minutes reviewing the prospect’s company, role, and any recent news or pain points you can find.
Effective cold calls today involve extensive pre-call research and personalization, which separates a helpful outreach from a spammy telemarketing call. Find key insights about their industry or business (e.g. “noticed your company is expanding to new markets” or “saw your CEO’s interview about data security challenges”).
This information will allow you to personalize your opening and show the prospect you’ve done your homework. (Tip: limit research to a few minutes per prospect – focus on the most relevant info so you don’t fall down a rabbit hole.)
Craft a strong opener (introduction): The first few seconds of a cold call are crucial – you need to capture the prospect’s attention immediately. Start by greeting the prospect by name and introducing yourself and your company clearly.
For example: “Hello [Prospect Name], this is [Your Name] calling from [Your Company].” Saying their name is a simple but foolproof way to get their attention.
Be confident and upbeat in your tone, and avoid rushing through your name or company (many calls start off on the wrong foot because the prospect couldn’t catch who you are!). After introducing yourself, pause for a beat – give them a moment to register the call. (This brief pause can pique their curiosity, as they subconsciously wonder if they know you or if this call is relevant to them.)
State your reason for calling (and spark interest): Next, in one or two sentences, tell the prospect why you’re calling and what’s in it for them. This is not a full pitch yet, but a hook. Ideally, base your reason on a pain point or goal relevant to that persona or industry.
For instance: “The reason I’m calling is that we’ve developed a solution that can reduce your cloud infrastructure downtime by 30%. I noticed your IT team has been expanding, and thought this might be valuable for you.” This kind of statement answers the question in the prospect’s mind (“Why should I care?”).
Be straightforward and specific – if you have a compelling benefit or insight, mention it here. The goal is to pique their interest enough to continue the conversation. (If you have a referral or trigger event, bring it up now: e.g. “Your colleague Jim suggested I reach out” or “I saw your company just opened a new office, congrats!”)
Ask an open-ended question to engage: Don’t launch into a monologue. After your brief reason statement, invite the prospect to talk by asking a question that relates to their needs.
For example: “How are you currently handling [relevant challenge]?” or “I’m curious, is improving X a priority for you this quarter?”. This turns the call into a two-way conversation and helps you qualify their situation.
In fact, a good cold call script will incorporate a few qualifying questions to gauge if the prospect has the problem you solve and how urgent it is. By asking, you allow the prospect to describe their perspective, which not only builds rapport (they feel heard) but also gives you valuable information to tailor your pitch.
Highlight your value proposition: Once you’ve identified a pain point or confirmed a need, briefly explain how your product or service can help. Keep this very focused on benefits and outcomes, not just features. One effective technique is to include a quick success story or credible proof point.
For example: “At [Your Company], we help IT managers like you by automating data backups and monitoring – in fact, one of our clients (a SaaS firm similar to yours) cut their server downtime by 40% after implementing our tool.”
This kind of statement distills your value proposition into a tangible result for the prospect. Mentioning a well-known client or a relevant case study can also build trust (social proof).
The idea is to convey why your solution is worth considering, in a sentence or two, tailored to what the prospect cares about. (For a finance director in a Fintech context, you might emphasize cost savings or compliance; for a customer experience leader, you might highlight improvements in customer satisfaction metrics.)
Invite to a next step (call-to-action): Now it’s time to clearly ask for the next step, typically scheduling a deeper conversation or demo. This is the primary goal of most SDR cold calls. Be polite but direct: for example, “Would you be open to a 30-minute call next week to explore this further?” or “I’d love to give you a quick virtual demo of how this works – do you have time later this week?”. It’s often effective to propose a specific time: “How does Thursday at 10 AM look on your calendar?” – being specific makes it easier for them to check and agree.
The ask should be brief and confident. Assume the meeting is valuable (you just described the value, after all) and that you’re doing them a service by continuing the discussion. If you’ve built enough interest and handled concerns, many prospects will agree to a meeting at this point.
Anticipate objections and prepare responses: Not every call will go perfectly to plan – prospects might interrupt with questions or concerns at any stage. A realistic script anticipates the most likely objections and includes potential rebuttals or responses.
Common examples: “I’m not interested,” “We already have a vendor for that,” “I don’t have budget,” or “Just send me info.” Think through 2-3 of the objections you’re most likely to hear from your target persona and write down a concise, empathetic response for each.
For instance, if the prospect says “We’re already using XYZ software,” your script (or call plan) could note: Respond by asking how that solution is working and highlight a key difference or advantage your product offers. The goal is not to argue, but to address their concern and reopen the conversation. (See further below for a list of realistic objections and handling techniques.)
Practice the script out loud: Finally, remember that writing a script is just the first step – how you deliver it matters. Rehearse your script out loud multiple times to make sure it flows in conversation. You want to sound natural, not like you’re reading.
Practicing will help you internalize the main points so you can stay flexible on the call. It also flags any awkward phrasing you might want to tweak. Consider doing a quick role-play with a colleague: have them play the prospect and see how you handle it.
They can give feedback on your clarity and tone. (In fact, role-playing is a key part of mock call training – more on that later.) By practicing, you’ll be able to stick to the structure of your script but also listen and adapt to the real prospect, which is the hallmark of a great cold caller.
By following these steps, you’ll create a cold call script that is targeted, customer-centric, and flexible. It serves as a solid foundation for your mock calls and real calls alike.
Remember, the script is a guide – it outlines the path, but you don’t have to say every word exactly. The goal is to be prepared and confident enough to have a natural conversation that hits all the key points.
Sample Cold Call Script Examples (B2B Scenarios)
Let’s look at some sample cold call scripts demonstrating how an SDR might approach prospects in different industries and roles. Each script follows the general structure we outlined (introduction, a personalized reason for calling, engaging question, value proposition, and a call-to-action) based on proven templates.
These examples can be used in mock call role-plays to train your team. Feel free to adapt the language to suit your product and audience – authenticity is key.
Example Script 1: SaaS Product – Calling an IT Manager
Scenario: You are an SDR from a SaaS company that provides cloud security and uptime monitoring software. You’re calling “Jordan”, an IT Infrastructure Manager at a mid-sized software firm. Your goal is to schedule a demo of your solution.
SDR: “Hi Jordan, this is Alex from TechSecure. How are you today?
Prospect (Jordan): “I’m fine. Who did you say you’re with?”
SDR: “I’m with TechSecure. I was doing some research on XYZ Software (your company) and noticed you’ve been rolling out new cloud services. The reason I’m calling is we recently helped a company like yours reduce their cloud downtime by 40% using our monitoring platform. I wanted to see if improving uptime and security is something you’re focused on right now. How are you currently monitoring your cloud infrastructure?”
(Notice how Alex immediately mentions a relevant benefit – reducing downtime – and asks an open question.)
Prospect: “We have some basic monitoring in place, mostly manual… We haven’t had major issues so far.”
SDR: “Got it. A lot of teams I speak with start that way. One thing TechSecure does is provide real-time alerts and automated backups. For example, we caught a server glitch for a client (ACME Corp) that saved them hours of outage. It’s like an extra set of eyes on your systems 24/7.
Prospect: “Interesting, but we’re not really looking for new tools right now.”
SDR: “I understand – no one wants extra tools unless they bring clear value. Maybe I can illustrate how this might benefit you. Would you be open to a short 20-minute demo where I can show you how our platform could integrate with your setup and possibly prevent costly downtime? If it’s not useful, no worries – but clients usually find it eye-opening. How does next Tuesday at 10 AM sound?”
Prospect: “Alright, I could do 10 AM next Tuesday.”
SDR: “Great! I’ll send over a calendar invite for a Zoom meeting. Appreciate your time, Jordan – looking forward to showing you what TechSecure can do to keep XYZ Software running smoothly!”
(In this script, the SDR leveraged research about the prospect’s situation, highlighted a success story (40% downtime reduction), asked questions, and handled a mild objection of “not looking for new tools” by reinforcing the value. The call ended with a clear meeting request for a specific time.)
Example Script 2: Fintech Solution – Calling a Finance Director
Scenario: You are an SDR at “LedgerPro”, offering a Fintech SaaS that automates expense reporting and budgeting. You’re calling “Maria”, the Finance Director of a retail chain, to pitch your solution.
SDR: “Hello Maria, this is Daniel from LedgerPro. We haven’t met, but LedgerPro is a platform that helps finance teams streamline expense management. I’m calling because I noticed your company recently opened 5 new stores, and I thought you might be evaluating better ways to manage expenses across locations. Do you have a few minutes to chat?”
Prospect (Maria): “I have a few minutes. We do manage a lot of expenses... What’s this about?”
SDR: “Thanks! Many finance directors I talk to are frustrated with how long expense reconciliation takes each month. Does that resonate with you?”
Prospect: “It can be time-consuming, yes. We use an internal system, but it’s not ideal.”
SDR: “You’re not alone. To give you context, LedgerPro automatically pulls in receipts and integrates with systems like SAP, which cuts month-end closing time by ~30%. For instance, we worked with a client, FreshMart, who went from 10 days to close books down to 6 days after implementing our tool.
Prospect: “We do use SAP… Interesting, but we already have a tool for expenses.”
SDR: “I figured you might. If you don’t mind me asking, what are you using currently?”
Prospect: “We’re using ExpenseMaster for now.”
SDR: “ExpenseMaster is a solid tool. Some of our clients actually switched from it to LedgerPro when they needed more automation.
One key difference is that LedgerPro uses AI to flag policy violations automatically – I’m not sure if ExpenseMaster offers that level of automation. Our customers also report significant savings in man-hours and fewer errors after switching.
I understand switching systems is a big deal, but it could be worth exploring if it saves your team time. Would it be crazy to suggest a quick online demo so you can see those differences firsthand? Maybe later this week? We could even use some of your typical expense scenarios as examples in the demo.”
Prospect: “I suppose a short demo couldn’t hurt. Maybe Thursday afternoon?”
SDR: “Excellent – I’ll book a 30-minute demo for Thursday at 2 PM. I’ll send you a confirmation email with details. Really appreciate your time, Maria. I’m confident we can show you a few ideas to make life easier for your finance team.”
(In this example, the SDR introduced a compelling event (company expansion) and a known pain point (slow expense processes). When the prospect said they already have a solution, the SDR probed politely (to understand the competitor) and then handled the objection by highlighting a differentiator and a success story. The call-to-action was a demo, which the prospect accepted.)
Example Script 3: Customer Experience Software – Calling a Contact Center Operations Lead
Scenario: You represent “CX Insight”, a customer experience analytics platform. You’re calling “David”, the Head of Operations for a company’s call center. Your platform analyzes call transcripts to improve customer satisfaction (CSAT) and agent performance.
SDR: “Hi David, this is Sophia from CX Insight. I know you’re busy, so I’ll be brief. The reason I’m calling is that CX Insight has helped call center teams increase their customer satisfaction scores by analyzing support calls in real-time. I saw on LinkedIn that ABC Corp’s support team grew by 50% this year, and I thought this might be timely. Quick question: How are you currently measuring and improving agent-customer interactions?”
Prospect (David): “We pull some reports from our phone system and do manual QA reviews, but it’s hard to keep up. What exactly does your tool do?”
SDR: “Great question. Our platform transcribes and analyzes 100% of calls automatically, so instead of random QA on a few calls, you get insights on all of them. It flags things like customer sentiment and compliance issues. For example, one client (ACME Support) saw a 15% boost in NPS after using our analytics to coach their agents. It essentially shows you why customers are happy or upset, in real-time.
Prospect: “That does sound useful, but to be honest, improving CSAT is important but not our top priority this quarter.”
SDR: “Understood – priorities are everything. Out of curiosity, when do you plan to focus on CSAT improvement? The reason I ask is some teams use a solution like ours to save time on QA, which in turn frees them up to tackle other priorities. Even if now isn’t the perfect time, seeing what’s possible might help you plan. How about this: we do a short insight session. I can literally show you a few sample reports with your industry’s benchmarks. Even if you decide to revisit later, you’ll have some ideas in your back pocket. Would next week be okay to look at that?”
Prospect: “Alright, I can spare 20 minutes next week.”
SDR: “Great! Let’s schedule for Wednesday at 11 AM. I’ll send a calendar invite. Thanks David – I’m confident you’ll find the data interesting, even if it’s for future reference.”
(In script 3, the SDR acknowledged the prospect’s limited time upfront (a nice pattern when calling busy operations folks). Sophia leveraged a growth insight (team grew 50%) to personalize the reason for calling.
When the prospect said it’s not a current priority, she handled the objection about timing by agreeing and then positioning the meeting as a low-commitment “insight session”.
This reframing, along with highlighting time-saving benefits, helped persuade the prospect to take a meeting despite his hesitance. It’s a smart way to keep the door open.)
Each of these sample scripts shows a slightly different style, but they all incorporate the fundamentals: a clear intro, some personalized context, probing questions, value statements with results, and objection handling leading to a meeting request.
During mock call practice, sales reps can use these scripts as starting points and then improvise as needed to mimic a live conversation.
The role-play partner playing the prospect can throw in objections like those above to test the rep’s reactions. By practicing scenarios relevant to SaaS, Fintech/Education, Customer Experience, and Finance, your SDRs will be well-rounded and ready for real calls in these sectors.
Common Objections and How to Handle Them
In both practice and real calls, SDRs will inevitably face objections from prospects. Training should include preparing for these pushbacks so reps aren’t caught off guard.
Below are some realistic objections that B2B prospects (like IT managers, finance directors, procurement officers, etc.) often raise, along with tips for handling each one effectively:
Objection | Effective Handling Approach |
“I’m not interested.” | Don’t push back aggressively – first acknowledge their stance. “I understand, many people aren’t interested at first.” Then offer a soft next step instead of a hard sell. For example, suggest sending them some information addressing a key pain point for them to review on their own time. “How about I email you a brief case study on how we helped a company like yours? If it resonates, we can chat later.” This way, you keep the door open without pressuring them. |
“I don’t have time right now.” | Respect their time while asserting that you won’t waste much of it. Show you understand their busyness and offer a very brief pitch or an alternative time. For example: “I know you weren’t expecting my call. If you can spare 90 seconds, I’ll explain why I called – if not, we can schedule a better time.” Often, the prospect will let you give a quick elevator pitch. Alternatively, offer to call back later when they suggest, and actually follow through if they accept a reschedule. The key is to be courteous and succinct. |
“We already use [Competitor].” | Avoid disparaging the competitor. Instead, ask a question to get them talking: “Oh great, how is your experience with [Competitor]?” Let them describe what they like or dislike. This engages them and gives you information. Then, highlight a differentiator of your solution in a friendly way. “It’s interesting you mention that reporting feature... That’s actually one area where our platform is different – we provide real-time analytics that [Competitor] lacks.” Offer a success story of a client who switched from the competitor to you for specific reasons. The goal is to plant a seed that there might be something better, and pique their curiosity enough to listen or meet with you. |
“It’s too expensive / not in the budget.” | Price objections are very common, especially in finance-related roles. Don’t immediately offer a discount (that can undermine your value). Instead, focus on building the value case. For example: “I hear you – budget is tight for everyone. What we’ve found is that our solution pays for itself in under 6 months by [e.g. increasing productivity/revenue or cutting other costs].” Provide a quick example or metric if possible: “One of our clients was concerned about cost, but after using our tool they saved 20% in overhead, which actually freed up budget.” You can also probe which aspect is too expensive – sometimes the prospect doesn’t yet see the ROI. By emphasizing how you can solve a costly problem or improve their bottom line, you help reframe the price as an investment. If they truly have zero budget now, you might offer a free trial or to include them in a future promotion, but only after reinforcing value. |
“Just send me some information.” | This can be a polite brush-off or a genuine request. Agree to send info, but try to keep the conversation going a bit longer. “Absolutely – I can email you our overview. So I send the most relevant info, may I ask quickly: which aspect of [problem] are you most interested in improving?” By asking this follow-up, you engage them a little more to identify their pain point. Then promise to include material on that in your email. Additionally, use this moment to gain permission for a follow-up call: “I’ll send that right over. Let’s do this – I’ll give you a couple of days to read it and then I can give you a quick call on Friday to hear your thoughts. Does that sound fair?” This way, you turn a blow-off into a scheduled next step. If they refuse to commit to a call, at least you’ve differentiated yourself by tailoring the info to their interest. |
“We don’t need this right now.” | When a prospect says they have no need, it can mean they truly don’t have the problem, or they don’t realize they have it (or aren’t focused on it). It’s important to ask some questions to uncover if a need actually exists. “I hear you. Out of curiosity, what are you doing currently for X? Is that area totally under control for you?” Their answers might reveal latent pain points. If they indeed have no current need, respond positively: “Understood. Good to hear things are going well in that area.” You might then highlight a potential benefit they hadn’t considered: “Many companies didn’t think they needed a solution like ours until they saw how much time it could save. In fact, some use it proactively to prevent issues.” Finally, ask if you can keep in touch: “If anything changes, would it be alright if I reached out in the future? And I’ll send over a bit of info for whenever it might be useful.” This way you remain polite, probe for hidden needs, and leave the door open for later contact. |
“I’ll have to consult my team/boss.” | This is often a stall or a sign you’re not talking to the ultimate decision-maker. Don’t get discouraged; instead, try to empower your contact and/or reach the decision-maker indirectly. First, verify their situation: “Of course. Just so I understand, is the budget decision for this something your CFO would handle?” If they say yes, follow up with an offer: “I’d be happy to provide you with materials or join a call to explain the value to your team or boss. What information would help you make the case internally?”. By doing this, you turn them into a champion – equipping them with talking points about benefits and ROI. If appropriate, you can also gently ask if there’s someone else you should speak with: “Is there anyone else on your team who’d evaluate a solution like this? I could loop them in, with your permission.” Always be respectful – your contact can be an ally. The key is to provide support so their boss objection turns into an opportunity for you to engage further (through information, a group demo, etc.). |
These are just a subset of the objections SDRs might encounter. The best practices for objection handling in a cold call include staying calm and positive, listening fully to the concern, and then responding in a way that acknowledges the prospect’s perspective and adds new insight or a solution.
Notice that in the examples above, the SDR often agrees or empathizes first (“I understand,” “I hear you”) – this helps defuse any tension. Then they provide a concise answer that either asks a question (to keep the dialogue going) or reframes the value proposition to address that objection.
In your mock call training, make sure to practice handling objections like the ones above. One technique is to have the person role-playing the prospect deliberately throw an objection mid-call, so the SDR has to think on their feet. By repeatedly rehearsing these scenarios, SDRs will learn to respond smoothly no matter what curveball comes their way.
Tips for Running Effective Mock Call Sessions
Creating scripts and reviewing objection responses are important, but the real magic happens when you conduct the mock calls. Here are some tips and best practices for running productive mock SDR call sessions that truly prepare your team for live prospecting:
Simulate real call conditions: When doing a mock call, treat it like a real call from start to finish. That means actually dialing (or pretending to dial) the number and saying “ring ring” before the prospect (the role-player) picks up. Have the SDR go through their introduction, dialogue, and closing as if it were an actual customer call.
The details matter – the more realistic the practice, the more insights you’ll get. One important aspect: remove visual cues. In a real phone call, you can’t see the person on the other end. So during the mock call, don’t have the rep and the mock prospect face each other.
In fact, it’s best if they’re in separate rooms or at least back-to-back, so the rep can only rely on the voice. This prevents them from subconsciously using body language or facial feedback that wouldn’t be available in a phone call.
Get into character (for the “prospect” role): The manager or team member playing the prospect should fully embrace the role of a prospect. Before the session, define a quick persona for the prospect: What’s their name, company, position? What’s a typical day like? What mood are they in (busy, skeptical, friendly)? What challenges do they face? By writing down a simple character sheet for the prospect, the role-player can respond more realistically and even throw relevant curveballs.
For example, if the persona is a harried IT manager, the mock prospect might answer the phone sounding rushed and say things like, “I only have a minute.” This gives the SDR a chance to practice adapting their approach. Encourage the role-player to stay in character the whole call – it might feel silly at first, but it makes the mock call far more effective and authentic.
As a coach, you might sometimes play an extremely tough prospect (e.g., someone who is distracted or even a bit rude) to test the rep’s composure and skill in a safe environment.
Use real scenarios and varying difficulty: Start with easy scenarios for new reps, such as a friendly prospect or a straightforward cold call with no major objections. This helps build the rep’s confidence and lets them get comfortable with the basic call structure. As they improve, introduce more challenging situations: for instance, a gatekeeper who answers instead of the decision-maker, or a prospect who is skeptical and tries to end the call quickly.
You can even incorporate the specific objection profiles from earlier (the “just send me an email” prospect, the “we’re already using a competitor” prospect, etc.).
Over time, increase the difficulty – the ultimate goal is to make the mock calls as challenging as (or even more than) real calls. If your reps can handle the worst-case scenarios in practice, real calls will seem easier by comparison. Just be sure to calibrate difficulty to the rep’s experience level; you don’t want to overwhelm a brand new SDR with a nightmare prospect on day one.
Record the mock calls: If possible, record the audio (or video) of each mock call session. This could be as simple as using a speakerphone and a voice recorder, or if you’re doing it via Zoom or phone software, use the built-in recording feature. Recording allows for detailed review afterward. It’s amazing what you catch on a recording that one might miss in the moment.
For example, the rep might not realize they talk over the prospect, or say “umm” frequently, until they hear it played back.
Recordings also let the rep hear their own voice and approach, which is a powerful self-teaching tool. Over time, keeping a library of recordings lets you track progress (comparing an SDR’s first mock call to their tenth can show a big improvement). It’s also helpful for onboarding new team members: you can share some “best practice” mock call recordings as examples.
Have reps self-critique first: After a mock call, resist the urge to jump in immediately with feedback. First, ask the SDR how they felt about the call and what they noticed. In fact, if you have the time, let them listen to the recording of their call (perhaps privately with a headset) and then have them answer questions like: “What did you do well? What could be improved? Where did you feel you had the prospect engaged, and where did you lose them?” This self-reflection is crucial – it trains reps to analyze their own performance and take ownership of their development. Often, they will identify many of the same points you noticed.
After they share their thoughts, you as the coach can add any additional feedback or correct something they missed. Starting with self-critique builds self-awareness and makes reps more receptive to external coaching.
Focus on one or two key areas per session: In a mock call debrief, it’s tempting to point out every little mistake or missed opportunity. But too much critique can overwhelm and discourage a rep. It’s more effective to pick one main lesson or skill to focus on at a time.
For example, one session might focus on the opening and tone, another on asking better questions, another on objection handling. Of course, if there are egregious issues (like a completely wrong product explanation), you should address them. But try to limit the corrective feedback to the most impactful item(s) and maybe a couple of minor notes.
Also, balance the critique with praise for what the rep did well – e.g., “You handled that budget objection really nicely, great job staying calm and giving a solid example.”
Reps need to know what to keep doing, not just what to fix. This targeted feedback approach ensures they learn incrementally and feel motivated by progress rather than deflated by a laundry list of faults.
Use a scorecard or rubric: To add structure to your coaching, you can use a simple scorecard for each call. For instance, rate the rep on criteria like Opening, Needs Identification, Value Proposition Clarity, Objection Handling, Closing, and Tone/Confidence on a scale (e.g. 1-5). Peer observers or the role-play partner can also score these. This quantifies performance and makes improvement measurable.
In fact, you can ask peers to score each other on aspects like tone, improvisation, and objection handling during roleplays. This not only engages the whole team in helping each other but also gamifies the training a bit.
Over time, reps can track their scores improving. Just ensure scorecards are used constructively, not punitively – the goal is to pinpoint strengths and areas to work on, not to create anxiety.
Make it a regular practice: Consistency is key to reaping the benefits of mock calls. Incorporate role-play calls into your ongoing training schedule – for example, hold mock call sessions weekly or biweekly for the team, or at minimum once a month.
New SDRs might do daily quick role-plays as part of onboarding, then transition to weekly practice. Regular sessions keep skills sharp and help tenured reps continue to refine techniques (since even experienced folks can fall into bad habits if not practiced). It also creates a culture of continuous learning and comfort with coaching.
Over time, reps will feel less awkward doing mock calls because it’s simply part of how the team operates. Remember, the more you practice, the more confident you’ll be – by the time real high-stakes calls happen, your team will feel like they’ve “been there, done that” thanks to the mock rehearsals.
Vary the coaches and encourage peer learning: It can be useful to sometimes have reps role-play with each other or be coached by someone other than their direct manager. Different people will have different perspectives and tips. For instance, a top-performing SDR or account executive could play the prospect and give feedback – this lets newer reps learn from the pros.
Peer role-plays are great for building camaraderie and sharing techniques (a newer rep might learn a clever phrase or approach from a more experienced peer).
Just ensure someone is guiding the session to keep it on track. You can also rotate the scenarios or industries each week (one week focus on a SaaS scenario, next week a Finance scenario, etc.) so that reps get cross-training in multiple contexts.
By following these tips, your mock call sessions will be more engaging, realistic, and effective for everyone involved. The ultimate goal is to create an environment where making mistakes is okay (better in practice than with real prospects!), and learning is continuous.
Mock calls truly prepare your sales team for success – they build muscle memory for phone conversations and empower reps to handle whatever comes their way. As one sales coach put it, “Nailing the phone call takes practice… Mock calls might feel awkward at first, but they will elevate your sales reps to new heights”.
We Dial, You Deal
Mock-call drills perfect your talk-track and objection handling; Tendril Connect makes sure you actually get to use them.
Our agent-assisted platform does the slog—we navigate phone trees, validate prospects, and warm-transfer 8–12 live decision-makers per hour straight into your queue.
Your reps show up to real conversations, focus on value, and close deals faster—no dead dials, no head-count bloat.
Ready to let us handle the hard part while your team does what it does best? Skip the grunt work—book a quick demo.
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