When it comes to initiating conversations, Wicks told us to use the acronym he – A.C.T. This means authenticity, connection, and the stuff he teaches his sales development trainees. If you want to become a DTS that can handle success, learn from the Sales Development Program,” said Tyler Wicks. As Wicks said, if you know your sales organization pays well for these tools, stop complaining about bad leads. As a sales manager, Wicks said he was embarrassed to have prospects close because of poor contact information. SDRs need to create a proper line of conversation instead of passing the hint to the next person in the sales process. In this episode of Sales Secrets, you’ll learn how the right sales development program can provide the three skills a sales development representative must have to be successful. Mr. Wicks said that he managed many of his company’s key accounts via email, but still instructed his company’s employees to use the phone calls. The first skill a sales development representative must acquire is the ability to make calls. Those who are trained in “their” sales development program know that a refusal is their first opportunity to make an appointment. As Wicks told us, they have discovered that eight to eleven strokes is their optimum number when it comes to difficult leads. Wicks strongly believes that you should first ask a potential client if they have caught you at the right time. Wicks believes that splitting occurs when it is time for the SDR to pass the advance to the account manager.