Efficiency tactics to increase outbound SDR performance

Written by Tito Bohrt, CEO of Altisales

I’ll be honest: most people completely overcomplicate SDR performance. They think the answer is more — more dials, more leads, more sequences, more tools. But what if I told you that efficiency doesn’t start with adding, it starts with understanding? 

At AltiSales, I’ve run hundreds of experiments, made 100+ software buying decisions, and guided dozens of teams stuck in “spray and pray” mode. You don’t win by brute force — you win by aligning strategy to reality. And the reality is: connect rates are down, buyer attention is shrinking, and your SDRs can’t keep bashing the phone hoping for magic. 

Efficiency isn’t about working harder. It’s about making every rep 1% better, every day. Let’s break down some of the real ways to get your SDR performance up — not by flooding the system, but by learning where you’re leaking revenue and fixing it. 

Connect rates are down — so stop ignoring the data 

In 2025, we all know it: connect rates are down. And guess what? They’re not coming back up magically. Instead of complaining, we have to adapt. Your team’s survival depends on how fast you understand what’s really happening on the frontlines. 

You can’t just throw more calls at the problem. You need to analyze which accounts have been touched, which sequences actually generate conversations, and which steps are total noise. Too many leaders confuse activity with progress. More calls do not mean more meetings. 

I’ve seen teams go all-in on parallel dialing, intent-only calling, and ultra-long sequences. Then two months later, they’re shocked when the whole thing breaks. Why? Because the limiting factor isn’t activity volume — it’s your total addressable market (TAM), rep skill, and sequence quality. 

When we stop looking at the data as a scoreboard and start using it as a diagnostic tool, we move from guessing to improving. That’s where the real leverage lives. 

5 Efficiency tactics to 3X your phone outreach 

Most teams think phone outreach is dead. It’s not. It’s just been abused. If you use data properly, you can transform even “average” phone reps into high-performers. 

1. Prioritize afternoons over mornings 

We analyzed 962,074 calls and saw a slight edge in afternoon pickup rates (3.8%) compared to mornings (3.5%). But that’s just one example. Your results might look different. Different personas have different habits. The real takeaway? Check when your prospects actually pick up the phone. Are you seeing more connections in the afternoon? Or earlier in the day? Use that data to your advantage and schedule training sessions and 1:1s during your lowest-connect windows, and save peak times for active prospecting.

2. Name-dropping actually works 

Drop a client name — conversions jump 73%. We’ve seen results jump from 14% to 25% when reps mention a familiar name. You know why? Social proof isn’t just a marketing gimmick; it’s human psychology. If you’re not using it, you’re leaving meetings on the table. 

3. Use caller ID or get ignored 

Show your name on the caller ID. Simple. Conversion rates spike 54%. When people see your name, they check LinkedIn, dig through emails, and suddenly — you’re real, not spam. Our Altisales app can help you achieve this. 

4. Lean on data for local dials 

Don’t assume local numbers always win. In Chicago? Check your data before deciding to dial from an Illinois area code or elsewhere. One-size-fits-all tactics die fast. Let the numbers tell you what to do. 

5. SMS is powerful (if you don’t ruin it) 

SMS can work — but don’t become “that rep.” Test on a small scale. SMS combined with caller ID is gold, but spammy mass texts will kill your credibility. Treat SMS as a surgical tool, not a sledgehammer. 

How to Improve SDR Email Sequences (Without Wasting Weeks) 

Let’s talk email. Most reps hate personalizing emails. Most managers hate analyzing them. But if you’re not A/B testing subject lines, CTAs, and value props every week, you’re driving blind. 

Don’t rely on “top 10 templates” from some random blog. Run your own experiments. Create A/B, C, D, E, F tests — get uncomfortable. You don’t learn from “safe” tests. 

Then, go deep on reply analysis. Positive vs. negative. Real interest vs. polite brush-off. Don’t just look at open rates or click rates — those are vanity metrics. Ask: Which emails actually create pipeline? Which ones led to meetings that closed? 

We dropped bounce rates from 4.8% to 1.2% just by regularly cleaning data and validating contact info. If your SDRs are burning through bad data, your email deliverability tanks and your brand reputation goes with it. 

Diagnose Before You Add More Fuel 

Here’s my golden rule: Stop reacting. Start diagnosing. 

I’ve seen teams think, “Oh, connect rates are low, let’s triple our volume.” Wrong. That’s how you get a burnout culture and zero results. 

Instead, run a detailed diagnosis inside your Outreach or whatever system you use: 

• Where are we strong? 

• Where are we leaking revenue? 

• Where are we totally blind? 

Ask the uncomfortable questions. Are sequences too long? Are your reps skipping LinkedIn steps? Are templates losing power after 20 sends?

The signals are there—you just have to look. Outreach is full of data that reveals what’s working and what’s not. That’s not just fuel for better selling, it’s fuel for better coaching. Use those performance signals to bring negative outliers up to par and double down on what your top performers are doing to raise the bar for everyone.

You don’t need to do this in a vacuum or stay up late auditing spreadsheets. Tools like the Altisales app do the heavy lifting, automatically flagging which templates are falling flat and which ones are actually driving meetings and revenue. Forget vanity metrics like reply rates and track what really matters: meetings booked and final deal impact. Because if a reply doesn’t lead to revenue, who cares?

At AltiSales, we build playbooks so teams can take this into their own hands. You don’t need my entire Google Sheets library (trust me, it’s a monster). You just need the discipline to run the experiments, document what works, and keep iterating.

The Key to Efficiency: Use What You Already Have 

You don’t need more sequences. You don’t need more leads. You need to use what you already have better. From calling at the right time to fixing email deliverability to understanding micro-behaviors on calls — your efficiency lies in precision, not volume. 

When teams finally shift from volume to strategy, the results compound. We took an average SDR from 3.2 meetings to 6.8. A top SDR? From 6.3 to 9.5. That’s not magic. It’s discipline. 

Culture changes too. No more “just make more dials.” More “let’s review, let’s adjust, let’s improve.” You move from frantic hustle to thoughtful iteration. That’s how you win long term. When the status quo isn’t serving you anymore, that’s your first moment of truth. It’s the seed of change. Embrace it. 

What’s Your Team Ready to Change? 

The reality is simple: more activity ≠ more revenue. Better activity = better revenue. 

Look at your team. Are you still pushing volume just because it feels safe? Or are you ready to move to precision and intentionality? The first team to reflect, adapt, and implement wins. Always. Let’s stop treating outbound like a lottery and start treating it like a science. Your team, your pipeline, and your sanity will thank you. 

For more brutally honest advice that will help your team perform better, follow Tito Bohrt - The Sales Mad Scientist on LinkedIn.