SDR first week plan: five days, one clear goal each
Starting an SDR on Monday? Module 10 of the SDR Programme Playbook has a 5-week onboarding plan. It adds a role-play brief and a certification step. £29 + VAT.
A good first week gives a new rep access and a clear picture of the buyer. It adds a few real calls. Skip the long slide decks.
Day by day
Monday: access and welcome.
- Logins for CRM, email, dialler and calendar work before 10am.
- Meet the manager, the buddy and the AEs they will book for.
- Read the one-page programme definitions: what counts as a meeting.
Tuesday: the buyer.
- Listen to three recorded calls that went well.
- Write the buyer's top three problems in the rep's own words.
- Shadow a live call block.
Wednesday: the message.
- Learn the opening line and the reason for calling.
- Role-play it with the buddy until it sounds natural.
- Draft the first five outreach emails and get feedback.
Thursday: first calls.
- Make 20 calls with the buddy in the next chair.
- Log every call the same day.
- Review two calls together at the end of the day.
Friday: check and plan.
- Send the first emails.
- Hold a 30-minute check-in. What worked, what felt hard, what needs training?
- Agree the goals for week two.
Measure the week
Do not judge on meetings booked. Track three things:
- All logins work.
- 20 calls logged.
- One role-play passed.
Common mistakes
- Giving the rep a full list on Monday. A rep with 200 accounts and no message wastes the list.
- Leaving the rep alone after lunch on day one.
- Skipping the Friday review.
For the weeks that follow, use the ramp plan. The free onboarding checklist tracks every step. The Notion version is in the onboarding template guide.
Questions
What should an SDR do in their first week?
Get access and learn the buyer and the message. Role-play, then make a few supervised calls. Finish with a review.
How many calls should a new SDR make in week one?
About 20 supervised calls on day four is a sound start. Raise the number each week as the ramp plan sets.
Who should sit with a new SDR in week one?
A buddy who makes calls. Add a manager check-in on Friday.
Also: SDR job description template.
Related guides
SDR and BDR ramp time
A 30/60/90-day plan, ramped quotas and a certification checklist.
SDR onboarding checklist
What to set up, teach and check in a new rep's first 90 days.
SDR onboarding plan in Notion
A page per rep with a plan, checklist and check-ins.
Turn this into a programme you can run
Module 10 has a 5-week onboarding plan, a role-play brief and a certification step. £29, one payment, plus VAT for UK and EU buyers.
Treat benchmarks as starting points. Tune them to your market, deal size and sales cycle. Every figure shows its source and year.