David Dulany's Blog

​What sales development leaders need to know about the connection between sleep and productivity and how to get more of both.​

Even before the uncertainties of the COVID-19 pandemic, Americans were underslept. A large body of research shows we were quite unproductive as a result. During the current crisis, we face even more threats to both sleep and productivity: anxieties keep us up at night, while distractions working from home, burnout from a lack of boundaries between our professional and personal lives, and the cognitive overload of Zoom all curb our focus. Now, more than ever, it's imperative to understand the connection between sleep and productivity and invest in your team's rest.

​The past year has seen an explosion of new products and services for Sales Development Leaders. 
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To help you stay up-to-date with the software you need to excel, Tenbound—a research advisory firm focused 100% on the Sales Development industry—has released two different resources you’ll want to bookmark today.

The Tenbound Sales Development Market Map

First up is the latest version of our Market Map. This fourth version collects all the major players in the Sales Development products and services category, from sales engagement to data enrichment, and puts them together in one easy to understand visual map. 

We understand that Sales Development is not the same as Sales, Marketing or Account Management, and in turn needs its own map of the key industry players. 

Sales Development is the critical connection of those departments and more, and has very specialized needs requiring specialized tools and services. 

​There’s an old axiom in business that says “nothing happens until somebody sells something.”


No customer success can happen until there’s a customer. No money can be counted and no invoices sent without a transaction. No trade shows are funded, no salary payments made, no catered lunches. Until there’s a signed contract and next sales transaction is done, nothing happens.


Each day we read about companies with massive funding and a great idea that quietly fold or are purchased for a hugely discounted price in what’s described in a myriad of ways but what it comes down is one thing: they didn’t sell enough. 


In an office somewhere around the globe there sits someone with an amazing product that can definitely change lives for the better that is slowly wilting under the hot glow of time. The product may be great and the team may be amazing but if nobody is selling anything the company is slowly dying.

​Over the summer, Tenbound Research Labs organized the different sectors specific to the Sales Development landscape into this map to make it a bit easier to get an overview. 

When we released the map and announced it at The Sales Development Conference, over 50 companies involved in Sales Development reached out to get on the map. 

It seems we have more support than we ever dreamed of to score that next appointment and build more pipeline. 

And of course, leave a comment below with what we missed, misclassified, forgot, etc.

Tenbound Research Labs stands ready to begin work on Version 3. 

​Misalignment sucks. 

Anyone managing a Sales Development program realizes pretty quickly how important alignment is to the success or failure of your plan.  

After experiencing the relationship between Sales and Marketing on many levels, I believe it all boils down to one word: trust.   

Trust is a big word and it’s been written about extensively. 

In this context, I’m talking about the trust built between Sales and Marketing leadership, and its importance to a successful Sales Development program. 

Trust answers the questions: Does Sales leadership believe Marketing has their best interests in mind?  Do they trust the metrics they’re getting from Marketing?  Does Marketing trust Sales is taking the leads they are creating and following up properly?  Can key players talk openly about their concerns and are those concerns followed up on?

Finding top talent for Sales Development Representative (“SDR”) positions can become a full time job for an SDR Manager if not done right.  

SDR Managers often waste valuable time talking to candidates who are not the best fit.  Job boards are hit-or-miss. 

After top talent is finally placed, high-performing SDRs tend to get snatched up by closing sales teams or other companies just after getting fully ramped and productive, while poor performers tend to move on.  

The search for the best and brightest can be expensive and never-ending.

This is where University Sales Programs (“USPs”) come in. Several universities and colleges throughout the country offer Sales Certifications as part of a business or marketing major. 

These programs offer a strong curriculum focused on the core skills needed to be successful in Sales. ​