Guide · Updated 4 October 2026
Hiring an SDR vs done-for-you appointment setting
Short answer: for a small agency, an SDR is a slow, risky hire. The average SDR takes 3.0 months to ramp, stays 1.9 years, and only 60% hit quota. Done-for-you appointment setting skips the hiring, ramp and management, and the agency only takes the calls.
Source: The Bridge Group, SDR Models, Motions & Metrics 2025 (survey of 351 B2B companies).
The SDR numbers
| Metric | Figure | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Average ramp time | 3.0 months | Bridge Group 2025 |
| Average tenure | 1.9 years | Bridge Group 2025 |
| Share of SDRs at quota | 60% | Bridge Group 2025, lowest in study history |
| Annual attrition (2024) | 40% median | Bridge Group 2025 |
| Monthly quota, held first meetings | 10 (median) | Bridge Group 2025, down 40% since 2018 |
| Median on-target earnings | $80K | Bridge Group 2025 ($55K base, $25K variable) |
| SDRs per manager | 6.4 | Bridge Group 2025 (3.6 at companies under $5M revenue) |
| Average US SDR base salary | $51,677 | Payscale, 840 salary profiles |
Bridge Group figures from bridgegroupinc.com (published 6 February 2025).
What that means for a 5 to 49 person agency
The salary is the visible cost. The hidden ones are bigger for a small agency:
- The ramp: 3.0 months of pay before the SDR is fully productive.
- The coin flip on quota: 60% of SDRs hit quota, so 4 in 10 do not.
- The churn: 40% median annual attrition and 1.9 years average tenure mean you will likely hire, ramp and train again.
- The manager: companies run 6.4 SDRs per leader on average. A small agency has one SDR and the owner as the leader.
“Share of SDRs at quota 60% Lowest reported in study history”
When an SDR makes sense
An in-house SDR fits when you already have a sales leader to coach them, a proven script and list, and room in the budget for a slow first quarter. Larger teams spread those costs across several reps, which is why the model works better at scale.
When done-for-you makes sense
If no one at the agency owns new business, outsourcing removes the hire, the ramp and the management. NULLTOUCH does it for marketing agencies in the US and Canada: we find the ideal clients, send the cold email from inboxes set up in the agency's name, answer replies and put the calls on the agency's calendar. The guarantee is 15 booked calls in 60 days, or a full refund. The 60 days start at your first send, and it holds when you approve your targeting and emails within 48h and take the booked calls.
Book an intro callQuestions
Should a small marketing agency hire an SDR?
Only if someone can manage and coach them. The Bridge Group's 2025 report puts average SDR ramp time at 3.0 months, average tenure at 1.9 years, median annual attrition at 40%, and only 60% of SDRs at quota. A small agency carries all of that risk on one hire.
How much does an SDR cost?
The Bridge Group reports median SDR on-target earnings of $80K ($55K base, $25K variable). Payscale puts the average US SDR base salary at $51,677. Benefits, tools and management come on top.
How long does it take an SDR to ramp up?
3.0 months on average, according to the Bridge Group's 2025 SDR report, the lowest since 2010.
How many meetings is an SDR expected to book?
The Bridge Group's global median monthly quota for held Stage 0 meetings is 10, down 40% since 2018. That is the quota, and only 60% of SDRs hit quota.