Build vs Buy: Should You Hire an SDR or Outsource Your Pipeline?

Most founders hit a point where they say:

“We need someone to go out and drum up new business.”

And the default reaction?

“Let’s hire an SDR.”

But here’s the problem:
Hiring an SDR sounds great — until you realise the cost, risk, and time it takes to get it right.

This blog will break down:

• What it actually costs to hire a sales rep
• The hidden tech + time costs
• And whether you're better off outsourcing the whole thing

The Real Cost of Hiring an SDR

Let’s start with the basics.

Salary:

• Entry-level SDR (Ireland/UK): €28,000 – €38,000
• Plus commission: €5,000–€10,000
• Total Comp: ~€40,000–€50,000/year

Tech Stack You’ll Need:

To give them a fighting chance, you’ll need:

Total tech spend = €350–€600/month (~€7k/year minimum)

Hidden Costs:

• Time to train them: 4–8 weeks minimum
• Management time: 4–5 hours/week
• Risk of wrong hire: 1 in 3 SDRs don’t last past month 6
• Burned pipeline: Bad messaging = long-term brand damage

What You Get When You Outsource to xSellerate

Instead of hiring, training, managing, and guessing…
Here’s what happens when you work with xSellerate:

So, What’s the Right Move?

If you:

• Have the time to manage + train
• Want to build long-term in-house
• Are okay taking on the risk of a mis-hire

Then yes — hire.

But if you:

• Want to hit pipeline targets this quarter
• Don’t want to gamble on people or tech
• Need a proven system, not a learning curve

Then buy.

Want to See What a Fully Outsourced Pipeline Looks Like?

Let us map it for you — for free.

The xSellerate Pipeline Audit includes:

• Lead gen plan
• Outbound messaging review
• Performance model (calls, leads, deals/month)
• Comparison of build vs buy based on your numbers

[Book Your Free Audit Now]

Final Thought

Hiring an SDR is a smart move…
If you’re ready to manage a process.

But if you need pipeline now — and don’t want to risk €50k learning how —
Outsourcing isn’t a shortcut. It’s the smarter play.