Why In-House SDRs Are Costing You More Than You Think (And What Smart Australian GTM Leaders Are Doing Instead)

In Australia, hiring an in-house SDR isn’t just expensive—it’s operationally heavy.

The sticker price might say $80,000 to $120,000/year, but any revenue leader who’s built a team knows that’s just the beginning. Once you factor in benefits, tools, onboarding, and inevitable turnover, your real cost jumps to $96,000–$156,000 per rep.

And that’s before they’ve even booked a meeting.

Let’s Break It Down:

Cost Factor	Impact
Base salary	$80K–$120K/year
Benefits + Super	+20–30% of salary
Tools & software	CRM, sequencing, enrichment, etc.
Training & onboarding	Time + lost productivity
Ramp time	3–6 months on average
Turnover risk	Industry avg: 18-month tenure
Re-hiring	Delays, recruitment costs, knowledge loss

This is the reality for many sales leaders: high fixed costs, inconsistent performance, and compounding inefficiencies.

Frwd: A Smarter Way to Scale

At Frwd, we offer an alternative: fractional SDR services built for modern go-to-market teams. We handle the talent, tech, and training—so you don’t have to.

And here’s the kicker:

Our clients pay 40%–70% less than hiring in-house.

Depending on the service tier, Frwd delivers:

• 🔹 Up to 70% cost savings

• 🔹 Expert operators ready to go Day 1

• 🔹 No hiring, onboarding, or tool stacks required

• 🔹 AI-led systems that scale with you

• 🔹 Human SDRs that convert—not just click buttons

Numbers Don’t Lie:

In-House SDR	Frwd Equivalent
$96K–$156K/year (true cost)	40–70% less (fully loaded)
3–6 months to ramp	Instant activation
High turnover risk	Consistent performance
Multiple tools needed	All-in-one infrastructure

The Bottom Line

If you’re building a GTM motion in Australia—or expanding globally—in-house SDRs are the most expensive way to experiment.

Frwd gives you a faster, leaner, smarter way to scale. You get expert outbound execution, world-class tech, and real humans who know how to drive pipeline—all without the overhead.

Let’s talk cost-per-meeting, not cost-per-headcount.

👉 Book a quick strategy chat with Frwd today.