3 Reasons Edward Cullen would be an Excellent Business Development Representative (BDR)

Let me paint a picture: A determined, knowledgeable, and driven professional with an uncanny ability to anticipate a client’s needs as if he could read their minds…

Sounds like a brilliant Business Development Rep right?

The last thing you might want to do is emulate a handsome, brooding vampire when talking to clients, but Edward Cullen has all the traits to make an outstanding BDR. His ability to stay cool under pressure would be an asset in any high-stress sales environment. And his quick thinking and creative problem-solving skills would make him an excellent team member.

Let's take a closer look at some of Edward's top traits and see how they could benefit your career. It might sound a little out there, but Edward Cullen's soft skills would be an asset to your sales team. And he’s not bad on the eyes either.

1 - Edward is persistent

Edward Cullen wanted Bella Swan. Period. It’s still a bit unclear whether he wanted to be her boyfriend or have her for lunch. But his goal was to keep her safe (ish) and be in love with her for all eternity.

Replace Bella Swan” with client” and suddenly you’re going above and beyond to get what you want — and make it equally as beneficial for the client. He didn't just tell the client” personal details about his life. He took the client” flying through the treetops and carried her through the forest to show off his super strength. She was amazed by his 6-pack — Er, sales skills.

It’s well-known that persistence creates hope, drive, and self-assuredness within a person. Without persistence, Edward's achievements with Bella and his family would be few and far between. Persistence gave Edward the energy to continue finding solutions to every problem or conflict that was thrown his way.

For anyone who's ever felt like giving up after facing rejection, Edward is the perfect role model. As a vampire who's been around for over a hundred years, he's faced more than his fair share of challenges. But instead of giving up, he has always found a way to overcome them and turn those failures into successes. If you, as a BDR, apply this same persistence to email outreach, cold calling, and social selling. As a BDR, you will inevitably deal with a lot of rejection. If you learn to push through it, you'll be a formidable force in your career!

2 - Research! Research! Research!

Edward is the perfect example of research in action. From the beginning, he focused on getting to know everything there was to know about Bella Swan. It helps that he’s a mind reader. A lot of the prospecting he does is made easier by staring at someone and knowing everything about them instantly.

But he couldn’t read Bella’s mind. He did what any good BDR would do in the face of limited info: Edward went out of his way to research his client and while we DEFINITELY do not recommend climbing through a window and watching your client sleep, we have to admire Edward’s commitment to discovery.

Get to know your clients. You can’t sell someone something if you don't know what they need. Take the time to research your client before you make contact. Learn about a company’s goals, what they do, and where they’re lacking. How can you help improve their workplace?

3 - He’s loyal

A good BDR is able to consistently show their clients that they care about their outcomes. Edward invested in Bella and was there for her — besides his crisis in New Moon which we don’t talk about — through thick and thin. Whether she needed someone to save her life or simply wanted some company, he was always ready to protect her from harm and stuck by her, even when she rejected him.

Loyalty is vital in any relationship, whether it's between friends, family, or a business and its clients. Being loyal builds a rapport with a client over time, which eventually translates to trust. When your clients trust you, they are more likely to do business with you and buy from you again.

Sometimes as a BDR — loyalty to your client's outcomes can mean admitting your solution isn't the best fit. There are use cases you know you win, but there are some deals that as a sales rep, you know the value just isn't there. Chances are if you shoot straight and tell the client the truth, they will remember you in the future.

Take a cue from Edward and you’ll reap the rewards. For him it was a brunette who had his vampire-baby. For you, it could be a roster of happy clients now, and in the future.

Take a few pages of notes from Edward Cullen over the span of 5 amazing movies and be the ultimate BDR that you were always destined to be.

Of course, being a vampire would give you other perks when it came to sales. For one thing, you’d never have to worry about sleeping, which means you can use those extra hours to make more calls and close more deals. Plus, if a client isn't interested in what you're selling, you can always use your mind control powers to convince them to buy.

However, there are some downsides: you'll have to give up garlic bread.

Maybe becoming a vampire is impossible, but if you want to be a good BDR, taking a page out of Edward Cullen's playbook is a pretty good place to start.

You don’t need to be a Cullen to sign up for Uvaro

You might not have the ability to read minds like Edward Cullen, but I think you’ll find that the key to career success isn’t about washboard abs and magic powers. At Uvaro, we pair you up with a cohort for the entirety of your learning. It means that wherever you lack, can be supported by the strengths of others. Maybe you don't mindread, but when someone else is great at discovery and you excel at prospecting, you can get really close.

Check out our Career Success Catalog to see how you can level up your sales skills at Uvaro! What are you waiting for?