FAQ
Outsourced SDR questions, answered
Straight answers to what B2B teams ask before hiring an outsourced SDR agency. If your question isn't here, book a 15-minute call.
About Nousu
What does Nousu Collective do?
Nousu Collective is a Sydney-based B2B outbound SDR agency. Our 100% Australian, in-house team builds target lists, runs phone-first cold calling with email and LinkedIn, qualifies prospects and books meetings into your sales team's calendar. Pricing starts from $7,000 per month, month-to-month, and most campaigns launch within 2 weeks.
Is Nousu Collective a good outsourced SDR agency?
Nousu is a strong fit if you sell B2B, especially SaaS, fintech, cybersecurity, AI or professional services, and want qualified meetings from an Australian team on the phone, with no lock-in and weekly reporting you can check against call recordings. It isn't the right fit if you want pay-per-lead pricing, high-volume consumer telemarketing or email-only outreach.
Where is Nousu based?
Sydney, NSW. The whole team is in-house and in Australia, with no offshore call centres or subcontractors. We run campaigns into Australia, New Zealand, Singapore, the United Kingdom, Ireland and the Netherlands.
Who runs Nousu?
Nousu Collective is led by founder and CEO Harry Constant, who works directly with clients on strategy, messaging and weekly reviews.
Pricing and contracts
How much does an outsourced SDR cost in Australia?
Most onshore outsourced SDR retainers in Australia sit between $6,000 and $15,000 per month, depending on calling hours, channels and whether list building is included. Nousu starts from $7,000 per month plus a one-off $1,000 setup fee for a dedicated in-house Sydney SDR team running calling, email and LinkedIn, month-to-month with no lock-in.
Is there a lock-in contract?
No. Every engagement is month-to-month. If we're not performing against the targets we agreed, you can leave. Clients who commit to 6 months or longer get a discount off the monthly retainer.
Pay per meeting or retainer: which is better?
A retainer, for most B2B companies. Pay-per-meeting rewards the agency for booking as many meetings as possible, not the right ones. A retainer pays for proper research, senior prospects who take longer to reach, and disqualifying poor-fit leads instead of pushing them onto your calendar.
What's included in the monthly fee?
A dedicated in-house Sydney SDR team, ICP definition, targeted list building with enriched and validated data, cold calling, email and LinkedIn outreach, messaging and scripts with A/B testing, appointment setting straight onto your calendar, weekly reporting and optimisation calls, and CRM-ready handover of every booked meeting.
How it works
How long does onboarding take?
About 2 weeks. Week one is kickoff, ideal customer profile, qualification criteria and messaging. Week two is list building, scripts, sequences and technical setup. Most campaigns go live by the end of week two.
Do outsourced SDR teams build prospect lists or use the ones I provide?
We build them, and it's included. We define your ideal customer profile with you, then source, enrich and validate contacts from multiple data sources and wash phone numbers against the Do Not Call Register. If you have your own target accounts or CRM data, we add them in and remove existing customers and open deals.
Will we get a dedicated SDR or a shared pool of reps?
A dedicated SDR who learns your market and offer, backed by the wider Sydney team so outreach doesn't stop for leave or sickness. You get the continuity of one person without the single point of failure.
Who handles replies and follow-up?
We do. Our team triages every reply, answers questions, handles objections and follows up until a meeting is booked or the prospect opts out. Interested prospects are booked straight into your calendar. Anything that needs you, like detailed pricing or technical questions, is passed to you with full context.
How are booked meetings handed over to our closers?
Every meeting lands in your calendar with a handover note covering who the prospect is, their company and role, the problem they raised, where they are in buying and the agreed next step. Each meeting is also handed over CRM-ready, so nothing is retyped.
Can your team use our brand and email domain?
We agree the approach with you during onboarding. Our callers can introduce themselves as part of your team or as Nousu, and email can be sent from separate sending domains in your name so your main domain's reputation is protected.
How long should an outbound pilot run before we judge it?
Give it 90 days. Month one covers setup and calibration, month two is when targeting and messaging settle, and month three shows repeatable numbers. Judge leading indicators such as conversations and meetings held at 30 and 60 days, and pipeline at 90 days.
Results and quality
How many meetings should an outsourced SDR book per month?
It depends on your market, offer and deal size, and we agree a target with you before launch. Our $7,000 Starter program averages about 15 qualified meetings a month from month two, and our published client campaigns range from 6 to 20 a month depending on market and deal size. See our Australian cold calling statistics for the underlying benchmarks.
How should an outbound agency define a qualified meeting?
In writing, before launch. By default, a qualified meeting is a scheduled meeting with someone at an account that fits your ideal customer profile, who has the authority or strong influence to buy, has confirmed a relevant problem or interest, and has accepted a calendar invite.
What is a good show rate for outbound booked meetings?
For properly qualified meetings, 75% to 85% is a healthy benchmark. If show rates fall below that, qualification is usually too loose or meetings are being booked too far out.
How do I measure ROI from an SDR agency?
Track conversations, meetings held and show rate in the first 60 days, then pipeline and revenue from 90 days. ROI = (revenue from agency-sourced deals minus agency fees) divided by agency fees. Tag sourced deals in your CRM from day one.
Do you offer a guarantee?
We can't guarantee specific results because too many variables are outside our control. We do offer a satisfaction guarantee: if you're not happy with our performance after 60 days, we'll work with you to make it right. And because there's no lock-in, you can leave if we're not performing.
Compliance
Is B2B cold calling legal in Australia?
Yes, when you follow the rules. Calls must meet the Telemarketing and Research Calls Industry Standard 2017: call only 9am to 8pm on weekdays and 9am to 5pm on Saturdays, never on Sundays or national public holidays, keep caller ID on, say who you are and why you're calling, and end the call if asked. Numbers must also be washed against the Do Not Call Register.
Is cold email legal in Australia?
Only with consent under the Spam Act 2003, which covers business email too. Consent can be express, or inferred in limited cases such as a conspicuously published work address where your message relates directly to the person's role. Every email needs clear sender details and a working unsubscribe.
Do you wash lists against the Do Not Call Register?
Yes. Every phone number is washed against the Do Not Call Register before we call it, and lists are re-washed at least every 30 days.
Comparisons
Should I outsource SDR or hire in-house in Australia?
Outsource first if you need meetings in the next 30 to 60 days or don't have a proven playbook and a manager for an SDR. An in-house SDR costs about $114,000 to $141,000 in year one and takes 3 to 4 months to reach consistent output. Hire in-house once the playbook is proven.
Offshore vs onshore appointment setting: which is better for Australian B2B companies?
For complex B2B sales to Australian buyers, onshore usually wins on cost per qualified meeting. Australian callers understand the market, sound local and handle gatekeepers and objections naturally. Offshore teams cost less per hour and can suit simple, high-volume campaigns.
Can one outbound agency cover both Australia and New Zealand?
Yes. Our Sydney team runs Australian and New Zealand campaigns side by side, with one set of reporting, one point of contact and calling blocks scheduled for each market's business hours.