← Apollo.io
Apollo.io role-play cheat sheet
For the mock cold call at the end of most SDR interviews.
What they sell, in one line
A sales platform with a large database of business contacts plus tools to email, call and track prospects.
Who you'd be calling
Sales leaders, founders, SDR managers and marketing heads at startups, small businesses and larger companies.
Your opener
“Hi Taylor, it's Morgan from Apollo. I know this is out of the blue, so I'll be brief: I'm calling sales teams who spend a lot of time hunting for the right contacts. Is finding and reaching new prospects something your team deals with?”
Problems you solve for them
- Reps waste hours finding correct emails and phone numbers.
- Teams juggle separate tools for data, emailing and tracking.
- Outbound is hard to scale without a reliable list of the right people.
Discovery questions to ask
- How does your team find and contact new prospects today?
- How many separate tools do your reps use to find leads and reach them?
- What does a good week of outbound look like for your team?
Objections they'll throw at you
“I'm busy.”
→ No problem. When's a better time for a two-minute call? I can try again tomorrow morning.
“Not interested.”
→ Understood. Is finding new leads already covered, or is it just not a priority right now?
“We already use ZoomInfo or something similar.”
→ That makes sense, it's a common tool. Many teams still compare options on price and ease of use. Would you be open to a quick comparison before your next renewal?
“Send me an email.”
→ Happy to. What kind of prospects do you go after, so I can send something that fits?
Competitors worth knowing
ZoomInfo, Outreach, Salesloft, Lusha, Seamless.AI
Interview tips for this company
- You're selling to people who do your job: sales reps. Use the tool yourself if you can (they have a free plan) and mention it in the interview.
- Be ready to explain what a 'verified contact' is and why a bad email list wastes a rep's day.
- They sell to everyone from startups to big firms, so show you can adjust your tone for a founder versus a VP.
Written from public information about Apollo.io to help you practice. Ask an insider what their role play looked like; it's the best prep there is.