← The Trade Desk
The Trade Desk role-play cheat sheet
For the mock cold call at the end of most SDR interviews.
What they sell, in one line
A self-serve and managed platform where advertisers and agencies buy digital ads across web, video, TV and audio.
Who you'd be calling
Media directors, programmatic leads, VPs of marketing at brands and agencies
Your opener
“Hi Jordan, this is Alex from The Trade Desk. I know I'm catching you cold, so I'll be quick. Do you have 30 seconds for me to tell you why I called?”
Problems you solve for them
- Ad budgets are spread across many channels and hard to manage in one place
- Hard to prove which ads actually drove results
- Worry about wasted spend and low-quality inventory
Discovery questions to ask
- How are you buying digital media today, in-house or through an agency?
- How do you measure whether your ads led to sales or sign-ups?
- Which channels, like connected TV, audio or display, are you trying to grow this year?
Objections they'll throw at you
“I'm busy right now.”
→ Understood, I'll keep it short. Is there a better time this week for a quick 15-minute chat?
“Not interested.”
→ That's fair, I'm calling cold. Can I ask what matters most in how you're running campaigns this year?
“We already use a platform or an agency for this.”
→ That makes sense, a lot of teams do. What would you change about it if you could, like reporting or cost?
“Just send me an email.”
→ Sure thing. So it's relevant, are you focused more on brand awareness or on direct results? Then I'll send the right thing.
Competitors worth knowing
Google Display & Video 360, Amazon DSP, Xandr, StackAdapt
Interview tips for this company
- Learn the basic terms: DSP, programmatic, CTV and open internet. Be able to explain each in one plain sentence.
- Practice sounding confident with senior, enterprise buyers. Keep it short and respectful of their time.
Written from public information about The Trade Desk to help you practice. Ask an insider what their role play looked like; it's the best prep there is.