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KB_FarmerType

Strategic Sales

Opinionated
Valued Contributor
Member
+3

AEs and AMs who were never SDR, What did they lose?

no but really a serious question here..

If an AE/AM or Strategic /Global Account has never been a SDR/BDR and have happened to enter sales through tech , customer service etc.. What skillset / perspective do they miss-out?


and other part of the question, If you are SDR who became AE/AM, What did you have to unlearn?

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23 comments

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SaasSlingin
Politicker
5
Sr AE
To me it’s as though they missed the “pledgeship” of sales. The brutality of starting something new as a rookie. Hope this isn’t taken the wrong way. If they were hitting the phones and grinding away, nothing “missing” per say.

In my transition i had to unlearn spray and pray tactics
KB_FarmerType
Opinionated
0
Strategic Sales
Tell me more.. pledgeship ? Spray and pray ?😂
SoccerandSales
Big Shot
4
Account Executive
Sometimes there will be call reluctancy when you haven't done the time as an SDR. Also, it becomes harder to have efficient ways to build interest quickly on calls because that is one of the main skills of being an SDR.
KB_FarmerType
Opinionated
1
Strategic Sales
Any way to bridge that gap?
SoccerandSales
Big Shot
0
Account Executive
No great answer or else everyone would have it, but typically just practice
sellingout
Valued Contributor
1
Director of Partnerships
hahaha the accuracy. "Call reluctance" is like a mild diagnosis of whatever I have.
Kosta_Konfucius
Politicker
2
Sales Rep
As an AE who skipped the SDR stage, I missed out on meeting a ton of people outside of my immediate team and product specific training.

Usually SDRs are hired in classes and have a lot of training together. Plus a lot of time is spending on knowing the products.

I was hired and wasnt in a true sales class. It was majority about the sales process and we did not touch the products at all. All the AEs who started know way more people at the company, including leadership which helps when getting promoted
Sunbunny31
Politicker
1
Sr Sales Executive 🐰
How much is this going to matter years down the line or if you move to another company?

I stay in touch with people from my very first company (which is the single best thing about LI) but we've all gone very different directions; it's been more than 20 years!

Maybe there's some FOMO now, but I suspect long term, you'll be just fine.
SaaSam
Politicker
2
Account Executive
SDR is a great filter role for future AE candidates. A lot of folks realize that sales isn't where they want to be after spending time as an SDR. Without that buffer, folks are in for a rude awakening.
CuriousFox
WR Officer
2
🦊
They ain't missing a damn thing. They are closers.
bandabanda
Tycoon
2
Senior AE Mid Market
I was never an SDR, jumped in as an AE.

Sometimes I think I missed the initiation of sales, getting the foundation laid of making dials and perfecting my outreach. But honestly, I had to figure that out as an AE anyway so I’m all good now. If I had known what I know now, would have jumped into tech sales sooner and probably looked into SDR/BDR immediately after college.
KB_FarmerType
Opinionated
0
Strategic Sales
What were the key elements of you figuring out as an AE? How would you short cut that? Any insights in retrospect?
ThatNewAE
Big Shot
1
Account Executive - Mid enterprise
AMs need more prospecting skills than AE, but AEs need it as well.

Without prospecting, they miss out on creating their own cushion if lead influx gets affected. They would have difficulty in mapping out decision makers in the deal they are engaging with.

One can’t cross sell / up sell effectively.
NotCreativeEnough
Big Shot
1
Professional Day Ruiner
I feel like being an S/BDR is a "right of passage" so to speak. You learn how to get down in the trenches, roll up your sleeves, and dig for every last possible prospect you can find.

You also learn the tech inside out because you talk about it so much. In my experience, most AE's just know the bare minimum because they have an SE to lean on. Starting out cold calling/prospecting 24/7 you don't get that luxury. So to be successful you have to really learn the tech and be able to carry a conversation with the prospect.
KB_FarmerType
Opinionated
0
Strategic Sales
Right of passage- yep I would respect it
SaasSlingin
Politicker
0
Sr AE
Right of passage is the better phrase than i used
antiASKHOLE
Tycoon
1
Bravado's Resident Asshole
I think the primary difference is drive for basic KPIS because that's all BDRs/SDRs have. calls and appointments.
Sunbunny31
Politicker
1
Sr Sales Executive 🐰
I was never an SDR/BDR, but started in sales about 25 years ago.

Tell me what I'm missing. :)
KB_FarmerType
Opinionated
1
Strategic Sales
What role did you come in from? Or was there SDR/BDR function when you started ?
Sunbunny31
Politicker
1
Sr Sales Executive 🐰
Started in the late 90s, so I believe that was before BDRs were a thing, but call centers sure were - think of all those movies!

Anyway, mine was a weird little path where I applied for an open job I saw in a newspaper (that's how long ago...newspaper job listings!) for an office job for a local tech company, realized I could do it and the salary was attractive, got the job. In 6 mos was office manager. The president of the company thought I would be good at Sales Coordinator, so I got moved there after my first year. Was an AE 3 mos later, haven't looked back even after the dotcom crash and being out of sales for around a year.
KB_FarmerType
Opinionated
1
Strategic Sales
What a journey! Amazing ! But you don’t qualify to answer as you started when ofcourse you had to be do it all type of Sales !
SADNESSLieutenant
Politicker
1
Officer of ♥️
They lost years of heartache and grinding and terrible leadership - probably prospecting skills, copywriting skills, eq skills. Pretty much some of the most valuable skills in the workforce
KB_FarmerType
Opinionated
0
Strategic Sales
Hmmm that my friend SDR speaking 😂

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