Armageddon

Enterprise Account Executive

Valued Contributor

Best practices on working with your SDR?

I wanted to pick the warroom's brain for some best practices for working with your SDR.

To be honest my current relationship with my SDR needs some work... He isn't quite grasping the importance of multi touch cadences, and he just sits there and makes dials on dials (never leaving a VM) which has yielding almost zero success. I've worked with him on email messaging, LI outreach and the value of at least leaving a VM every once in a while to ensure our company is getting front of the prospect, but after a week or so he just reverts back to his old ways (and who even knows if he is actually dialing, I'm starting to wonder if he just logs fake dials to SFDC)...

Anyone ever had a similar challenge when working with an SDR? Any tips or tricks would be huge on how I can get him more engaged and hungry. TY!

🔎 Prospecting

☁️ Software Tech

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16 comments

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ThatNewAE

Big Shot

7

Account Executive - Mid enterprise

When I was mentoring folks earlier as a Senior SDR, I did this-
Get on a Zoom call. Cameras on. They give me 2 accounts that they found hard to prospect into. And both of us (Mentee and myself) would sit together and I'd drive how I'd normally prospect into.

At every step, I'd ask the mentee what they would do. Then I would show what I would do. It could be drafting emails, finding contacts, calling them - all on a zoom call.

Maybe you can try that too. If you think they are fake logging, it ain't that hard to find out. If you do - no point putting in efforts. If they are just having a skill issue and not a will issue, you can work it out !

Carlosg

Politicker

0

SDR

Have you though about doing this in groups? So other SDRs can learn of others mistakes?

Do you think that could be work?

SaaSguy

Tycoon

7

Account Executive

I try to build a good relationships so that they understand their failures don't just hurt them but us as a team. I spend 30-60 minutes a day with my SDR working through objection handling, copywriting, and other skills that help them help me. I turned our worst SDR into our best and he walks around with a huge ego now which I love because he's hungry to stay on top.

Armageddon

Opinionated

1

Enterprise Account Executive

Wow, you really invest in your SDR! I love that and think you are spot on here, your SDR is an extension of yourself, the best AE : SDR combos invest in eachother

Sunbunny31

Politicker

6

Sr Sales Executive 🐰

What does the SDR manager tell them to do? Is your SDR not taking your direction because he's getting conflicting instructions?

Is this something you can bring up with your manager so that he or she can have a peer to peer conversation with the SDR manager?

punishedlad

Tycoon

2

Business Development Team Lead

^ This is definitely some digging you have to do. If it's possible to get some visibility into how they're being managed by their actual manager, it'll help your cause.

CuriousFox

WR Officer

1

🦊

Yup. Don't do their job for em.

antiASKHOLE

Tycoon

4

Bravado's Resident Asshole

Time will tell and if they aren't performing then they will get unhired.

Document each time you give them training, advice, blah blah blah. This will give proof that their ass can't say no one is helping them. You can give them the tools and mindset, but it is up to them to use their brain and put it into action.

TennisandSales

Politicker

2

Head Of Sales

haha "unhired" love it.

antiASKHOLE

Tycoon

1

Bravado's Resident Asshole

it's like getting "unalived" these days.

DungeonsNDemos

Big Shot

0

Rolling 20's all day

I like the perspective because we are all "undead" then

antiASKHOLE

Tycoon

0

Bravado's Resident Asshole

then the Zombies would technically be re-undead

TennisandSales

Politicker

2

Head Of Sales

oh boy this is a tough one haha. you are talking about how to change someones habits. not just how to work with them better.

I think there are a few things to realize.

1. they wont change their behavior unless they REALLY see the value of it, and how it will make their job better.
2. they may need to SEE that it works before they want to do it for them self.
3. ppl dont normally take advice from ppl unless they belive they care about them or their success, or look at that person as an expert.

so i think i would first make sure you and this SDR are on good terms. make sure they know that you CARE about their success and can be a resource to them.

also try to show them what other people that are crushing it are doing and try to get them to replicate that.

HOW you delver this is super important too.

happy to go back and forth more.

Armageddon

Opinionated

1

Enterprise Account Executive

For real, you hit the nail on the head. I honestly think they aren't interested in a long term sales career, so there is a motivation factor at play. I like your approach though and appreciate the insight!

Diablo

Politicker

1

Sr. AE

Great that you know the relationships needs some work. Did you try to find the reason why he doesn’t do things X,Y,Z…? Apart from giving directions, do you give coaching, get on a shadow call etc that can help the guy improve?

ChickenWings

Opinionated

0

Tom Callahan's Son

SEEN’T IT!

It’s a delicate balance to invest in the SDR relationship versus doing the SDR Manager’s job.

One that can teach you a lot in leadership (as well as yield a great IC process) if you nail it.

Good start with best practices, but he doesn’t seem to know what he’s working towards.

Does he want to be an AE or is he there for the swag?

What are his metrics/goals? How can you help him achieve those differently than other AEs?

Gain his trust in you as the AE to run shit with.

If he doesn’t care about the above, swap out.

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