Do your BDR's do a short demo/discovery call or do the AE's take it right away once booked?

👑 Sales Strategy
📈 Closing
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29
CuriousFox
WR Officer
21
🦊
I do everything. I don't hear from our BDRs very much. 
Telehealth_2the_Moon
Notable Contributor
5
Director of Business Development
That's not fun, what are they doing?
CuriousFox
WR Officer
20
🦊
That's a good question. 
Spade
Arsonist
4
Global Business Development Manager
Sorry about the upvote just getting used to the platform.

Listen.. I hear ya, sounds rough but respect the grind ✌🏽
CuriousFox
WR Officer
4
🦊
No worries we are all learning together 🦊
goose
Politicker
2
Sales Executive
My favorite response to most questions is "that's a great question"
Spade
Arsonist
3
Global Business Development Manager
What do you mean you don't hear from your BDRs?

You research new prospects, book them for yourself, demo yourself and close yourself?
CuriousFox
WR Officer
15
🦊
Yes that's exactly what I do.
Spade
Arsonist
1
Global Business Development Manager
Wow. Seriously curious to know how you feel about that?

Seems like a huge pain in the ass. The SaaS companies I worked for never had an AE prospect. Interesting ..
CuriousFox
WR Officer
4
🦊
Upvote the peeps that respond to ya friend 😎

I feel ok with it at the moment because at least I know my prospects are vetted. I could definitely use the help though 🤷‍♀️
PhlipOut
Politicker
1
Account Executive
Everywhere I worked for has been like that. a few BDRs mostly aligned with certain territories or reps, and i do 99% of it.
burytherail
Opinionated
1
New Logo AE
Same here.  We have 20 SDRs in our SaaS firm, and they send me a lead maybe twice a year.   I dedicate a ton of time to new logo prospecting as an AE.  Wouldn't hit my number if I didn't.
Jbeans
Opinionated
0
Director of Sales
Same! 
Broncosfan
Politicker
1
Account Manager
I dont know what it would be like to not have to prospect. That sounds amazing. 
SoftwareSlanginSavage
Good Citizen
0
Senior Account Manager
Hats off sir. Hope your BDR's at least covering your coffee and lunch time shots. 
cyclindave
Good Citizen
1
Salesperson
In exactly the same boat, do pretty much it all, including account management of some of the exisiting customer base to the point I have no idea what my job is! 
CuriousFox
WR Officer
1
🦊
We wear many hats. Another reason of why our jobs are never boring! 🤯
Ace
Arsonist
0
CEO
Same here
Lambda
Tycoon
0
Sales Consultant
im with you man nothing coming from elsewhere we eat what we kill hah
antiASKHOLE
Tycoon
7
Bravado's Resident Asshole
Our BDRs are there to schedule to appt/demo. Let the AE do their thing rather than putting them into a corner and possibly losing out on revenue. 
WillSell4Commish
Opinionated
6
VP of Deez
I would expect a good BDR to work with their AE to position themselves as a strategic partner. If the AE could coach the BDR I imagine it would be a very helpful relationship
Spade
Arsonist
2
Global Business Development Manager
Yup. I agree. My team recently started doing the first "intro/demo call" in order to bring quality vs quantity. New strategy test, but not enjoying it.

I think there will be deals that will be lost on the way.
sahil
Notable Contributor
5
Deepak Chopra of Sales
Depends on the ACV / complexity of sale. If it's a short sales process with low ACV, then there's no point of having an AE if the SDR is gonna prospect + disco + pitch. WTF does the AE do...send out the invoice?

But if it's a long sales cycle, makes sense to break it up more. You can afford to invest in training your SDRs at that point as well. 
Spade
Arsonist
0
Global Business Development Manager
Makes complete sense. 🎯
 Sahil, Yaron says hi ;)
CrazyTechnocrat
Old School Bravo
0
GrowthHacker
Its sense to work on case to case sales cycle or product to product. for better results.
Telehealth_2the_Moon
Notable Contributor
4
Director of Business Development
Mostly focused on setting the meeting and getting out, but some discovery is alright. I just make sure the BDRs that I work with understand that discovery is a bonus, but should never get in the way of dropping the meeting.
Spade
Arsonist
1
Global Business Development Manager
I hear you, I feel the same way✌🏽
HarryCaray
Notable Contributor
3
HMFIC
BDRs and AEs do joint discovery calls when our schedules allow, but BDRs are empowered to take them on their own if necessary.  I do like to join all my BDR's scheduled disco calls just to tag team it and remain on the same page leading up to the demo.
Spade
Arsonist
1
Global Business Development Manager
That's interesting!
E_Money
Big Shot
1
💰
That is great!
Itsabaddaytobeaphone
Good Citizen
3
SDR
at my startup we book the demo, and ae does the discovery call, the saas we sell is pretty specific to the industry so we know if they have the right title the are the right contact, and have the other software we integrate with
Spade
Arsonist
0
Global Business Development Manager
Nice!
SADNES5
Politicker
3
down voters are marketing spies
If your BDR is doing the demo... why is the AE involved at all?


Process I hate

BDR-Shows Demo, I ask questions
BDR intro to AE, ae does SAME DEMO, asks if I have questions/objections

 
Spade
Arsonist
1
Global Business Development Manager
🗡
E_Money
Big Shot
3
💰
I've managed BDRs/SDRs and I think they should do at least a disco call and sit in or shadow on as much as possible after the original convo. 

The whole purpose of the role is in the title- "sales development" and if companies have reps just setting meetings and grinding out calls, then SDRs/BDRs aren't truly developing, they are just glorified assistants.
Spade
Arsonist
0
Global Business Development Manager
I hear your point, I think the discovery call the AE should do, and the BD can sit in and listen/learn/take notes.

However, in terms of actually developing business as the role claims, I believe the BD should
Be actively involved and helping push the deal through with the AE. The value is greater there instead of doing a discovery call. The AE can sense and fish out what calls they think they should run with, not the BD.


AlecBaldwinsHairline
Valued Contributor
2
Head of Sales Development
BDRs have some opp qualification criteria that dictates the qualification, pain, and buying power of a potential prospect.

We then pass these to AE's who do a product tour with Q&A to help generate interest and potentially move them onto a technical demo and make formal considerations.
Spade
Arsonist
0
Global Business Development Manager
100%
Hannibal
Opinionated
2
Senior Account Executive
BDR what is that? All jokes aside, I have a majority of really bad BDRs in my career, mainly because it was not in them and others because management was throwing them right and left at the wrong activities.

But if you are a solid/smart BDR, all I want you to do is get me that meeting... maybe a tiny bit of Discovery depending on the product but definitely no demo. At the end, we are all BDRs in some fashion and until things change I will continue prospecting on my own!
Spade
Arsonist
0
Global Business Development Manager
Preach 🍷
Rallier
Politicker
2
SDR Manager and Consultant
Buyers don't want to hop on a call with a BDR to be qualified. They get no value from that. Skip the qualification call and let the AE do the demo/discovery.
EnterpriseSales
Good Citizen
4
Sales Manager
Exactly this, they'd worry about poor handover between reps & they'd rather speak to someone 'on their level' that can understand and help to actually achieve business objectives.
Spade
Arsonist
1
Global Business Development Manager
THANK YOU! I would upvote you twice if I could
Accidental_Sales_Guy
Politicker
2
Account Executive
When I was a BDR, I would kick meetings off with discovery until I ran out of product/industry knowledge. It was a great way to prepare for an AE roll; I was thankful for AE partners that let me do this on their deals.
GrindingSales
Politicker
1
Account Executive
We do everything from start to finish as an AE.
Spade
Arsonist
0
Global Business Development Manager
That sounds very annoying.

Really curious to hear how you think/feel about you doing it A-Z?
Coffeesforclosers
Notable Contributor
1
Director Sales and Market Development
Complex product here, so we do some initial qualification on standard fit, budget, timeline, etc then AE and sometimes SE goes deeper
Spade
Arsonist
0
Global Business Development Manager
Exactly our case here - I feel though sometimes things can be changed once they become passionate and champion your product.
Such as budget or timeline for example.
Coffeesforclosers
Notable Contributor
1
Director Sales and Market Development
I feel budget is out the window if you have the right persona involved, if it is C level or owner then they can create the budget. timeline changes with every person you talk to, C level wanted it yesterday, IT says oh we cant do that for 6 months, we are too busy
Spade
Arsonist
0
Global Business Development Manager
I've seen that before, true.
ARRisLife
Politicker
1
Account Executive
It's trended towards the latter. When I started as a bdr we were really well trained and our AE's expected us to do some discovery/qualification and held us to it. Now- our bdr's have a terrible manager who's never sold anything and doesn't develop them so I get on everything my bdr books out of fear they'll mess something up.

Makes me a little sad but I don't have the bandwidth to train them myself.
Spade
Arsonist
0
Global Business Development Manager
That's unfortunate, hope things change for the better soon 💪🏼
Wanna.Be.Rick.Spielman
Valued Contributor
1
Account Executive
AE should do all the heavy lifting. No fair to put that on your BDR.
Spade
Arsonist
0
Global Business Development Manager
Agreed
DonDraper
Politicker
1
National Sales Manager
The good ones do a little discovery and set the scene. Creating the intrigue is always a good thing but there is a fine line. 
Allisce
Tycoon
1
Account Executive
Ours do just enough discovery to get me basic notes for my meeting, after that I want them out. They don’t have the depth of knowledge and they get caught in questions they can’t answer/make up answers which looks bad
Spade
Arsonist
1
Global Business Development Manager
AGREE 100%. Couldn't have said it better💪🏼
uklegalsales
Catalyst
1
Business Development Director
Our BDR's ask some basic questions, but they are targeted on getting leads over so its quantity over quality. I would prefer less but better qualified leads
Spade
Arsonist
0
Global Business Development Manager
Interesting 🤔 
DadFather
Politicker
1
Enterprise Account Executive
Currently, EAEs/AEs do everything as our BDR org is full of new hires. Once ramped up, they will take prospecting but AEs will take all meetings. 

hoping to work with my bdr a lot as it’s too much of a time suck to get meaningful prospecting done all by myself with all the other shit on my plate. 
Spade
Arsonist
1
Global Business Development Manager
I hear you 100% man
DadFather
Politicker
1
Enterprise Account Executive
It’s a grind 
Bittersweet0326
Politicker
1
Digital Business Associate
AE takes it once it’s booked over here
Spade
Arsonist
1
Global Business Development Manager
🔥
Wolfof7thStreet
Valued Contributor
1
AE
I generally just intro the call or run the first 5-10 mins (BDR here), but will jump in and run a whole call if one of my reps cant make it
GRIFFindor
Opinionated
1
Sales Nerd
AE takes it right away. BDRs sell a meeting based on interest, intrigue, curiosity, and then the AE sells the prospect on next steps/the evaluation process. 
Spade
Arsonist
0
Global Business Development Manager
Agree!
rbsimonton3
1
Account Executive
BDR's should just set up meetings with decision-makers at the companies you consider a good fit. AE takes it from there. If a BDR is leading in-depth discovery calls then they ready for the AE spot.  
Spade
Arsonist
1
Global Business Development Manager
Totally agree 💯
rbsimonton3
1
Account Executive
lol
YoungMoney
Good Citizen
1
Director of Sales
I worked at a company with a 3:1 ratio of BDRs:AEs. The BDR/AE leadership agreed to have what they called "hybrid" calls. The BDR would get the AE on the first call, and ask 2 questions before the AE took over...the BANT criteria was okay but the goal was so high for the BDRs that they passed garbage part of the time, and AE pipelines were too inflated to even work leaving some customers in the dust...

I've been a BDR and an AE. I believe BDRs need to be trained to qualify and do a short demo. I think based on title you should bring an AE into the first call. A "marketing manager" has zero buying power, but a "VP of marketing" does. 
wheremydawgs
Executive
1
Sr. Enterprise Sales Executive
They do a set discovery and "qualify" before scheduling. I then come in and actually qualify.
Rodgers
Good Citizen
1
AE - Customer Experience
We just starting something new recently where BDR's do a modified disco call to then see if customer would be willing to see pricing and next steps. 

Has been super helpful to have an extra 1-2 meetings per week, where I know what is going on from previous calls. 
Spade
Arsonist
1
Global Business Development Manager
Super interesting!
Greenlobster
Fire Starter
1
Account Executive
Short discovery before handover, although I feel for this to work the SDR should be on the handover call or it ends up being a repeat for the customer 
ChefK
Good Citizen
1
SDR
I always try to do a short qualification call before to find a use case or two and make sure everything lined up. Today I did a disco/demo with my AE. I did the upfront contract and intro and then my AE took over to go through the demo/disco and pricing. We are all on the same team!
TargetSmasher
Praised Answer
1
Business Development Lead
I've worked in businesses as a BDR in my earlier career and I never joined a call and never did a demo. I've interviewed at businesses more recently where it was made clear that the role as an AE in their business meant 90% self-sourcing from prospect to close, so the BDR is never involved.

Hearing that some businesses leave the AE's to do their thing sounds like paradise - does this really exist? Fucking hit me up.
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