Getting your SDR to think like an AE

What have you found to be the best ways to motivate your SDR to think beyond a booked meeting and to think strategically about the accounts you're working for better qualified opportunities?

🔎 Prospecting
🧢 Sales Management
16
Savagedoge
Tycoon
6
Account Executive
Align part of your SDR's quota with revenue generated along with the number of meetings/demos. 
NorthernSalesGuru
Politicker
4
Manager, Outbound Sales
Could not agree more. Success and KPIs need to have a team component to it.

We also have AE pods for our inbound team where each AE is assigned particular dedicated SDRs. This allows for greater coaching opportunities and for increased collaboration 
Salespreuner
Big Shot
1
Regional Sales Director
This is very important and interesting indeed. Meeting quality would improve too
SaaSMan
Contributor
0
Commercial Director
Think is is a great shout! Revenue to meeting ratio would be a really good KPI to track
Chep
WR Officer
0
Bitcoin Adoption Specialist
Exactly. If the S.D.R knows they will be paid for Closed Wons they are much more likely to only deliver quality meetings they truly believe have the potential to close
ExtremeVibeChecker44
Arsonist
1
Inside Sales
My SDR job didn't give me a % of closed-won. So, I just churned as many meetings as possible. I got paid more, but my AEs suffered. 
antiASKHOLE
Tycoon
3
Bravado's Resident Asshole
We like to have SDRs shadow a few of their leads they set for the AE. Gives a perspective of what to ask for and better qualify the leads. 
Salespreuner
Big Shot
0
Regional Sales Director
This has been really effective
UnderQuota
Praised Answer
2
Digital Sales Manager
My friend, I am an SDR. I have been an Inside Sales. I did closing positions, changed company went back to being an SDR but with bigger territories. 

Nothing is really about the way we think. Be sure that any SDR would love to think like an AE. The position just doesn't allow that if strategically speaking the company does not align Sales & Marketing in a correct way. 

If the incentive is on the meeting, that the SDR manager is asking for numbers and that the pressure of time is there. your SDR will try to get meeting no matter the quality. 

You can incentive on the opportunity progression 

Interesting discussion but this has to go both ways. I saw a big number of AE trying to fuck me by opening opportunities I brought them without mentioning me. 
SaaSMan
Contributor
2
Commercial Director
Thanks for the feedback. Being an SDR in the past I certainly understand the need for the extra mile being reflected in Comp but I was always driven to go further through wanting to get into a closing role. 

I spend a good 2hrs a day mentoring my SDR to try and coach more questioning techniques and ways to build strategic hooks. We also pay out bonus on closed won ops. 

What would you suggest as good ways to add additional incentive, while respecting they have a meetings book target also?

Appreciate the input. I think this is a age old topic that is difficult to nail down
mrworldwide
Good Citizen
1
AE
Our reps have target account lists they give to their SDRs. Around 100-150 Strategic Accounts per rep if you like - in any case, we target SDRs on opportunities open (loosely on pipeline generated)
CuriousFox
WR Officer
1
🦊
Include them in your conversations and planning. The more you talk the more they see what you need and what you look for in meetings. 
payton_pritchard
Executive
1
RSM
I'll venmo an SDR if a deal they source closes -- especially if it was cold outreach, a target account, or they went above and beyond in getting it set up.

I think it's also very helpful to let them listen in on calls as opps they started progress and take time out of your day to train/mentor around career progression
LordBusiness
Politicker
0
Chief Revenue Officer
yeah, stop relying on an SDR and prospect myself...🤣 I'm only kidding, sometimes I find these types of posts hilarious because when I started selling their were no "SDR's" we were responsible for building pipeline, and closing it.  Wouldn't change it for the world. 
SaaSMan
Contributor
0
Commercial Director
Haha believe me, I maintain my prospecting because thats where the good opportunities are coming from 😂. Coming from being an SDR myself I just want him to progress and succeed but I'm struggling to get him motivated like I was where I was hungry to get closing 
exec
Acclaimed Answer
0
Account Executive
it's now how SDR's/AE's think, it's how they're comp'd. two completely different structures where one side is focused on bringing in meetings and generating engagement while the other side is trying to close deals and get the commish. Unless your SDR's are getting comp'd on closed deals (not just after initial meeting but accounts that have been engaged with in the past), it will never be the same thought process. 
CaneWolf
Politicker
0
Call me what you want, just sign the damn contract
@SaaSMan - How do your SDRs generate the lists they're pursuing? 
SaaSMan
Contributor
0
Commercial Director
@CaneWolf Currently we're building them together taking target accounts and finding contacts on SalesNav based on our key target roles. I'm giving him templates for account plans and segmenting some for him to go after solo and then we are taking a top down, bottom up approach with the larger enterprise accounts. Very hands on collaborative approach as i'm trying to steer him to think about his approach the same way I am 
CaneWolf
Politicker
1
Call me what you want, just sign the damn contract
It sounds like you're doing a lot of the right things.
Can you do stuff not specific to your formal work details such as:

-Provide career mentoring 
-I've in the past straight up told my SDRs that I'll buy them a bottle of nice liquor they like for a closed deal coming from a meeting and that seemed to help.
-Do more to help them hit their numbers so they feel like you have skin in the game for them
SaaSMan
Contributor
0
Commercial Director
Thank’s! That’s a great advice, with restrictions lifting I’ll actually be able to take him for a pint. Get away from structured zoom calls for a bit 👍🏼
CastleIsland
Tycoon
0
Associate Account Director
Personally pay or incentivize your BDR if the deal closes or advances to a certain point. That amount is dependent on how much you are willing to spare an/or how large the deal ends up being.
CRMLord
Good Citizen
0
Business Development Representative
I’m an SDR - I find it incredibly helpful to join some of the customer meetings I book for my AE. Allows me to see things from their perspective, and it’s taught me how important it is to properly qualify a lead.
SaaSsyB
Opinionated
0
SDR Manager
Yes, this is my specialty! 

First my org has SDR commission tied to meetings completed and 30% is tied to SQO (opps moving to stage 2) we also get a % pay out to closed won deals.  So this helps with motivation tied to money - see if this is something your org would buy into.  

Second - create a team process! My AE and I share a teams doc of every account we own we keep information like if they are using a competitor, times lines of current contract dates, if we have a follow up and account notes.

Since we have a pulse on our territory, we then notice which accounts have white space - we have no follow up, or if they are currently using a competitor.  

I also have a month by month follow up calendar in the doc so as an SDR I know what my pipeline looks like each month for quick meetings I can book with follow ups.  

Therefore, I don’t waste my time prospecting account that are in a 5 year contract with a competitor.  I call who makes sense when it makes sense. 

Trust me the SDR will enjoy their job more, waste less time dialing accounts that don’t matter, and will have a better game plan each month.  Plus, AE’s aren’t getting shitty opps - they are connecting with people when the timing is right! 

I also, make far less dials per month than anyone on the team, and book more meetings. 

I started this process with my AE in January 2020 we  both hit PC in 2020.  
Salespreuner
Big Shot
0
Regional Sales Director
KPI alignment helps and does make a difference. Something like closed revenue being a part of SDR commission?
Brando
Politicker
0
Account Executive
Most SDRs don't know too much about being an AE, 
include them in planning, strategy, and talk to them about the meetings.
What was good about that call? What could make the next one better? 
Littlesaleslady
Valued Contributor
0
Territory Sales Manager
I’d definitely recommend having them join the discovery call and get a feel for what next steps look like. If they are only asking qualifying questions in BANT- budget, authority, Need, timeline then they aren’t getting to the sales portion of the conversation. Once discovery call is done have them shadow closing call. If their lead closes, incentivize via spiffs or commish. 
westcoastbestcoast
Contributor
0
Account Executive
Want them to think like AEs, gradually give responsibility like AEs...
procurementdevil
Politicker
0
AE
Speaking from what motivates me (career growth), one on ones from my manager teaching me different facets of the business and learning my own weaknesses as to transition to an AE and what that takes is what has made my pipeline more fruitful. Incentivize closes for SDRs, it works well at my company and it makes it easier for me to help newer SDRs understand what kind of business is good business to book. 
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