Do.it.for.the.checks

Account Executive

Valued Contributor

How do you manage a stubborn SDR (not technically her manager)?

Hey all,

We recently made a transition to have a 1to1 AE to SDR. Part of the arrangement is I am personally responsible for training, improving, developing, and other verbs.

The idea makes a lot of sense. I want more meetings so it's in my interest to teach her how to get them, but I am not a manager! I've always preferred being an individual contributor than being responsible for a team. And in all honesty, I don't know anything about how to manage. My strategy thus far was to do all the leg work i.e. build a sequence, a script, qualify a top 50 list, find the contacts, then just point her at it and go.

It seemed like a good idea until I checked the contacts and realized that instead of following my script on how we solve business problems, she went back to very poor tactics like stating some functionality of our software and asking if they wanted to see it. (spoiler alert, they don't).

Any help is appreciated!

🔎 Prospecting

🧢 Sales Management

13

19 comments

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uncorpse

Politicker

6

Sales Development

Stop talking about work-related stuff for some time and actually talk to the person about themselves and try to find something that motivates them or you can connect to. This really helped me dealing with teams of 20+ members.

Do.it.for.the.checks

Politicker

2

Account Executive

This is probably the most right answer and the one I want to do the least

sales7

Politicker

1

Commercial Product Enablement

That and also ask how she currently thinks/ works and try and get her to realise where she is going wrong on her own rather than spoon feeding her. If she's not willing to change she won't, simple as that

paddy

WR Officer

4

Director of Business Development

Invite them to your calls and listen in as a fly on the wall. If you don't want to manage them or anything, just have them take notes on calls and send them to you. If they suck and aren't learning anything, employ cigarette burns on their eyelids.

Do.it.for.the.checks

Politicker

0

Account Executive

Cigarette burns are quickly becoming an option... But may try a little shadowing first

paddy

WR Officer

1

Director of Business Development

...I guess that works too

eds

Opinionated

2

Salesy

if there are common goals like bonuses, use that to show her you're on the same team and that we all need to be receptive to feedback and ideas to work smart and make more money working the same or less time.

Beans

Big Shot

2

Enterprise Account Executive

Roleplay calls until they get it down.

If they can't be coached to fix their habits then they're going to constantly falter when they get hit with situations that are new to them, reverting back to the shite habits.

Do.it.for.the.checks

Politicker

0

Account Executive

Good advice, thanks

JC10X

Politicker

1

Senior Sales Manager

Have them reflect, if they say it its true, if you say it its criticism.

Do.it.for.the.checks

Politicker

1

Account Executive

She leads the team in meetings set. They just all suck.

I asked her and get "Well I am having success" and when I point to the fact that her meetings aren't closing she blames the AEs she set them for. (not me, from before the arrangement)

MrMotivation

Politicker

2

Sales

I assume this may be an issue with how they are comped then. There is no perfect way to comp SDRs, but there are ways to align the goals correctly to make sure that SDRs cant abuse the system and set bad meetings and still get credit.

Also, as an AE, if you want to be successful, you should want to be more involved with your SDR. I am sure you were in their shoes once and would have relished the opportunity to learn from your AE. In turn, they will work harder to impress you and keep you happy.

dncsv

OG Sales Savage

0

SD manager

I would schedule time with the SDR and the SDR's manager. (A good SDR Manager doesn't want their reps to be booking shit meetings)

"This is a partnership. If you bring me good meetings I can work, I will flip them. I can't tell you what to do but I can also book my own meetings. So if you want me to take the meetings you book, I need you to compromise and use the scripting that I've created. If you want to get better at your role, you need to uplevel."

Blackwargreymon

Politicker

1

MDR

Have them reflect, if they say it its true, if you say it its criticism.

Clashingsoulsspell

Politicker

1

ISR

Invite them to your calls and listen in as a fly on the wall.

CuriousFox

WR Officer

0

🦊

Have you considered pranks?

MR.StretchISR

Politicker

0

ISR

Stop talking about work-related stuff for some time and actually talk to the person about themselves and try to find something that motivates them or you can connect to. This really helped me dealing with teams of 20+ members.

Mr.Floaty

Politicker

0

BDR

Who will be the best person to learn from or continue to learn from?

Cyberjarre

Politicker

0

BDR

Be yourself... Sticking with what you know. You fail to embrace new concepts. You assume that what made you successful in your previous role will make you successful in your new role.

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