funcoupons
WR Officer
2
๐Ÿ‘‘
At my company SDR is a direct path to being an AE, so on average it's about 4-6 months as long as they're hitting their metrics and ready to move up.
Coffeesforclosers
Notable Contributor
1
Director Sales and Market Development
What is your product and sales cycle?ย 
funcoupons
WR Officer
2
๐Ÿ‘‘
Employee benefits in Canada. Cycle is 3-6 months on average.
Coffeesforclosers
Notable Contributor
1
Director Sales and Market Development
Glad you look internal first, wish we did
funcoupons
WR Officer
2
๐Ÿ‘‘
Due to the nature of our business it would be impossible to hire an external AE...we have such a different setup than our competitors, people need to spend some time in an SDR role to learn the basics. Putting them into a selling role on day one would be a nightmare for them and us.
CaneWolf
Politicker
0
Call me what you want, just sign the damn contract
4-6 months is FAST. That's impressive.
funcoupons
WR Officer
1
๐Ÿ‘‘
Different industry than SaaS. :)ย 
CaneWolf
Politicker
2
Call me what you want, just sign the damn contract
@Coffeesforclosers - Is that a company assumption or have there been SDRs with shorter tenures that have failed? I was selling a damn technical product less than 9 months after starting as a BDR.
Coffeesforclosers
Notable Contributor
1
Director Sales and Market Development
Company assumption for sure. I was too, several months after starting. Trying to petition this exact point.ย 
manifest
2
Director of Business Development
8-12 months ($20K ASP, 40 day sales cycle). A lot of it comes down to needs of the business. We're scaling the size of our sales org so we want to promote our best BDR's. But we also don't want to pull them too soon and set them up for failure just because the business needed a butt in seat. Some of the fastest promoted BDR's had closing experience before they joined us, so there's a little less risk involved there. 12 months seems like a great SaaS sweet spot if you're really thinking about long term success all else equal.
southernfriedsales
Opinionated
2
Senior AE & Business Owner
Itโ€™s incredible the average is over 6 months....

Itโ€™s an entry level development role. Companies have made them slaves now basically.
Coffeesforclosers
Notable Contributor
0
Director Sales and Market Development
agreed!ย 
CuriousFox
WR Officer
1
๐ŸฆŠ
Kinda odd because I get like 1 referral a quarter so I'm not quite sure here.
Coffeesforclosers
Notable Contributor
0
Director Sales and Market Development
Referral as a new candidate coming in?ย 
BlueJays2591
Politicker
1
Federal Business Dev Director
12-18 months before having that "next steps" discussion. our US team is very different from our Europe team though, where BDRs will stay in the same spot for 3-5 years and just become SR. BDRs and get more commission. in the US, if we aren't having that next steps discussion by month 9 or 10, they're already looking elsewhere, willing to take another BDR role and start over, which I always thought was strange.
Coffeesforclosers
Notable Contributor
1
Director Sales and Market Development
Yeah my global role previous i saw the tenure was more dialed in and understood it takes a year+ to move. Americans, not so much. Not sure what to do to stop the bleeding
BlueJays2591
Politicker
1
Federal Business Dev Director
it's hard. there's always something new and shiny that grabs our attention, so its hard to keep BDRs in one place longer than a year without them getting flighty. i just don't understand why some are willing to leave and start all over at another company when they could stick it out another 4-6 months and get moved up. they hit quota 4 or 5 times and think they should be in an AE slot already.ย 
Coffeesforclosers
Notable Contributor
1
Director Sales and Market Development
Agreed, put in the time, ask around, If you are not having the conversation why start over? If the conversation is going nowhere i understand. Most are leaving without telling plans and dreams
BlueJays2591
Politicker
1
Federal Business Dev Director
i've seen a lot leave because they don't like the answer of "you will have to wait another 4-6 months". we have the plans and dreams conversation very early on, within their first month or so, so we understand where they want to go and we can help them, but the major issue is them not understanding you can't perform for 4-5 months and expect a promotion. if you perform for 12 straight months and no conversation is had, then i would understand, but its always at that 4-6 month mark where they get antsyย 
sales7
Politicker
1
Commercial Product Enablement
I think this goes back to motivation and goal setting by management. Setting up a company process for advancement within inside sales so you don't feel like you're standing still for 2 years I think helps lengthen tenure and enables people to develop necessary skills while still an SDR.

I like to think the SDR team is the talent pool for the whole company so I hate to see people leave for lack of progression.
Coffeesforclosers
Notable Contributor
0
Director Sales and Market Development
I have been lucky to move people to different areas than just sales, which is key and a good boost for the morale of the rest and incoming. Good pointsย 
wutang
0
Account Development Representative
We've seen success in my organization with tiered levels of SDR/ADR/BDR which has made colleagues happier. Instead of doing the same exact role, you move from inbound to outbound cold calling, then have opportunities to work with larger and larger account segments until you get to an AE/AM roleย 
MMMGood
Celebrated Contributor
1
Senior Account Executive
Before they leave or promote into another role?
Coffeesforclosers
Notable Contributor
0
Director Sales and Market Development
Leave. Promotion is desired outcome, before (if) this happens how long?ย 
MMMGood
Celebrated Contributor
1
Senior Account Executive
Yea probably 18 months here. I'd say they would get promoted faster...more in the 9-12 month range.ย 
GoldDigger
Fire Starter
1
Sales Rep
This is likely a management and a compensation issue. Most of the SDRs I know leave because of shitty management or unrealistic OTE. Usually, its because they promote the next in line SDR to SDR manager and don't provide them with proper leadership training.

Coffeesforclosers
Notable Contributor
0
Director Sales and Market Development
Agreed to most points, we do exit interviews and look to improve, it must me comp as the manager is strong and very personable with realistic expectations
BlueJays2591
Politicker
1
Federal Business Dev Director
12-14 months before promotion or leaving in most cases.
Coffeesforclosers
Notable Contributor
1
Director Sales and Market Development
seems sensible and achievableย 
BlueJays2591
Politicker
0
Federal Business Dev Director
one would think. if there isn't a career progression conversation with a hard deadline by 6-7 months, the BDRs get a little antsy.
Wolfof7thStreet
Valued Contributor
1
AE
It probably takes 1.5 years on average due to the complexity of the product. That said I dont think that having a floor makes any sense, let the best fit for the job get the job. I am currently fighting through HR to get promoted at 9 months experience (1 yr required) in an incredibly complex portfolio
Coffeesforclosers
Notable Contributor
0
Director Sales and Market Development
Good luck man!ย 
hafasham
Fire Starter
1
BDR
Pre-covid it was 12-18 months, with most people falling in the earlier end of the spectrum. Post-covid/WFH era it's closer to 24 months. Management did bump all of our baseย salaries a good 20% to make it worth sticking it out
Coffeesforclosers
Notable Contributor
0
Director Sales and Market Development
we cut 20% of staff instead, glad you went the other way
WolfOfTechSales
Catalyst
1
Manager, Sales Development
Normal tenure before getting promoted to AE is anywhere from 12-18 monthsย 
Coffeesforclosers
Notable Contributor
0
Director Sales and Market Development
spot on
Allisce
Tycoon
1
Account Executive
ugh at our company it is too fast and they often fail as reps and then we have shitty new SDRs. I wish they would give them more time to develop and it would possibly help both sides
Coffeesforclosers
Notable Contributor
0
Director Sales and Market Development
How quickly are they promoting? Any end of this cycle in near future?ย 
Salespreuner
Big Shot
1
Regional Sales Director
12-16 months
Coffeesforclosers
Notable Contributor
0
Director Sales and Market Development
seems right on
Salespreuner
Big Shot
0
Regional Sales Director
โœŒ๏ธ
HappyGilmore
Politicker
1
Account Executive
Company ideally wants it to be 12 months, however we're currently more at 1.5 year SDR tenure
Coffeesforclosers
Notable Contributor
0
Director Sales and Market Development
yeah, 1.5 seems average
Blackwargreymon
Politicker
1
MDR
8-12 months ($20K ASP, 40 day sales cycle). A lot of it comes down to needs of the business. We're scaling the size of our sales org so we want to promote our best BDR's.
Makarium
Politicker
0
Sdr
It really depends on the company, the commissions, the payment.
Coffeesforclosers
Notable Contributor
0
Director Sales and Market Development
ok, so how about your company? Average tenure. Mine is 6 months or 2+ years, with in line commisison and base salary, and above average management
DungeonsNDemos
Big Shot
0
Rolling 20's all day
very low now. a year perhaps?
8

SDR TO AE TO SDR again?

Advice
12
7

How to position for internal promotion (Ent AE > MM mgr)?

Advice
10
11

SDR to Strat. Ent AE

Question
9