Should SDRs join AE discovery calls?

Should SDRs join AE discovery calls?

Attached poll
*Voting in this poll no longer yields commission.
🎈 Mentorship
👑 Sales Strategy
📣 Demos
61
CoorsKing
WR Officer
21
Retired King of the Coors Knights
Always, especially if they are trying to become an AE one day.

Shadowing the AEs calls will help the SDRs understand what goes into qualifying an opportunity, so they can then apply that to their own prospecting. It also allows them to start to internalize the next steps of a cycle which they will have to interview against to get an AE role. 

If they are covering a bigger account, the SDR May pick up on some useful info in the disco call they can then also turn around and use immediately in their prospecting efforts.

I have my SDRs join every single disco call they set up.
whathaveyousoldtomorrow
Opinionated
4
sales
YES YES YES, my BDR is on every meeting she sets. Its part of her development to shadow me and my team. Even in-person meetings I dial her into -- call her after to tell her what I saw. 
JC10X
Politicker
3
Senior Sales Manager
This is an awesome practice! Thanks @BigMeech !
JustGonnaSendIt
Politicker
3
Burn Towns, Get Money
100% - So much yes.

Our profession is sorely lacking in apprenticeship-style thinking and including SDR's / BDR's / LDR's in the opportunities they help create is one of the best ways to move in that direction.
CuriousFox
WR Officer
9
🦊
I think it would help them learn how to actually qualify a lead before they send one to you that wastes your time.
JC10X
Politicker
1
Senior Sales Manager
1000000%!
Swarthymovie
Arsonist
0
SDR
These sounds pretty accurate, nice thinking man 
Kinonez
Celebrated Contributor
6
War Room Enthusiast
I wouldn’t say always, considering AEs have a lot in their plate like closing deals, but should tune in from time to time to see how the reps are managing the call and give them positive feedback so they can ramp up their game! 
AlphaCharlie
Arsonist
2
Account executive
Why do you always take my words out of my mouth? Don't you like when a girl speaks up?
Kinonez
Celebrated Contributor
0
War Room Enthusiast
Hahaha do I, we’ll you know what they say, great minds think a like! 
JC10X
Politicker
1
Senior Sales Manager
I agree its always great for alignment on what a good handoff looks like! Have you ever seen AEs take advantage of this?
Kinonez
Celebrated Contributor
1
War Room Enthusiast
Not AEs but some of my managers have done so in the past, and it sure helped me improve! 
JC10X
Politicker
1
Senior Sales Manager
That's awesome, you have some great managers
Kinonez
Celebrated Contributor
0
War Room Enthusiast
I do, they are the best! Teach me something new everyday!

ronimal
Opinionated
0
Enterprise AE/Manager
The question specifically asks about discovery calls, not all calls. SDR’s/BDR’s should always join discovery calls. 
Ozz
Politicker
4
Account Executive
They should join for a first few weeks for training purposes and maybe some bigger deals if they did a good job building rapport. Besides that - they should be focused on prospecting.  
JC10X
Politicker
0
Senior Sales Manager
Do you think they would prospect better if there is at least a monthly review with their AEs?
Ozz
Politicker
0
Account Executive
Yeah, that would help. 
funcoupons
WR Officer
4
👑
Sometimes - it's a good learning experience for an SDR.
AlphaCharlie
Arsonist
2
Account executive
My thoughts exactly! 
JC10X
Politicker
1
Senior Sales Manager
100%. When do you think not joining would be ideal?
funcoupons
WR Officer
1
👑
If the SDR isn't making quota on meetings booked...that should be first priority. 
Swarthymovie
Arsonist
1
SDR
Agree, the more you know and learn the better
eds
Opinionated
3
Salesy
Not always but it's deff helpful as it gives them perspective of what happens after and they can optimize for that.
JC10X
Politicker
1
Senior Sales Manager
would you say maybe having a monthly calibration call with AEs would help consistently? Considering business updates, new sales techniques or discoveries along time.
eds
Opinionated
1
Salesy
It would most deff help. It actually sounds like the minimum SDRs should have to keep that north well placed on their prospecting compass.

Imagine the wonders it would do for them in understanding the boundaries of their talktrack vs the one of their AE's
JC10X
Politicker
0
Senior Sales Manager
Uff!
DrunkenArt
Politicker
2
Sales Representative
I would say as much as possible. I got way more out of shadowing the top reps then I did during my training period. Our AE's have been really good about including us on the disco calls. I always join early to ask about strategy and then I'll stay on for a few minutes after to ask some follow up questions as well. 
JC10X
Politicker
1
Senior Sales Manager
thats awesome! You sound very proactive!
SlinginSoftware
Politicker
2
Account Executive
Yes! To help prepare to be an AE and to become a better sdr
JC10X
Politicker
0
Senior Sales Manager
100%!

HappyGilmore
Politicker
2
Account Executive
I'd say as much as possible if not always. It helps prepare them to run their own discovery calls as an AE, plus they may catch a few things that the AE may have missed, and can share that with them after the call.
JC10X
Politicker
1
Senior Sales Manager
Facts!
KGCanada
Arsonist
2
Senior Executive
IMO**  If the SDR is important to your business, helping them understand what information is key to YOUR success, how you work and close... you can SEND THE ELEVATOR BACK DOWN and help THEM grow, be better OR.. learn early this isn't the life for them.
All valuable take aways, lessons and growth opportunities for SDR/AE alike,
JC10X
Politicker
1
Senior Sales Manager
Love it! They are definitely important, if not the most important!
bamageorge
Celebrated Contributor
2
International Sales Director
I'm on the fence about this one, I do believe they should be during training, but not every single discovery call. 
JC10X
Politicker
2
Senior Sales Manager
Interesting! How about once a month for constant alignment?

bamageorge
Celebrated Contributor
1
International Sales Director
That's actually a good idea, I support this! 
GodsCountry
Contributor
2
AE
I'd go even further and let them kick off the call and introduce the AE. Especially if they already built rapport with the prospect. 
JC10X
Politicker
0
Senior Sales Manager
Yeaaaaa! Thats the way!
Swarthymovie
Arsonist
2
SDR
If you can get value from it, right away 
JC10X
Politicker
0
Senior Sales Manager
100%

MaximumRaizer
Politicker
2
Sales Manager
Always
Blackwargreymon
Politicker
2
MDR
I think it would help them learn how to actually qualify a lead before they send one to you that wastes your time.
Calico
Celebrated Contributor
1
Corporate Trainer
Not always, especially if they're on a time crunch. However, SDRs should always get the recordings should they want to become an AE one day. 
JC10X
Politicker
0
Senior Sales Manager
Love it and agree!
uncorpse
Politicker
1
Sales Development
Always! - The more we learn the more we're capable to overcome any objections as well as giving clarity on the process! 
JC10X
Politicker
2
Senior Sales Manager
100%! The more the AE can close too and more revenue comes in!
e4T
1
Account Executive
If it has the potential to be legit discovery. Not so much for small deals (unless they are new). I believe it's important to treat the SDR's just as well as customers, managers, etc. They are in the trenches trying to discover large opportunities for us. 
JC10X
Politicker
1
Senior Sales Manager
Preach! Totally agree!
e4T
0
Account Executive
Appreciate it, JC!
fuzzy
Notable Contributor
1
CMO (Chief Meme Officer)
absolutely. Not always, but if they have great rapport with the prospect and/or have a desire to be an AE, I'd actually make it a KPI of an SDR. 
JC10X
Politicker
0
Senior Sales Manager
Nice!! How would you measure it!
fuzzy
Notable Contributor
1
CMO (Chief Meme Officer)
As an OKR. Set it up as a quarterly review where they decide how many meetings they’d like to be on. If they were on it, then gauge what they heard and understood. As they progress, maybe even have them participate in some way.
JC10X
Politicker
0
Senior Sales Manager
Great idea!
alecabral
Arsonist
1
Director - Digital Sales Transformation
I think that should be up to the AE
JC10X
Politicker
0
Senior Sales Manager
No proactive sdrs?
alecabral
Arsonist
0
Director - Digital Sales Transformation
It's not about proactivity to me, I think that's ok but ultimately if the AE doesn't feel comfortable with the SDR on the call and that can hinder her hob then I'd say it's up to the AE. 
softwaresails
Politicker
1
Sales Manager
In our organization there is no reason for an SDR to join the discovery. I understand every org is different and the roles of the SDRs differ as well but for us it doesn't make sense.
JC10X
Politicker
0
Senior Sales Manager
Thats interesting? How come?
bitchbetterhavemymoney
Opinionated
1
Director of Channel Sales
SDRs joint disco calls is not only good for the SDR - it builds rapport with customers. You earn their respect, not just as someone who does a handoff. It shows care in their buying process, and helps the AE with a live warm Intro.
JC10X
Politicker
0
Senior Sales Manager
Yes!! Customer experience is the most important!
Gyro25
Notorious Answer
1
Account Executive
I enjoy being on those calls. I also bring my AE on my calls that I think have a high probability of closing. It's always good to learn how to frame different open ended questions, which one of my AEs is really good at, so it's fun to learn from him. 
JC10X
Politicker
1
Senior Sales Manager
100% this is super smart and proactive from your end!
Sheriff
Politicker
1
Sales Trainer
Unless you are setting up another meeting for your AE you should be on the call to handle intro, verify what you set isn't garbage, learn how your AE handles discovery, and ensure you have proof to get credit.
JC10X
Politicker
0
Senior Sales Manager
Yes! 100% Agreed!
CaneWolf
Politicker
1
Call me what you want, just sign the damn contract
None of the people who voted never explained themselves and I'm very curious as to why. I think always is excessive (unless you're selling a product where meetings aren't very common). But I echo a lot of comments from other works about the value.
JC10X
Politicker
0
Senior Sales Manager
Thats very true, always is too much. Im thinking once a month as a calibration session.
mitts2
Politicker
1
Account Executive
Up to the SDR. My cal is always open if they want to join and I encourage it if they want to be an AE someday but at the end of the day if they want to learn and build their skillset, they need to be proactive about it. I will never force them to do it. 

(I always tried to join disco calls when I was an SDR, but I was also dead set on becoming an AE)
JC10X
Politicker
0
Senior Sales Manager
Excellent! Really cool you are open to it!
RealEstateVeep
Politicker
1
VP of Real Estate
Absolutely - don't speak but listen and learn how AEs do it. You want them to move up and have it be a "plug and play" situation. Totally in favor of this.
JC10X
Politicker
0
Senior Sales Manager
Thanks!
HarryCaray
Notable Contributor
1
HMFIC
Who else is going to take notes for me?
Beasthouse
Opinionated
1
Corporate trainer
yes for the intro and then only yes if their closest to being trained as AE
SaaSKicker1000
Politicker
1
AE II
I say always, but I can understand where it would depend on the situation as well.

Like Meech said, they can learn better qualification tactics, learn more about the product / industry, and have better conversations with prospects = more meetings = more opps = more deals. 
JC10X
Politicker
0
Senior Sales Manager
💯
13

SDRs in calibration calls.

Discussion
14
How often does your sales team have calibration calls?
40% Never
55% Once a month
3% Once every 3 months
2% Once every Six months
58 people voted
6

SDR doing an intro + handoff on demo

Question
12
5

How do you start your discovery calls?

Question
8