Epictetus

SaaSy

Where do the SDRs sit most effectively?

Hi all,

I've always seen SDRs sitting under the VP of Sales, but it seems that there is a change in this way of thinking. More SDR teams are starting to report up through marketing now.

Have you seen benefits or drawbacks in a particular design?

Context: I'm at a company that just raised a series A and is thinking about how an SDR team would fit best within the organization.

Thanks for any info that you share!

Where do your SDRs sit?

Attached poll

Under the VP of Sales, as it should be They make their home in the dark kingdom of Marketing SDRs are for the weak

*Voting in this poll no longer yields commission.

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18 comments

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nomdeguerre

Executive

Account executive

Outbound SDRs need to report to sales, inbound SDRs (which should be a separate role) can report to marketing. Both sales and marketing should report to a CRO.

Sunbunny31

Politicker

Sr Sales Executive 🐰

This makes sense.

SDM

Politicker

Sales development manager

Second that

Kosta_Konfucius

Politicker

Sales Rep

I have only seen them under the VP of Sales, dont understand why they would be marketing and have AEs in a different side of the org

NotCreativeEnough

Big Shot

Professional Day Ruiner

SDR's should not sit under marketing. They are a sales function, not a marketing function. Also, basically everyone who is an SDR does it because they want to get into sales, not because they want to get into marketing.

They should work more closely with marketing than your typical sales rep, but they are still sales.

Sunbunny31

Politicker

Sr Sales Executive 🐰

Explain that to some orgs.

Unfortunately, often Sales does not want to manage another group. The argument will be that they are not directly revenue generating (not closing) and are closely tied to marketing efforts.

Usually it comes down to a hot potato of who gets to manage the team.

I have a confession: One dark day many years ago, my ISR (inside sales rep) group was sent under the Marketing umbrella for reasons that are still unclear. It fortunately didn't last long, but those were dark days, my friends. Dark days.

NotCreativeEnough

Big Shot

Professional Day Ruiner

my thought behind it has always been that no one becomes an SDR because they want to get into marketing. They do it to get into sales. So it makes more sense for them to sit under sales for the training/mentorship aspect. Plus everything an SDR does is still a sales function and requires sales methodology.

I do see how some people can think of it as a marketing function. But imo those people are too short sited and don't understand what the SDR role truly is.

Sunbunny31

Politicker

Sr Sales Executive 🐰

What I've seen is that the sales leadership doesn't have the bandwidth to take on ownership of the team. Either they don't want to "spend" an open manager rec on a BDR manager, or they aren't given the funding to provide the manager at all. It always leads to dot-line reports elsewhere. BDRs are always answering to both marketing and sales. Often your first job, and you have to navigate internal politics. Oof.

TennisandSales

Politicker

Head Of Sales

yes I have seen this too. i am interested to see how it works.

I can see how being a good SDR could help you in marketing. SDRs probably do a better job when it comes to positioning, explaining the value prop, conveying value and all of that.

jefe

Arsonist

🍁

I don't think they should be in marketing, especially when you look at the career path most of them are aiming for...

And that's putting aside the fact they are part of sales

antiASKHOLE

Tycoon

Bravado's Resident Asshole

Should always be under sales. Marketing sucks bofa

ThatNewAE

Big Shot

Account Executive - Mid enterprise

I somehow think they should be under marketing, not sales. Or rather, Marketing and SDR function should go hand in hand, you know what I mean?

These two functions are the ones that need to be hyper attentive towards market fluctuations, their own GTM strategies and product fitment. So yeah. :/

Sunbunny31

Politicker

Sr Sales Executive 🐰

I think nomdeguerre had the best structure. Inbound - marketing, outbound - sales, and both marketing and sales rolling up to CRO.

FranchiseSalesQB

Politicker

Franchise Sales QB

Not marketing for sure but, do you mean where the sit in the office?😂

CuriousFox

WR Officer

🦊

Marketing

FoodForSales

Politicker

"I don't need no stinkin' SDR..."

SDM

Politicker

Sales development manager

VP of Sales for sure...

HTXCloser

Contributor

Director of Business Development

At my place, they sit under marketing. If marketing sucks they are not as effective. I strongly Believe they need to report under sales. We have one goal with an add- bring leads in for sales.

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Epictetus

Where do the SDRs sit most effectively?

Where do your SDRs sit?

18 comments

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