atxsalesguy17

SMB Account Executive

Would You Rather have BDR Driven Pipeline or Self Source Your Own Pipeline?

I'm sure there's going to be a lot of mixed opinions on this one. I ask as my company has made a shift internally where now we are responsible to source more than 65% of our own pipeline, where as last year we had 1:1 BDR to AE's. With a BDR we were responsible for sourcing around 30% of our own pipeline.

With this came no comp adjustments, just higher expectations of the role.

Has anyone else had this happen to them, and what were your thoughts on it?

BDR Sourced Pipeline or Self Sourced Pipeline

Attached poll

Self Source BDR Sourced

*Voting in this poll no longer yields commission.

🧢 Sales Management

🔎 Prospecting

15 comments

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CadenceCombat

Tycoon

Account Executive

I do find that I have more trust in my pipeline if its self sourced... then again, one of the biggest deals i ever closed stemmed from a BDR sourced lead.

Obviously, as an AE, the more resources to build pipe, the better. That includes having a BDR engine you can rely on.

I think if you’re looking at this from more of a leadership standpoint, the ultimate question becomes:

- Is it a cost cutting measure to brace for covid impact to the business?
- Do they anticipate an increase in conversion and deal size to account for the lack of BDR support?

RedLightning

Politicker

Mid-Market AE

Do you have good BDR's as a company? Some places simply see it as a stepping stone to something else, but others invest into it and the BDR's are much better and can advance as BDR's.

From a leadership standpoint, hiring is probably the biggest factor. BDR turnover is really expensive.

funcoupons

WR Officer

👑

A mixture. It's nice to get leads from our BDR team, but to be honest most of them are junk because they're compensated on appointments attended, not appointments that qualify/close. The accounts I cold call myself usually end up being the ones I work on/close. If I had to pick one or the other I'd self source...can't rely on someone else to bring me the good leads.

atxsalesguy17

Fire Starter

SMB Account Executive

I would agree 100% on this one. What I really like about working with a BDR is the ability to have another set of eyes on the accounts to help strategize but also keep the touch points increasing. Our BDR's were compensated on the appointment being qualified.

100% deals I source have a higher close rate than those from BDR's due to being able to control the process the whole way through.

SlanginSaaS

Opinionated

Strategic Account Executive

You should never fully rely on your BDR/SDR. Always keep your hunting skills fresh and ready to go. Having a collaborative partnership with your BDR/SDR is so important. You both may teach each other a new approach or just the knowledge sharing alone goes a long way.

Having been a BDR/SDR, I leaned on the reps I supported to expedite my growth and career. I want to make sure my BDR is set up for success and knows that he can come to me with any question whether about an account, our company, interviewing to leave. I want them to be just as successful as I am.

With that said, BDR/SDR support is 100% needed. As a closer, if you want to be set up for the most success in a year, you cannot have the weight of 100% self created pipeline on you. Unless you are transactional selling, the amount of work that goes on in the background of each deal takes up too much time to effectively prospect daily.

Blackwargreymon

Politicker

MDR

I do find that I have more trust in my pipeline if its self sourced... then again, one of the biggest deals i ever closed stemmed from a BDR sourced lead.

coldcallandcry

WR Officer

Growth Account Manager

I used to be an SDR. I don't trust those leads for shit LOL

LordBusiness

Politicker

Chief Revenue Officer

I've never known a role where I wasn't responsible for more than 90% of my own pipeline so I can't speak to the other side lives. I've heard a ton of complaints from SDR driven teams that they spend most of their time dealing with BS meetings pushed through so SDR's can hit their metrics and get paid.

funcoupons

WR Officer

👑

To your second point: yuuuuup

I'd rather have a blank calendar and spend that time cold calling for myself than waste that time with BS meetings.

atxsalesguy17

Fire Starter

SMB Account Executive

Double tap on that second point as well.

Only reason I enjoyed having a BDR was the 1:1 relationship we had and how we were able to strategically work together and they understood that my success is their success, and my success comes from good meetings, not shit meetings.

NorthernSalesGuru

Politicker

Manager, Outbound Sales

Self source. But ideally a combination of both...

I’ve had some pretty stellar BDRs who I work well with in the past and it can be incredible successful. That said, nothing like controlling the entire process start to finish and taking care of your own shit

CoolBreeze

Opinionated

Enterprise Account Executive

Depends on how the BDRs are compensated and motivated. At one place, in my past, BDRs were getting 1% of the closed deal value therefore they were very motivated to bring quality conversations to the table.

CaneWolf

Politicker

Call me what you want, just sign the damn contract

I don't care as long as I have deals. I've sourced my own, had marketing generate (shocking, I know) and had BDRs/SDRs. A good deal is a good deal and unless they pay me more to self-source, it makes no difference.

CorpBroette

Executive

New Business Account Executive

Team effort always.

I set the strategy, share industry analysis, success stories, talking points, focus accounts etc

BRD researches the accounts and does the hard yards.

DungeonsNDemos

Big Shot

Rolling 20's all day

I’d like both, but would rather have self sourced.

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atxsalesguy17

Would You Rather have BDR Driven Pipeline or Self Source Your Own Pipeline?

BDR Sourced Pipeline or Self Sourced Pipeline

15 comments

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