How to Get Your AEs to Self-Source
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SDRs bring in leads and book meetings and AEs do the closing. That’s how it’s been for a while now, but that is changing.
The market is changing.
The way things are going companies are more nitpicky about purchasing new tech and the decision-making process is way more complex. Cold outreach response rates have gone down because companies are more skeptical about engaging with sales reps, and the average sales cycle has become way longer in the past few years.
Now more people are involved in the process, meaning that there are more stops to make and more decision-makers to convince, which takes time. And, budgets are tighter or even frozen, which lowers the chances of getting the purchase approved at all. And even then, the average deal size has reduced.
Companies are not into high-commitment contracts anymore. What they want are small inexpensive purchases.
So sales teams need to put in more effort to make sure that their revenue is not suffering.
So why not invest in inbound leads?
Because the cost of inbound marketing has also skyrocketed. The cost of acquisition has increased so much that for many companies it doesn’t make sense to invest in inbound leads.
So what does make sense, and what many firms have already started doing, is asking your AEs to self-source a part of their pipeline.
Sounds easy, right?
I’m sad to say, your AEs might disagree. In fact, you will probably face some resistance in the beginning. But as with any changes, there are things you can do to make the transition as smooth and resistance-free as possible.
Why Should Your AEs Self-Source
Let’s look at the reasons why having your AEs self-source adds up.
1. It’s more logical from a financial point of view. I already touched on this a bit earlier, but many companies choose to prioritize a sales-led strategy nowadays. Inbound marketing has become so expensive, that it’s just more logical to have your AEs source a part of their pipeline by using outbound tactics.
Most companies jumped on the bandwagon of online ads, which is why inbound marketing became so expensive. The ads industry is so overly saturated that getting your prospect’s attention needs way more effort and resources. And not only that, but the prices of online ads have surged because they have become so popular in the past years.
So companies don’t want their AEs relying only on inbound leads. The goal would be to have a more diverse pipeline where they get to target valuable prospects themselves, have a shorter sales cycle like outbound sales usually have, and have more predictable revenue streams.
2. The SDR lifecycle is short. People usually apply to an SDR position thinking that they don’t want to do that job for very long. The goal is to stick with it for like a year and then either move to another department or become an AE.
What that means for sales managers, though, is that they have SDRs coming and going constantly. They need to train new SDRs probably multiple times a year and once they have finally gotten fully productive on their own, they leave. It’s like this neverending cycle.
And let me tell you, training is not easy and it most certainly isn’t cheap. So spending all this time, money, and effort to train people just so that they can leave the moment they become good, does not make sense.
And the truth of the matter is, when new SDRs start doing sales it’s normal for them to lose many opportunities and burn bridges with possible quality leads. They are probably fresh out of college, they have minimal work experience, and now they’re being asked to talk to C-tier executives and get them to buy. They just won’t have the knowledge and abilities to do that for the first 3 to 6 months.
Being a sales development representative is a difficult job dressed as an entry-level position. Doing sales and hitting targets needs actual skill and dedication. It definitely isn’t for everyone.
But, you could avoid all these issues by having your AEs self-source more. It’s like getting 2 birds with 1 stone. Firstly, all the training won’t go to waste the moment your SDRs are promoted, and at that point, they will have the product knowledge, experience, and skills to actually sell and convert these prospects into customers.
So why not take advantage of that?
3. Your AEs are supposed to help your reps to grow and learn. You have a lot on your plate, so monitoring your new reps’ progress and mentoring them at all times is probably something that you don’t have the time to do. But that’s an easy task for your AEs.
AEs should be able to teach and guide new SDRs, but that also means that they should have the knowledge of how to do cold outreach. How to catch the prospect’s attention and how to pitch to them in an interesting way. And how to get them to book a meeting.
Most AEs were SDRs once upon a time, but it could’ve been years ago. They are probably a bit rusty when it comes to cold-calling, and I doubt they feel very confident on the phones. So now there is a skill gap between them and SDRs.
If your AEs take part in outbound activities as well, they will be able to stay up-to-date with all the trends and tactics needed in sales, and that way they can also easily teach these things to any newcomers.
What Do AEs Think About This
I think it’s safe to say that all of the above reasons make a lot of sense from the company’s point of view, but what about what the AEs think?
The answer is not black and white. Some AEs understand the reasons behind why they should be self-sourcing, some are already doing it, but some are not happy at all with the idea.
Why?
Let’s think about it from their perspective. They probably started as an SDR. Like many others, they probably didn’t love the job, but they worked hard to get promoted. Now they’ve been AEs for a few years and they have gotten super comfortable with it. They still work hard, but they get to actually close deals with qualified leads while others are doing the dirty work of prospecting and cold-calling for them.
And that’s when you come in and tell them that they need to go back to SDRing while also doing their current job. That they need to go back to the front line and do the job that they most likely didn’t love. Let me tell you, they won’t jump from happiness.
It’s like asking a chef to go back to washing the dishes and cutting up all the vegetables. No chef would happily go back to that after working their way up for years to become a chef.
So it’s no wonder why AEs are feeling a bit apprehensive about this change and that they are asking questions like how will we have the time to do that on top of all our other tasks? Should I not use my time to nurture my already existing warm leads? Won’t I lose valuable time I could be using to call qualified leads by calling possibly bad-quality prospects?
How to Get Your AEs to Self-Source
Changing your AEs’ point of view on this is up to you.
But how can you do this?
By looking at yourself first. How are you as a manager? What kind of a culture are you setting? Are you supporting your team? And most importantly, are you making the transition as smooth for your AEs as possible?
Let’s look at the 6 things you should be doing when introducing these changes to your sales team:
1. Build the right culture. Everything starts with the culture you are setting. Is everyone just looking after their own, working in isolation, and only interested in whether they are getting their commission or not? Or are they team-oriented? Is there camaraderie? Are your teammates helping each other out?
You, as the manager, want to create an atmosphere of support and encouragement where the whole team works as one. Your main job is to be there for your team, helping them grow and learn, and building trust with them. As long as you are doing that, it’s more likely for them to treat each other in the same respect.
Another big thing is to have a culture of transparency. Your whole team should feel comfortable sharing their concerns, downfalls, and stressors, but also their wins and successes with each other. They should be able to come to you with any concerns and issues and feel like they are being heard and supported.
Your AEs will feel more open to changing their job description if they feel like their team needs their help, and if they know that they won’t be left to fend for themselves. They should be certain that you will have their back at all times.
2. Lead by example. If you expect your AEs to start cold-calling, why not do it yourself first?
Think about the saying:
A boss says “Go”, but a leader says “Let’s go”.
Be with your team. Inspire them. Gain their respect by going in the trenches with them and by leading by example. Whatever you ask of them you should be able to do as well. Otherwise, how can you expect them to be OK with any changes?
Jump on a call blitz with your AEs and SDRs and start dialing with them. Show them how you handle different objections, how you follow up with leads, and how you manage to book meetings. Don’t have the time to do this live? Do it when you have the time and send your team the recording.
3. Implement their feedback. You want to create a safe space for your team where you not only listen to them, but you also try to implement their feedback the best you can.
Especially during a time of change, you want to make sure your AEs feel like they can share something that isn’t working for them and you will actually try to do something about it. Otherwise, how are they supposed to trust you? How are they supposed to know that you are legitimately there to help them?
4. Make sure they understand the “Why’s”. Don’t just announce a change without ever explaining the reasons behind the change. Be transparent with your team, no matter what the reasons might be.
You could include your AEs in the decision-making processes, have them have a say when it comes to management, and get them involved in making plans that affect their work.
By going this route, your AEs will feel more invested in the success of their team as a whole. They will most likely share the same values and goals as you and they will feel more inclined to step up when they are needed.
5. Eliminate any roadblocks. Look closely at the reasons why your AEs are feeling reluctant about self-sourcing and try to come up with solutions for those issues.
Firstly, don’t make your AEs change their whole workflow in a day. Introduce the change gradually to give them the time to adjust. For example, have them start off with a small percentage of their pipeline, and once they have shown that they can handle it increase it bit by bit.
This will give them the time to see that they can handle the workload, and they will have the time to readjust their workflow multiple times until they find the perfect routine.
Then, consider giving your AEs already vetted leads. Try to make their lives as easy as possible in the beginning so that they don’t feel overwhelmed. Giving your AEs good quality leads in the beginning will also ramp up their success rate, which will in turn make them feel more confident.
And, of course, give your AEs all the tools your SDRs are using. Don’t expect them to deliver without being fully equipped. This will make their lives way easier.
6. Bring out the numbers. The truth is, that no matter how invested your team is in the company we all work for money in the end. So why not lay down the financial pros of this change to give your AEs a boost of motivation?
If AEs start to self-source a part of their pipeline, they get access to more opportunities when it comes to their commission. Closing deals can take time, especially when it comes to inbound leads. And although the sales cycle for SDRs has grown, it’s usually still shorter than what AEs have to deal with.
So why not bring out the facts and speak to the rational side of their brains?
Put Yourself in Their Shoes
Just try to think of how you would feel in your AEs’ situation. What would be your main concern and reason for reluctance? How would you expect your manager to implement the changes? And what kind of support would you need?
And if you don’t have answers to these questions, then ask your team. Ask them what they need from you and try to work out a plan with them.
The most important thing is that you show them that you care, that you are there for them in case they need anything, and that you give them space to get used to the changes in their own time.
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