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.