The B2B Playbook forSDR and AE Alignment

In the history of competitive sports, the best teams have managed

to make the whole greater than the sum of its parts. Talent, hard

work, and belief in the overarching goals are a given, but perhaps

more important is that all players have a clear understanding

of their roles within the team. Added together, teamwork and

chemistry formulates -- and greatness, in the form of championship

glory, is realized.

Modern B2B sales organizations are structured to embrace this

concept. Just like every sports player has a unique role within a

team, sales development representatives (SDRs) and account

executives (AEs) must work together, albeit with much different

job functions. The structure (on the surface) makes sense: SDRs

typically are on the frontlines, tasked with setting meetings for AEs,

who heavily focus on closing the sale.

Every company – like every different game – has a unique value

proposition related to the business problem or need it solves,

whether it be in the form of a service or product. Conversely,

even if team-wide processes are in place, B2B sales professionals

are unique with varied approaches to prospecting and closing

business. For AEs, or “hunters”, the quota is the end-game. Call it

a bad bounce of the ball, but despite SDR support, a recent study

conducted by ZoomInfo found B2B sales reps only met their quota

59% of the time.

OVERVIEW

We believe a primary reason for failed quota attainment

can be linked to SDR-AE alignment. While an SDR can

adapt to an AE’s approach, the dynamics are inevitably

undermined because the average SDR-to-AE ratio is 4:1 in

B2B organizations. Thus, SDRs find themselves playing for

four different teams -- and in extreme cases, four entirely

different sports -- with players that have different game

plans to go along with their strengths and weaknesses.

Consequently, it’s not surprising burnout – and unhappiness–

are surging by 34% in the sales space.

We also believe SDR-AE synergy is possible in spite of

the aforementioned inherent challenges. To forge this

successful alignment, every SDR and AE should apply

ZoomInfo’s PLAYS methodology, which establishes a

timeline and goals, while simultaneously leaving room to

call an audible based on the scoreboard.

To get you started, the following playbook outlines best

practices for cultivating sustainable SDR-AE alignment

across a B2B sales organization throughout every stage

of the qualification process -- from pre-prospecting to

defining and executing qualified meetings.

(P) = Periodic: For sales professionals, there’s a timeline and a quota. Managing

your time effectively and efficiently is key for hitting your goals. The

length doesn’t matter – whether short-term or long-term – as long

as it has a “term” to completion.

(L) = Learning: Sales is centered on gaining new skills -- and sometimes, it’s more

about the “learning” than the “getting.” Whether it’s trying out new

messaging or targeting different personas, all of your plays should

be fact-finding towards increased growth.

(A) = Agile: In case a strategy isn’t working, it’s important to quickly switch

gears. Having the tools needed to re-group will help in your overall

prospecting process.

(Y) = Yield It’s always important to yield (real) results by the end of your

selling play. If, at the finish line, you can look back on your sales

alignment with pride, then the overtime efforts were worth it.

(S) = Sustainable: Sometimes, things don’t go your way. When looking at your

sales game plan as a whole, it helps to take the extremes out of

it and understand if what you’re implementing is sustainable.

Whether it’s considered a success or failure, it’s worthy to assess

your strategies.

OVERVIEW

KPIs: What Looks Good for Both Players?We also believe SDR-AE

synergy is possible in spite of

the aforementioned inherent

challenges. To forge this

successful alignment, every SDR

and AE should apply ZoomInfo’s

PLAYS methodology, which

establishes a timeline and goals,

while simultaneously leaving

room to call an audible based on

the scoreboard:

Closed/Won Quota Attainment:

Measure of contributed business from

AE-SDR efforts. The average closed/won

opportunity rate is 25%.

(Source: LinkedIn Sales)

Opportunity Pipeline Created:

Potential business that AE-SDR activity

has provided the sales organization.

SDR should aim for a 62% meeting-to-

opportunity rate per month.

(Source: LinkedIn Sales)

Meetings Completed

Percentage of meetings that actually

occurred from the pool of meetings

scheduled by SDRs. SDRs should source 21

completed meeting per month.

(Source: TOPO)

Meetings Scheduled

The number of demos scheduled by an

SDR. No-show rates can be as high as

40% for B2B sales calls during the demo/

discovery stage. (Source: LinkedIn Sales)

SDR Connects (Conversations)

The number of documented conversations

an SDR has with prospects. It can take up to

90 tries to connect with a prospect. A good

conversation rate from lead to opportunity

for SDRs and AEs is 30%. (Source: TOPO)

Activity

Total outreach across engagement

channels (including phone, email, LinkedIn).

65% of salespeople who use social selling

fill their pipeline, compared to 47% of reps

who do not. The average SDR performs

94 activities a day, including social, call,

voicemail, and email touches.

(Source: HubSpot)

TRAINING CAMP:4 Rules for Aligned Prospecting

RULE #1

Tier the account universe from a

territory to ensure SDRs spend time in

the right places

Stay focused on your target accounts to

meet quota attainment. For example, map

out the account universe. Does an AE’s

strategy center on volume-based wins or

landing high-value, low-volume customer

acquisition? And does the SDR understand

how to support the selected approach?

Align messaging and touchpoints

You’re selling to an organization with

multiple stakeholders, who may have

different -- or even competing! -- interests

as it relates to your product or service. Does

the SDR know which persona is typically a

decision-maker vs. an influencer? Moreover,

does the SDR understand how to navigate

the account to properly engage various

personas to turn spectators into fans?

Create a re-engagement strategy to

recycle prospects

Just because a prospect isn’t ready to take

a meeting today doesn’t mean the SDRs’

efforts should go to waste. Avoid benching

prospects by working together to plan

periodic, follow-up outreach via automated

email campaigns, social selling, and more.

Outline Outreach ExpectationsTraining camp is about preparing

for the season. And with KPIs in

place, AEs should work with their

assigned SDR to develop their

playbook for success:

RULE #2 TRAINING CAMP:4 Rules for Aligned Prospecting

Discover or demo: What’s the

difference?

The discovery call has been dubbed

“the most important call in the sales

conversation” for the prospect and the

sales team. Going forward, this call sets the

tone for the entire relationship. The main

objective of the call is to decipher if there is

potential fit by diving deeper than the initial

SDR conversation. Maybe more context

is required for qualification to ensure

neither the prospect nor your sales team

is wasting one another’s time. Chances are,

the more complex the sale, the more likely

a discovery call prior to jumping straight

to a demo is required, regardless of how

much information an SDR gathered in the

initial conversations. During this time, it’s

important for them to keep in mind the

80/20 rule of sales: the SDR should be

doing 80% of the listening and 20% of

the talking. Here, you should make your

prospects feel heard by tailoring your talk

track to their specific needs.

But make no mistake, the context gained

in a discovery meeting is still immensely

invaluable for AEs to use in order to develop

a stronger, tailored product or service

demonstration in subsequent meetings.

The demo call will show the prospect

highlighted features, explain capabilities

as it relates to a potential use case (as

established by SDR demo notes or previous

discovery meetings), and answer questions

about your service or product. The desired

result? Further establish qualification,

usually in the form of BANT (budget,

authority, need, and timing) and provide

the prospect proof of concept.

Communicate the ContextPlaybooks are situational.

Context is king. In sports, teams

play differently depending on the

stage of the game and whether

they’re behind, ahead, or tied.

Sales meetings are the same. In

this circumstance, it’s up to the

SDR to communicate the type

of scenario an AE is entering.

Depending on the situation, it will

involve prepping for a demo or

discovery call.

RULE #3 TRAINING CAMP:4 Rules for Aligned Prospecting

After the initial prep time, prospect

ownership must be established amongst the

team. If the lead is categorized as qualified,

then the SDR will own the account. And yes,

that’s not a typo.

Why?

If a lead gets passed around, it will confuse

the prospect. Thus, having the lead stay with

the SDR is crucial for client organization and

avoiding miscommunication.

RULE #4 TRAINING CAMP:4 Rules for Aligned Prospecting

Establish Guidelines for Ownership and TransferIn order to be successful,

knowing who does what is

essential when creating a game

winning strategy. Similarly, when

an SDR and AE establish who

a prospect belongs to, it helps

them score big in their processes.

Let’s face it: nobody likes warm-up drills. Just like stretching, laying out a clear process for pre-call deliverables and logistics may seem tedious, but these steps will avert injury on the B2B playing field:

SDRs schedule an appointment and send the

calendar invite:

The SDR should send a brief recap of the meeting’s purpose and

open with a welcome -- addressing the prospect by first name in

order to give the message a personal touch.

SDRs determine an organized handoff to the AE:

Any (and all) qualification criteria should be handed off to the AE at

this point. It’s helpful to include notes within your CRM or records

for future reference. Additional references could include added

qualifications and questions required by the company.

SDRs and AEs communicate ahead of the meeting to ensure

adequate knowledge transfer:

Prepare ahead of time so the sales rep understands the

background of the meeting and avoids asking the same questions

covered by the SDR in their initial outreach.

SDR is in charge of outlining a presentation strategy:

B2B organizations have pitch decks with integrated demos. That

said, canned demos are mostly a thing of the past. Prospects

expect personalization; it’s up to the rep to understand how to

customize the standard pitch deck.

If the information is complex, the rep should validate the

information collected by the SDR and tailor the presentation to

illustrate proof of concept.

If either a solutions architect or sales engineer is required for

the meeting, the sales rep needs to play quarterback or point

guard and dictate which roles and responsibilities every player has

going forward.

Game Day Warm-Ups: Stretch Out Before Selling

When the meeting occurs, it’s essential for the SDR to put his or her best (playing foot) forward!

First, the SDR should recap why everyone is on the call. Doing so

sets the tone and purpose for the meeting. Afterward, the SDR will

establish the AE as the main point of contact. This gives the prospect

a clear understanding of who to contact for additional inquiries.

From here, the SDR will outline the planned presentation. During

this time, the SDR will run through all the main points and tailor the

conversation to the prospect.

Towards the end, next steps and timeline should be discussed. The AE

should establish deliverables between both the AE and the prospect –

and schedule a “meeting recap” after it’s over.

The Kickoff – What Happens During the Meeting:

Cool Down - Practicing for the Next Game:

After the meeting has ended, internal and external conversations

need to be initiated. AEs and SDRs should always make a point

to remember that they win as a team and lose as a team. Aligned

conversation around the specific meeting at hand will only help

foster and embolden the partnership.

Internal: Film Study, Victory Speeches, and Game Balls

Learn your ABCs: Sales professionals reference ABC as an

acronym for “always be closing.” Just like players and coaches

who diligently study film, both during and immediately after the

game, SDRs and AEs should debrief and embrace “always be

communicating.” Whether it’s a victory speech or the aftermath

of a defeat, an honest conversation about the good, the bad, and

the ugly will go a long way in developing chemistry that’s crucial

toward SDR-AE alignment.

Brainstorm additional outreach in the form of “air

coverage”: Staying top of mind is key. If you’re an AE, ask yourself

if the prospect should be included in other campaigns throughout

the sales process – such as email drips – to help close the existing

opportunity or even uncover additional ones.

External: What to Include in the “Follow-Up” Press Conference

The AE sends any deliverables communicated during the meeting,

along with pricing collateral: All collateral should indicate who the

prospect is working with going forward.

Next steps: Further discuss what should be implemented at the

next meeting.

Conclusion

Account executives and sales development representatives

should always strive for aligned goals and processes. Having

an integrated workflow helps both teams score big and gather

more leads – efficiently and effectively. Going forward, this sets

the stage for creating a game-winning strategy on all fronts!

Looking to further organize your sales team?

qualifiedMEETINGS builds sales acceleration programs for

software and IT services companies that are focused on new

customer growth and new market penetration. DiscoverOrg’s

unrivaled B2B database can optimize your sales processes

with accurate insights into millions of the most qualified

professionals around. Start today.

ACCELERATE YOUR GROWTH WITH ZOOMINFO.

Visit www.zoominfo.com or call 866-904-9666 to find out how.

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