Sales Development Representatives (SDRs) play a crucial role in driving revenue growth. However, behind every successful team of SDRs is an effective SDR manager who takes on the responsibility of guiding their team's goal-setting process, providing mentorship, and fostering professional growth. In this blog post, we will delve into the vital role of an SDR manager in setting goals and developing the potential of their team members.
Understanding the importance of goal setting
Goal setting forms the foundation for success in any sales organization. An SDR manager understands the significance of setting clear and measurable goals that align with the company's revenue objectives. By establishing meaningful goals, managers can guide their teams toward achieving individual and team targets while contributing to the organization's overall success.
Goal setting shouldn't be a one-way street. Foster a collaborative environment where SDRs actively participate in the goal-setting process. By involving team members in the process, the manager gains valuable insights into their strengths, aspirations, and areas for improvement, allowing for more accurate and motivational goal setting.
Gartner breaks sales development metrics into two categories: operational and strategic. That’s a useful distinction because you need to track activity metrics but you may not want to compensate reps on them. Operational benchmarks are better described as activity benchmarks, which include like number of touchpoints per account, number of accounts touched per month, number of calls and/or emails sent, etc. These numbers vary from company to company and are set out within your service-level agreements (SLA) and/or rules of engagement.
The strategic benchmarks are often the kpis for which SDRs are compensated. Many of the metrics tracked center around pipeline generations and revenue. To see a collection of these benchmarks, check out this blogpost.
Providing guidance and direction
Once the goals are set, the SDR manager is responsible for providing guidance and direction to their team members. They act as mentors, leveraging their expertise and experience to help SDRs understand the path to success. Managers provide clarity on the actions, strategies, and metrics required to achieve the goals, ensuring that each team member understands their individual role in the larger picture.
Effective goal setting is not a "set it and forget it" process. SDR managers regularly monitor the progress of their team members and provide ongoing support to ensure goal attainment. They track key performance metrics, conduct regular check-ins, and offer constructive feedback to help SDRs course-correct and stay on track. By being actively involved, managers empower their team members to stay motivated and accountable.
SDR goals
Most SDR goals are set around activity levels. While those goals, like amount of pipeline generated and conversion rates, there are more intangible goals that will improve morale and overall skill.
1. Enhance Prospecting and Outreach Skills
Effective prospecting and outreach are key skills for SDRs. Setting a goal to enhance these skills involves developing strategies for identifying and engaging with potential customers, improving email and phone communication techniques, and mastering the art of personalized and compelling messaging. By continually honing their prospecting skills, SDRs can maximize their outreach effectiveness.
2. Improve Product Knowledge and Value Proposition Communication
SDRs need a deep understanding of the product or service they are selling and the ability to effectively communicate their value proposition. Setting a goal to enhance product knowledge and value proposition communication involves continuous learning, staying updated on product features and benefits, and developing the ability to articulate value in a compelling way to potential customers.
3. Enhance Collaboration with Sales and Marketing Teams
Collaboration is crucial for SDRs to succeed. Setting a goal to enhance collaboration involves building strong relationships with the sales and marketing teams, aligning strategies and goals, and fostering open communication channels. By working closely with other departments, SDRs can improve lead handoff, gather feedback, and optimize the overall sales process. Additionally, most SDRs move to other roles within the organizations. Having SDRs collaborate with AEs and marketers set them up for success as they are promoted.
Coaching your SDR team
SDR attrition is no joke. According to Brainshark, the average tenure of an SDR is 1.5 years, and that's with a 3-month ramp period. To build a great SDR team, setting up a rep for success early is essential. Account Coverage specifically comes with several powerful tools for sales managers to use for better, more targeted coaching, including building reps' books, and strategies for creating more opportunities. For team-level and rep-level success, take a deep dive into those analytics.
Fostering professional growth
An exceptional SDR manager recognizes the importance of fostering professional growth among their team members. They create a culture of continuous learning by providing training opportunities, organizing skill-building workshops, and encouraging knowledge sharing within the team. By investing in their team's development, SDR managers equip their SDRs with the skills and knowledge necessary to excel in their roles and advance in their careers.
1. Continuous learning opportunities
Continuous learning does not have to cost money or require outside classes. There are a number of educational materials that SDR teams can utilize. Everything from industry newsletters, webinars, and podcasts. As the SDR manager, encourage every member of the team to be a part of the resources. Having a review of the material weekly or monthly keeps the team accountable and engaged. Sometimes, even a specific slack channel to share ideas and learnings.
2. Training
Most SDR teams are well-versed in training for situations like objection handling and using tools like Salesloft or Outreach. But, training soft skills is equally as important. For example, as a communications professional, persuasion techniques and active listening are great soft skills that can be used in calls and emails.
3. Cross-department knowledge
Promote knowledge sharing and collaboration between SDRs and other departments, such as marketing and customer success. Encourage SDRs to participate in meetings or shadow team members from different departments to gain insights into their roles and perspectives. This cross-pollination of knowledge can broaden SDRs' understanding of the customer journey, product nuances, and industry-specific challenges, enabling them to have more meaningful conversations with potential customers.
By actively engaging in collaborative goal setting, providing guidance and support, monitoring progress, and fostering growth, SDR managers create an environment that empowers SDRs to achieve their full potential. Through their efforts, SDR managers contribute to the success of the organization while building a strong, motivated, and high-performing team of Sales Development Representatives.
Looking for more SDR resources and tips? Check out our blog and resources pages:
