Content Writer for Whistle with multidisciplinary experience spanning over a decade.
In order for any SDR agency to be successful, there needs to be complete synergy between all its units. This results in the adoption of a shared vision and the daily pursuit of the organization’s mission statement. We take a closer look at two roles within an SDR agency that are complementary in nature – the SDR and the Account Manager.
Here’s an overview of what each role looks like and how it contributes to the sales process.
In many cases, the SDR is the first point of contact for a prospect and sets the tone for the rest of the relationship with the organization. The SDR also has the opportunity through their conversations with ideal clients to confirm who is in market, who is out of market and who falls into the unqualified category. Following on from this step, it is also the responsibility of an SDR to set meetings with those qualified prospects, nurture the relationship with out-of-market prospects until they become potentially viable, as well as eliminate unqualified prospects from the prospect pool.
It is critically important for an SDR to keep detailed records of conversations with prospects in order to provide clear feedback to the sales department. These pointers and references from conversations with qualified prospects help guide the sale process and create an easier progression through the sales funnel.
SDRs contact prospects prior to meetings in order to encourage their attendance. This call is usually focused on showing the prospect the value to be gained from the conversation. The SDR then confirms the attendance of the prospect ahead of the meeting in order to keep the rest of the sales team updated on changes in the prospect’s status.
The next action for a diligent SDR would be to check in post-meeting to see how the meeting with the prospect went and what could be learned from the interaction. This information is invaluable as it contributes to sales statistics and allows for learning to be shared across the sales team and the organization as a whole.
The Account Manager introduces themselves to prospects before the meeting as the individual tasked with facilitating the next step of the prospect’s product journey. They use their knowledge of the product and the company to answer any questions that the prospect may have and helps the prospect arrive at the best possible solution.
This solution is usually the result of research done by the SDR as well as information gained from conversations with the prospect up to that point. This information, paired with research done on the prospect by the SDR and Account Manager allows for a more tailor-made solution. It is this attention to detail and fine-tuning that allows the prospect to see the value of the interaction and makes them more receptive to the idea of progressing in the product journey.
It is also the duty of an Account Manager to work with prospects to either guide the sale to a close or to maintain the relationship with the prospect until the prospect is ready to proceed.
Any interactions with the prospect are updated to the SDR so that any gaps in the information chain can be closed. These updates are supplemented with regular information sessions in order to share trends that they have noticed and to enhance the knowledge pool of the organization as a whole.
The SDR and Account Manager both have specific but similar roles to play in the prospect’s product journey. They both help facilitate the process and are responsible for identifying opportunities for current and future prospects. They are equally responsible for the sales success of an SDR agency.
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