I'm always asked how I ensure the proper distribution of new leads and pipeline when SDRs are aligned with multiple Sales Reps so I put this together to shed light on my approach. Hope it helps Welcome any and all feedback.
Managing Appropriate SDR Performance Distribution Across Multiple Sales Reps
1. Pipeline Management /
SDR to Field Representatives
Techniques to ensure appropriate lead and qualified opportunity distribution
from SDRâs supporting multiple field Representatives.
By Derrick Williams
Senior Inside Sales and Sales
Development Manager
2. Points to consider.
Not all reps and pipelines are created equally. The goal shouldnât be providing equal distribution to field reps,
but more effectively, to drive at least 4x coverage on new business across the sales organization.
Based on tenure and ability, the health of each pipeline is different. Take a look at each Field Repâs pipeline
and plot the course accordingly, some may require more time than others.
Keep the alignment ratio small. In keeping the alignment small, youâre able to mitigate disproportionate
contributions. When SDRâs have too many reps to support, the result is ineffective pipeline coverage.
SDR quotas by sales rep. Iâm not a big fan of doing this, compensation becomes even more complex which often
leads to higher attrition. Quotas and commission plans should be set in a way where SDRs are incentivized to
be proactive in all assigned patches. With that said, allocating quotas by assignment to ensure proper
distribution is a highly effective.
3. 5 SDR time-allocation techniques.
âFive Bestâ practices for SDRâs supporting two or more Reps:
1. Dedicated days for each Sales Rep. Concentrating your time on a specific patch, will help with lead and
opportunity distribution and territory planning.
1. Tag your call-backs with the Sales Repâs name. This is an easy way to balance your time on a day-to-day
basis, and provide insight regarding future time allocation.
1. Cross coordinate on events. Sales Reps who drive new events in their patch and collaborate with their SDR on
planning and execution typically see more from their SDR.
1. Proactive participation by the Sales Rep. In a lot of ways, this is a give-get relationship. The more time Sales
Rep spending partnering with (not bossing) their SDR, the more they will see new leads!
1. Provide a balanced targeted account list. Garbage in, garbage out. If you assign SDRs accounts least likely to
do business, then you shouldnât be disappointed with poor quality and volume.
4. Managing the SDR performance distribution.
3 pillars of SDR Desk Management:
Pillar #1 - Expectation:
How much should each rep be fed? Establish 4x (or more) coverage targets by Sales Rep and constantly monitor
progress. Typically, there are other pipeline sources working in parallel (marketing, channel and Sales Rep
generated). Identify SDR expected level of contribution and manage to that target.
Pillar #2 - Governance:
Are all reps being fed appropriately? Use CRM dashboards to provide clear insights to âSDR performance by
Sales Rep,â and total pipeline attribution.
Pillar #3 - Ongoing Planning:
Who requires more feeding? Prepare pipeline reports to provide a clear line of sight regarding any gaps in the
pipelines. Adjust and prioritize SDR focus accordingly.
Tip: SDR/AE weekly planning should include looking forward at the coming travel schedule to ensure maximum density of engagements
Tip: There some great public/shareable calendar apps out there that can make coordination easier