Most companies make the same mistake when training their SDRs: they teach them to sell the meeting, not the value.
You’ve heard it before—SDRs hammering prospects with lines like:
🗣 “It won’t take long!”
🗣 “You’ll get a free trial at the end!”
But this approach sets SDRs up for transactional conversations, not meaningful sales discussions. And worse? It doesn’t prepare them to become successful AEs in the future.
If you want SDRs who book better meetings, build stronger pipelines, and seamlessly transition into AE roles, you need to coach them like AEs from day one.
How to Train SDRs Like AEs
✅ Teach Them to Identify Pain Points, Not Just Push Meetings
SDRs should be able to uncover a prospect’s challenges, goals, and pain points—not just feature dump. The best meetings happen when prospects see the value for themselves.
✅ Train Them on Personas, ICPs, and Use Cases
SDRs need to deeply understand who they’re selling to and why it matters. This makes their outreach more relevant and increases conversion rates.
✅ Encourage Open, 2-Way Conversations
Real sales conversations aren’t one-sided pitches. Train SDRs to ask great questions, listen actively, and adapt their messaging based on what they hear.
✅ Teach Them to Qualify Out, Not Just Qualify In
Not every prospect is a fit—and that’s okay. SDRs should feel confident saying, “This might not be the right time for you,” rather than chasing meetings that go nowhere.
The Results? A Stronger Pipeline & Future AEs
When SDRs are trained like AEs, everything improves:
🚀 Higher-quality meetings with prospects who are actually interested
🚀 A stronger pipeline that leads to more closed deals
🚀 A smoother transition from SDR to AE, creating your next generation of top sellers
Stop training SDRs to sell the meeting—train them to sell the value. The results will speak for themselves.
Are you coaching your SDRs like AEs? If not, it’s time to start. Let me know how it works for your team! 💬
