The "Third Wheel" of Your Organization

QUOTE QUEST
Specialize Everywhere

Remember when Mr. Rogers used to tell us, "You're special," and you could feel the warmth of his words? Well, that sentiment holds true even in the world of marketing today. Sometimes, in our quest for efficiency, we forget that both people and functions are special. We mix and match, hoping to simplify, but often end up with a puzzling mess. But here's a marketing secret: specialization is where the magic happens!

Just take a moment to think about sales development. When you create dedicated inbound and outbound functions, it's like unlocking hidden potential. And why stop there? Divide and conquer with separate teams for field marketing and 3rd party event marketing. Specialization sprinkles goodness all over your organization – it's the secret sauce that makes everything better 🌟✨

Sales Development
The Third Wheel of Your Organization
Choosing the Perfect Landing Spot for Your Team’s Success

Picture this: I'm advising a thriving $50M SaaS company, and just recently, one of their key leaders bid farewell. It was at that moment they posed the million-dollar question that's been echoing across boardrooms lately 🤔: "Where does the sales development team belong in our organization?" 🧩

This question has hit me more times than a catchy tune on the radio, and every time, it's accompanied by furrowed brows and deep contemplation. It's become an enigma, leading me to affectionately nickname the sales development or business development function as "the third wheel" in every organization's love story. 🚲❤️

Let me take you on a quick detour to illustrate this point. I'm thinking back to my first date with my now-wife. 🌹 My best friend insisted on tagging along, and frankly, I wasn't thrilled. I knew this date was a golden opportunity, and my friend would be like a bull in a china shop. When I picked her up, her initial words were a direct hit, "What are you doing here?" 🤣 It was clear she didn't see a place for him in this scenario. But hey, he's my buddy, right? Even if I didn't want him there, I had no clue where else to put him! 🤷‍♂️

Now, let's dive into this analogy: Does your sales development team ever feel like that awkward third wheel on a date? It's a bit like the friend who doesn't quite fit in anywhere – not in marketing, and not a perfect fit in sales either. It's like trying to place a puzzle piece in the wrong spot. 🧩

Whether you call it sales development, business development, or something else entirely, it's the beating heart of your sales strategy. However, where it lands on your org chart can either make your organization's heart race with excitement or leave it feeling a bit out of rhythm. 🏠

In my humble opinion, you've got three intriguing options to ponder:

1️⃣ Marketing
2️⃣ Sales
3️⃣ Operations

Marketing: Where Creativity Meets Conversion

If your sales development team finds its home in the marketing department, it'll likely cozy up under the "revenue marketing" umbrella, responsible for passing on those precious qualified opportunities to the sales squad. This option is gaining traction in the market as the second most popular option.

Pros:

🚀 Lightning-quick lead response times, top-notch lead nurturing, and campaigns that speak the language of your prospects.

🎯 Marketing folks dig into target audiences, ICPs, and messaging, elevating your account strategy to new heights.

Cons:

🌊 Outbound prospecting may lose its spotlight, given the potential misalignment of comp plans and the scarcity of sales skills in the marketing department.

🚪The career path can get a tad messy, as most sales development reps yearn to step into the shoes of sales reps.

🔗Collaboration between sales and marketing can sometimes resemble a waltz between two dancers with different rhythms.

Sales: Where the Sales Symphony Plays On

Now, having the sales development team report into the sales department allows one conductor to lead the entire sales orchestra, comprising both sales development teams and the closing maestros. This option steals the limelight in the market as the most popular. 🎶

Pros:

🌟 Sales skills shine brightly here, with robust support from sales enablement and the sales team.

🤝 The partnership between sales and SDRs reaches its zenith, ensuring harmony in the sales process.

📦 Smooth handoffs occur, as sales and SDRs find themselves on the same winning team.

🏆 The career path aligns ideally, as sales development reps bask in the company of the sales team they aspire to join.

Cons:

🔕 Inbound: Inbound leads may feel a tad neglected, as these reps focus more on honing their outbound prospecting prowess.

📦 Sales development team can get lost or minimized as the sales team reigns supreme

Operations: Where Order Meets Opportunity

In a twist of fate, some companies opt to steer their sales development ship toward the tranquil shores of the Operations department, charting a course separate from sales and marketing. 🌊

Pros:

🌐 Outbound/Inbound: The ideal blend of inbound and outbound prioritization takes center stage.

The numbers, process, and systems are the strongest here as operations does their job to run a tight ship

Cons:

🌪️ Career Path: While not an ideal career path, many sales development reps eventually find themselves at home in operations.

🚢 Handoff: Handoffs can get a tad stormy as the team collaborates with both marketing and sales, potentially stirring up waves of trouble.

In summary, making the right decision for where your sales development team should call home hinges on understanding your organization's unique needs and goals. Here's a compass to guide you:

Inbound Dominance: If you find yourself swimming in a sea of inbound leads, consider housing your team under the marketing banner. It's like setting sail with the wind at your back, ensuring swift responses and aligned campaigns.

Outbound Ambition: If your mission involves conquering new territories through outbound efforts and fostering a close-knit bond with your sales squad, having sales development report to sales might be your treasure map.

Operational Transformation: When your sales development team resembles a puzzle missing a few pieces, placing it under the watchful eye of operations can whip it into shape and ready it for action.

But, if you're still grappling with uncertainty, there's a fail-safe beacon to guide you: Find the leader in your organization with a genuine passion for sales development. Choose someone who doesn't merely accept the role but embraces it with fervor. Passionate leaders tend to fuel remarkable results, and this function thrives in their care.

And if all else fails, you can always follow the prevailing current of the market. According to the Bridge Group's latest study, a whopping 62% of organizations anchor their qualification teams under the sales umbrella, and that rises to 72% for companies with revenues of $5+M

So, as you chart your course, remember that there's no one-size-fits-all answer. Instead, the North Star guiding your decision should be a deep understanding of your organization's unique constellation of needs and aspirations. 🌟🌌

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