As we saw in our article on how to define a qualified lead, the role of the BDR ends when they hand over the qualified lead to the sales person. The Account Executive will then take over, taking on the role of nurturing and closing the deal. To ensure an efficient lead flow process from the different sales representatives involved between prospecting and selling, there are a number of rules to follow:

Improve understanding and cooperation

In order to improve the lead flow process, it is important that both teams (Business Developer and Account Executive) work hand in hand towards a common goal: signing deals and bringing in customers to increase the company’s growth.

Business Developers and Account Executives must feel that they are part of the same team and are working together towards the same goal. Too often the BDR is mistaken for the Account Executive’s assistant, which is a perfect recipe a failed lead flow process and a decrease in revenues! If the Business Developer lacks consideration, they do not feel recognised in their work and their motivation may seriously decline.

In addition, BDRs have an extremely important role: they generate the pipe! Without them, there are no deals, no growth and no business. It is important that in each role, salespeople feel valued. The higher the motivation, the greater will the joint commitment be to improve deal closure.

Frame, clarify and objectify the mission of the BDR

As we have mentioned before, to maximise the performance of lead flow process, it is important to frame the mission of the Business Developers. This framing is achieved by precisely defining the target: the companies aimed at, the job titles of the targeted decision-makers and the qualification criteria of the leads. We recommend that this framework be made contractual in order to leave no room for doubt and approximation.

To get your Business Developers motivated to keep prospecting every day without interruption, it is important to give them clear targets: a finishing line which does not fluctuate according to the day and the mood. Therefore, if an appointment is valid according to the established criteria, or if the AE continues the conversation with the prospect after the appointment made by the BDR, the lead is deemed to be qualified and the Business Developer’s mission completed.

Introduce mandatory feedback

The introduction of an effective feedback system is also essential for an efficient lead flow process. Too often, BDRs work blindly, without systematic feedback on meetings taken. Feedback from an Account Executive is important in order to improve the lead flow process, observe the margins for improvement and make progress. Giving constructive feedback is also a way of showing respect for the work of BDRs and improving team cohesion.

The feedback from the Account Executives should include at least the following elements:

• General feedback on the relevance of the meeting: does the prospect fit the qualification criteria (company size, role of decision-maker, etc.)
• Feedback on the discovery and qualification notes left by the BDR: are they clear and complete?
• Next steps planned for the lead.
• Status of the meeting: is it approved?

Acknowledge the BDRs contribution

Another crucial element of good lead flow process is recognition of the work done. When a lead becomes a customer for your company, it is very important to highlight all the team members who were involved in getting that deal, including the BDR who booked the first meeting. They are the ones who brought your company to the client, and without them, there would be no contract!

Numerous surveys on employee motivation at work show that, in addition to salary, consideration and recognition motivate employees the most! This is also the case for Business Developers: don’t forget to highlight them, thank them for their work and celebrate successes as a team.

Now that you know everything about the lead flow process, visit our blog to learn more on topics like business development, sales and cold calling that will help your business achieve high growth! Don’t forget to check out our case studies to discover what results business development has brought to other B2B tech companies.

Any questions on the topic? Need to know more? Write to our CEO Ephraïm Bismuth to find out how to adapt the business development model to your company!