Why Start a Sales Development Conference?

​Over three years of hosting The Sales Development Conference, the only event of its kind focused and dedicated 100% to Sales Development, we’ve been asked repeatedly why we started such a niche and focused event.

A couple misconceptions out there about The Sales Development Conference are that it’s called “The SDR Conference” or “The Tenbound Conference”.  

While we love SDRs and of course, Tenbound totally rocks, the conference is really set up to focus on the big picture of our industry; the pursuit of quality Sales appointments, which convert to pipeline and finally convert to revenue.

The conference is really about everything that goes in to that process.

Simultaneously, we started the conference to elevate the profession of Sales Development to its rightful place within organizations as a key strategic growth driver, versus an afterthought as it’s treated at so many companies.

We believe that successful Sales Development programs and their teams can potentially be the very oxygen of growing businesses – and they should be treated with the same planning, thought and respect as other departments.

As more and more early-stage, high-growth companies get up and running, they are focusing more on setting up Sales appointments, growing pipeline, and sourcing new revenue: all main functions of the Sales Development team.

And especially as the economy starts to enter uncharted territory, now more than ever we need a successful Sales Development program cranking on all cylinders to support our Sales goals. The obituaries of companies that have not grasped this are online every day.

If you’re read this far, you realize Sales Development isn’t a function that can be set up overnight without any thought to process, planning or detail.

Poorly managed, misaligned, and reactive Sales Development programs can be a serious financial (and morale) drag to a company. And simply outsourcing the function without said planning often fails as well.

Why Sales Development Matters Now More Than Ever

Some recent data shows that it can take more than 12 touches just to reach a prospect, and then require 3 more highly meaningful conversations just to get one appointment set.

If the Sales Development team is not focused on getting these appointments, who is?
Walking into a new quarter with a 4-or-5X pipeline is so much better than going in at zero, but if nobody is prospecting or following up on the leads, how are you going to do that?

Once you start looking at all of the different aspects that go into driving initial sales appointments, it’s easy to see why Sales Development has become such an integral part of the sales process.

While the need for growth has become more acute than ever, it’s getting harder and harder to set new qualified sales appointments as the market is awash in ‘noise’. The key to breaking through barriers is strategic and high performance Sales Development.

Innovations in Sales Development

Another reason we started The Sales Development Conference is to showcase new innovations in the industry. We feel it’s finally time for Sales Development to take its rightful place at the executive table and there are many exciting advancements in strategy and technology that are helping to move this thought process forward:

     Clear alignment with sales and marketing

Some of the most successful SaaS companies (along with many non-SaaS organizations) have begun or are thinking deeply about how to strategically align Marketing, Sales Development, and Sales efforts. Sales Development has become a critical part of the connective tissue between two usually siloed functions, especially through the addition of account-based marketing, conversational marketing, and product-led marketing strategies. Alignment ensures growth and ROI, and Sales Development can act as the glue holding this alignment in place.   

    A modern, advanced support ecosystem

While the Sales Development support ecosystem was relatively barren a few years ago, there are many technologies and resources out there today that are helping SDR teams proactively learn and grow. The Tenbound Market Map showcases just some of the major software tools, outsourced programs, specialized recruiting firms, training boot camps, and even boutique consultancies out there today designed specifically for the SDR function. These resources, as well as industry-specific blogs, articles, groups, and podcasts, have formed a modern, advanced support ecosystem for Sales Development.

    Sales Development as a unique function

One of the most exciting innovations in Sales Development has to be the new generation of leaders in the space. As an entire class of Sales Development leaders has grown and developed in their roles, they have started to take on positions such as Senior Director of Sales Development, VP of Sales Development, and more. I mentioned in the 2018 Sales Development Conference that there is a future potential for a Chief Sales Development Officer and Sales Development as it’s very own function within a company.

While there are plenty of opportunities on the horizon, the Sales Development industry still has a long way to go. A tremendous amount of time and resources are being spent today by companies trying to establish and optimize SDR programs, and not all of them are seeing great results. SDRs are bashed daily on sites like LinkedIn for sending spammy messages, and the ‘SDR Bro-Culture’ is in need of a serious PR overhaul.
 
Additionally, many of the KPIs that measure Sales Development success are stuck in the 2000s. The amount of training, coaching, and education required have created the perfect landscape for a learning opportunity like The Sales Development Conference.

Will YOU Attend the 2019 Sales Development Conference?

Because Tenbound has spent years honing in on what SDR teams and leaders need to know to be successful, The Sales Development Conference brings together all of these key players for the chance to focus on what makes a great Sales Development program, how to build industry-best skills, the contacts and networks you need to get ahead in the space, and how to best prepare for upcoming industry challenges.
 
Whether you’re a VC looking to invest in new companies and are concerned about the growth of your portfolio, an industry analyst looking for the next big thing, a Marketing leader concerned about building pipeline for your sales team, or, of course, a head of Sales who wants to understand how to set and maximize new appointments to grow revenue, The Sales Development Conference can help you make the best strategic decisions possible.
 
You’ll not only be hearing from some of the top leaders in the industry, but you’ll also be meeting other people who are making a huge splash in the market. From recruiters to training acceleration solutions to ABM platforms to predictive analytics, The Sales Development Conference is a hotbed of innovation and idea sharing.
 
​Make sure you’re able to attend this sure-to-sell-out event by securing your ticket today!