Lean Go To Market Strategy: Scaling Pipeline with a Robust SDR Team

Go to market strategy and lean GTM practices are something that we haven’t talked about in a while now. 

The reason for putting this idea on “hold” was that it’s a massive topic, requiring dedicated input from industry experts. Gathering insights and then putting everything together for our loyal readers at Trellus is a standard that we hold ourselves accountable to. 

The good news is that it’s about time we do a deep dive into GTM marketing, different processes at the strategy level, and tons of other things.

But most importantly, we also wanted to touch base on the role of AEs and SDRs in this ecosystem, and how everything transitions from one aspect to another during any ongoing GTM campaigns. 

What is GTM Strategy?

A go-to-market strategy is the blueprint for how a company brings its product or service to market. 

It covers everything from target audience identification to sales processes, marketing campaigns, and customer acquisition. A solid GTM strategy ensures that every team—marketing, sales, and customer success—works in sync to drive revenue efficiently.

One of the most critical pieces of this puzzle? The SDR team.

Why SDRs Are the Backbone of Pipeline Growth

SDRs are the bridge between marketing and sales. They take leads—whether from inbound marketing efforts or outbound prospecting—and turn them into real opportunities.

Here’s how it works:

An SDR’s job is to engage with target accounts using a multi-touch approach. That means cold calls, emails, LinkedIn messages, voice notes, video outreach, and even creative tactics like sending gifts. 

Their goal? 

Get that first conversation booked so the sales team can take over.

A Day in the Life of an SDR As An Integral Part of a Go To Market Strategy

Typically, during any ongoing go-to marketing, or go to market strategy, SDRs have to wear multiple hats. The same goes for AEs too, but their responsibilities may vary from time to time. 

Here are a bunch of responsibilities that SDRs and AEs are responsible for:

Lead Generation & Prospecting

SDRs work closely with marketing to follow up on leads from webinars, content downloads, or events.

They also hunt for new prospects through outbound efforts—identifying key decision-makers and reaching out strategically.

Personalized Outreach

No spammy, generic messages here. Great SDRs craft tailored emails, make insightful cold calls, and use social selling to build genuine connections.

The focus is on understanding the prospect’s pain points and positioning the product as the solution.

Lead Qualification

Not every lead is sales-ready. SDRs dig deeper—asking the right questions, analyzing engagement, and scoring leads based on fit and intent.

This ensures that only high-potential prospects get passed to AEs, saving the sales team from wasting time on dead-end leads.

Handoff to Sales

Once a lead is qualified, the SDR schedules a meeting or demo with an AE.

A smooth handoff is key—clear communication, shared context, and prep work make all the difference in closing deals.

In a broader sense of things, we can easily see that SDRs aren’t just cold-calling machines—they’re relationship builders. These individuals guide prospects through the early stages of the buyer’s journey, earning trust and setting the stage for a successful sale.

How SDRs Fit into The Bigger Picture

When we talk about a go-to-market strategy, most people think about marketing campaigns, product launches, and customer acquisition channels. 

But here’s the thing—none of that matters if your sales team isn’t structured to convert interest into revenue.

Based on their responsibilities that we shared with you, sales development representatives are more of a bridge between marketing and sales, and the engine that keeps your pipeline full. 

But to really understand their impact, we need to break down how SDRs fit into your sales team, why they’re different from AEs, and how to build a high-performing SDR team that scales your business.

SDRs vs. AEs: Why Specialization Drives Sales Success

Sales development representatives and account executives go hand in hand during a go to market operation. 

At times, they may not be part of the customer facing activities, but these guys work diligently from their cubicles to boost conversions and reach out to any number of prospects that the marketing team identifies. 

That being said, here are some of the key differentiators. And, yes, bear in mind that the nature of these differentiators isn’t set in stone. It might vary, alongside the concerned responsibilities on a case by case basis.

Account Executives (AEs) Are the Closers

AEs have one job: take qualified leads and turn them into customers. 

They’re the ones running discovery calls, negotiating deals, and handling objections. Their time is best spent in conversations with serious buyers—not cold-calling random prospects.

But here’s the problem:

If AEs are also responsible for prospecting, they end up spread too thin. Instead of closing deals, they’re stuck in the weeds of lead generation, which slows down your entire sales cycle.

SDRs Are the Pipeline Engine

This is where SDRs come in. Their role is to:

• Find and qualify leads (both inbound and outbound)
• Nurture early-stage conversations
• Book meetings for AEs so they can focus on selling
• Think of it like a factory assembly line:
• Marketing brings people into the top of the funnel.
• SDRs qualify and move them forward.

Without SDRs, your AEs are trying to do everything—and that’s a recipe for burnout and missed targets.

The Talent Pipeline Bonus: SDRs Become Future AEs

One of the biggest hidden benefits of having a rockstar SDR team? They’re your future sales leaders.

Many of the best AEs start as SDRs. Why? Because prospecting teaches them and harnesses their skills at the following levels.

• How to handle rejection
• How to identify real buying signals
• How to craft compelling messaging

By the time they move into an AE or a BDR role, they already understand the full sales cycle—not just the closing part.

Key Lessons for Building a High-Performance SDR Team For An Effective GTM Marketing Campaign

Over time, your business will run all sorts through all sorts of hoops and GTM campaigns. 

Given that SDR teams are there and have been part of the company’s operations from day one, there are a bunch of key lessons and takeaways to gain from such activities. 

1. AEs Should Be Closers, Not Prospectors

We’ve all seen it: AEs who spend half their day sending cold emails instead of talking to hot leads.

Potentially, their skill could be used in a better manner.

Moreover, a robust SDR team handles all the upfront work, so AEs can focus on what they do best: closing deals.

How do you fix it as a manager?

Good question, here’s how you can get around the predicament

• Set clear boundaries—AEs should not be prospecting.
• Measure AEs on closed deals, not pipeline creation.
• Give SDRs clear KPIs around meetings booked & opportunities created.

2. Sales Development is an Investment, Not a Cost Center

Some companies treat SDRs as an expense. That’s a mistake.

A well-run SDR team pays for itself by:

• Shortening sales cycles (because AEs aren’t distracted by prospecting)
• Increasing win rates (because leads are better qualified)
• Scaling pipeline predictably (instead of relying on unpredictable inbound leads)

The bottom line: If you want consistent revenue growth, you need outbound prospecting—and that means investing in SDRs.

3. Marketing Alone Won’t Fill Your Pipeline

Here’s a hard truth: Most companies can’t rely on inbound marketing alone.

The data usually shows us that:

• Only a certain percentage of companies get more than 75% of their pipeline from inbound.
• Businesses under $10M in revenue source just 41% of their pipeline from marketing.

That means outbound prospecting isn’t optional—it’s essential.

How to balance it:

• Use inbound for quick, low-friction leads.
• Use outbound for strategic, high-value accounts.

4. Inbound Leads Are Smaller (But Easier to Close)

Inbound leads convert at twice the rate of outbound—but there’s a catch:

They’re usually from smaller companies.

If you want enterprise deals, you need outbound SDRs targeting big accounts.

The rule of thumb:

• Inbound = High volume, lower ACV (Average Contract Value)
• Outbound = Lower volume, higher ACV

5. Separate Inbound & Outbound SDR Roles

Some companies try to make SDRs handle both inbound and outbound. That’s a mistake.

Why is it important from time to time?

Inbound SDRs need to move fast (responding to leads within minutes).

Outbound SDRs need to be strategic (researching accounts, crafting personalized outreach).

Mixing the two slows them down.

Best practice:

• Inbound SDRs handle 200-300 leads/month (fast response, high volume).
• Outbound SDRs focus on 100-200 target accounts/month (deep research, high-touch outreach).

6. Persistence Pays Off (Most Reps Give Up Too Soon)

The average SDR gives up after 1.7-2.1 contact attempts.

But here’s the reality:

It takes 3-5 touches to reach most prospects.This rate could vary and might even go to 10 different attempts. Especially when there are big ticket items in question, or there are gatekeepers involved in the process. 

Top performers don’t stop at one unanswered email.

How to fix it:

• Set a minimum 6-touch rule before marking a lead as "unresponsive."
• Use a mix of channels (email, phone, LinkedIn, video) to increase response rates.

7. The Handoff from SDR to AE is Make-or-Break

A bad handoff kills deals.

A smooth handoff includes:

• A scheduled discovery call (no back-and-forth emails)
• A warm introduction (not just a calendar invite)
• Clear next steps (so the prospect knows what to expect)
• SDR participation in the first call (for training & continuity)

Why this matters:

If the AE has to start from scratch, you lose momentum. A strong handoff keeps the conversation flowing.

8. Track the Right Metrics (Activity vs. Outcome)

Finally, the most important thing is the numbers game, KPIs, and metrics. 

They are the baseline for pivoting to success from a long term aspect. 

And besides the success factor, it’s good to keep a watchful eye on your and your competitors’ metrics, and then circling back to the weak areas for any possible improvements at an operational level.

Having said that, many companies measure the wrong things.

What SDRs control (Activity Metrics):

Total daily activities (calls, emails, LinkedIn messages)

• Inbound lead response time (under 5 minutes is ideal)
• Attempts per lead (are they giving up too soon?)
• Prospects per account (are they researching deeply?)

What leaders measure (Outcome Metrics):

• Connects/connect rate (are they getting real conversations?)
• Quality conversations (the best indicator of future pipeline)
• Email response rates (are messages resonating?)
• Bad data rate (how many emails bounce/phones are wrong?)

The #1 metric that predicts success?

Quality conversations. If an SDR can spark real dialogue, the pipeline will follow.

The Best Tools for SDRs

To maximize efficiency, SDRs need the right tech stack:

• AI Cold Calling Solution: Get a robust tool, such as Trellus or something that leverages artificial intelligence to help callers improve their call conversational skills, workflow, outreach tactics, and tons of other things.
• CRM (Salesforce, HubSpot) – For tracking leads and pipeline.
• Email Automation (Outreach, Salesloft) – To streamline sequences.
• Prospecting Tools (ZoomInfo, Apollo) – For finding accurate contact data.
• Social Selling (LinkedIn Sales Navigator) – To engage prospects where they are.
• Sales Engagement Platforms (Groove, Chili Piper) – To manage outreach at scale.

Final Thoughts: SDRs Are the Hidden Lever in Your GTM Strategy

A great go-to-market strategy isn’t just about marketing—it’s about aligning every team to drive revenue.

And that starts with your SDRs.

They’re the ones who:

• Turn marketing leads into sales opportunities
• Keep your AEs focused on closing
• Build the pipeline that fuels growth

If you’re not investing in your SDR team, you’re leaving money on the table.

So ask yourself:

• Are your AEs spending too much time prospecting?
• Is your pipeline relying too much on inbound?
• Are you tracking the right SDR metrics?

Fix those gaps, and you’ll see the impact—more deals, faster cycles, and predictable revenue growth.

That’s the power of a well-structured sales team in your GTM strategy.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the Role of an SDR in a Go-To-Market Strategy?

A Sales Development Representative (SDR) plays a critical role in your go-to-market strategy by acting as the bridge between marketing and sales. Their job is to find, qualify, and nurture leads before passing them to Account Executives (AEs) for closing.

Here’s how they fit into the bigger picture:

For inbound leads, SDRs respond quickly (ideally within minutes) to website sign-ups, webinar attendees, or content downloads. They assess whether the lead is a good fit and book meetings for AEs.

For outbound prospecting, SDRs research target accounts, craft personalized outreach (emails, calls, LinkedIn messages), and generate new opportunities from cold leads.

Without SDRs, your AEs end up wasting time on unqualified leads, slowing down the entire sales process. A strong SDR team ensures that only high-intent prospects reach your closers, making your GTM strategy far more efficient.

Should We Separate Inbound and Outbound SDR Roles?

Yes, and No! 

To be honest, whateve roles and responsibilities your SDRs, AEs and BDRs are designated to, depends on your business model and operations. But the key thing is to know that inbound and outbound SDRs have very different workflows, and mixing them leads to inefficiency.

Here’s why they should be separate roles:

• Inbound SDRs need to move fast—responding to leads within minutes, handling high volume (200-300 leads/month), and quickly qualifying them.

• Outbound SDRs need to be strategic—researching accounts, crafting hyper-personalized messaging, and nurturing prospects over time (100-200 target accounts/month).

If you force one SDR to do both, they’ll constantly switch contexts, reducing productivity.