Building a World-Class Outbound Sales Team: Luke's Insights at Evotix

Welcome to our latest edition! Today, we’re thrilled to spotlight Luke Williams, Sales Director for APAC at Evotix, based in Melbourne, Australia. With over 15 years of experience in sales and regional management, Luke now oversees a 20+ revenue team and is passionate about building high-performing teams. In this edition, we dive deep into his insights building an effective outbound sales team. Luke’s practical advice draws from years of scaling teams and refining processes, making his expertise invaluable for fast-growing companies.

Who is Luke?

Luke Williams is the Sales Director for APAC at Evotix, based in Melbourne, Australia. With over 15 years of experience in sales, regional, and country management, he has a strong background in tech and commercial functions, and now looks after a 20+ revenue team that covers business development, customer development, new business sales, pre-sales solutions consulting at Evotix. He is passionate and experienced about building great revenue teams.

What is Evotix?

Evotix is the leading provider of EHS and ESG management software that helps businesses improve safety, compliance, risk management, and sustainability. Their mobile-first platform enables real-time reporting, analytics, and custom training, serving industries like construction, healthcare, and manufacturing. Over 650 companies use Evotix to enhance safety, meet regulations, and drive sustainability efforts globally.

BDR vs. AE: Who Should Early-Stage Startups Hire First for Outbound Sales?

"Full-stack salespeople cover more bases, letting you learn and iterate faster."

• AE first:

  • Cost-Effective for Early-Stage Startups: With limited resources, early-stage startups benefit from hiring someone who can handle multiple roles.

  • Faster Learning & Iteration: It allows startups to quickly test and refine their sales process, gathering feedback across the entire funnel.

  • Domain Knowledge Advantage: Hiring someone with strong domain knowledge can give startups a better head-start by understanding the product, target market, and use cases.

• A/B Testing:

  • Luke recommends hiring at least two AEs to compare performance and identify whether issues stem from the product or the salesperson.

  • Example: If one AE succeeds and the other doesn't, it helps pinpoint whether the product or the individual needs improvement.

Ideal BDR:AE Ratio

"It’s not apples for apples; the ratio depends on your go-to-market strategy and where your product fits."

• SMB:

  • No BDRs recommended.

  • Why: The unit economics in SMB sales cycles do not justify the cost of hiring BDRs. The shorter sales cycle and smaller deal size make it inefficient to add this extra layer.

• Mid-Market:

  • 1:1 or 2:1 BDR:AE ratio, depending on deal size and velocity.

  • Why: If AEs are sourcing 30-40% of their own pipeline, a 1:1 ratio is sufficient. However, if AEs are not actively prospecting, a 2:1 ratio is necessary to ensure pipeline coverage and consistent lead generation.

• Enterprise:

  • 1:1 BDR:AE ratio is essential.

  • Why: Enterprise sales are more complex and require dedicated focus from both BDRs and AEs. A one-to-one ratio ensures that each AE has enough support from BDRs to manage long, intricate sales cycles effectively.

What Are the Common Bottlenecks for BDRs and AEs?

"If a deal stalls in later stages, you can almost always track it back to discovery and control of the deal."

• BDRs:

  • Bottleneck: Lack of Net New Conversations.

  • Why: If BDRs struggle to fill their pipeline, it's often due to not having enough conversations with the right prospects.

  • Solution: Evaluate activity metrics like cold calling, email sequences, and LinkedIn outreach. Realign targeting based on the Ideal Customer Profile (ICP) and buyer personas.

• AEs:

  • Bottleneck: Control of the Deal.

  • Why: Deals often stall in later stages due to poor discovery and lack of deal control.

  • Solution: Focus on thorough discovery to define the business impact, implement mutual action plans, and set clear next steps to prevent deal stalling.

How to Solve Conflicts Between BDRs & AEs?

"Leadership is about finding good people and then leading them well—mostly by getting out of their way."

Luke thinks there are three elements to working through that particular challenge:

• Metrics:

  • Why: Clear metrics are essential to eliminate ambiguity and create accountability between BDRs and AEs. When both teams know exactly how success is measured, it reduces misunderstandings and finger-pointing.

  • Example: Luke suggests implementing a handover stage where BDRs are responsible for generating opportunities until the discovery stage, and AEs are responsible to accept or reject. Then leaders are responsible to look into data like accept-to-reject ratio, allowing the team to analyze performance. Are certain BDRs generating lower-quality leads? Or are some AEs rejecting more opportunities than others?

• Incentives:

  • Why: Properly aligned incentives are crucial because they drive behavior. If BDRs and AEs have conflicting incentives, it can create friction. 

  • Example: Luke emphasizes that comp plans should reward both BDRs and AEs for their collaborative efforts. If BDRs are rewarded for the number of meetings they set up and AEs are rewarded only for closed deals, there’s a misalignment of goals. If a BDR could be compensated based on the number of qualified leads that move into the later stages of the sales funnel, while AEs could be rewarded for successful closures. This ensures that both teams are working toward the same goal rather than competing for individual success.

• Leadership:

  • Why: Effective leadership is key to maintaining a positive, collaborative environment. Leaders should not only set clear expectations but also create a safe space for their teams to work without fear of judgement or blame. This fosters trust and encourages open communication.

  • Example: Luke believes that good leadership is about "getting out of their way" and allowing team members to do their jobs effectively. However, it’s also about stepping in when necessary to provide guidance. For example, if AEs are rejecting too many leads, leaders should step in to understand why and offer coaching to either the AE or the BDR.

Why RevOps is Important for Revenue Teams

Luke believes RevOps is incredibly important for growing companies, especially those scaling quickly. RevOps plays a crucial role in removing administrative barriers and giving salespeople more time to focus on selling. By streamlining processes and reducing tasks unrelated to sales, RevOps makes the sales process more efficient. Additionally, RevOps provides valuable data and metrics that allow businesses to refine their sales playbook and improve performance. Luke emphasises that if a company can afford it, hiring a RevOps person should be a priority.

What Is the Biggest Lesson He Has Learned as a Sales Leader?

"Cheap, fast, good—you can never have all three."

• Importance of Hiring the Right People:

  • Luke emphasizes the critical impact of hiring quality over speed. Rushing to fill roles based on capacity plans can lead to poor hires, which ultimately hurt the business.

  • Example: He references the saying, "Cheap, fast, good—you can never have all three." Hiring fast and cheaply often leads to bad results.

• Structured Recruitment Process:

  • Luke highlights the need for a structured approach or partnering with recruitment experts to consistently hire top talent.

  • Example: He mentions using recruitment partners like Pointer to ensure that the process is efficient while maintaining a high standard for new hires.

• Avoiding Churn:

  • Luke advises against accepting high turnover rates as normal, stressing that hiring B and C players is often the result of rushing to meet targets.

  • Example: He learned that a good hire can significantly impact the business, while a bad one can lead to unnecessary churn and inefficiencies.

We hope Luke’s insights into sales leadership, hiring, and the value of RevOps have provided you with practical takeaways for building strong revenue teams. His experience in APAC and focus on structured recruitment, aligned incentives, and leadership highlight what’s needed for scaling fast-growing companies. Whether you’re starting out or managing larger teams, Luke’s lessons on efficiency, collaboration, and data-driven decision-making are invaluable. Stay tuned and subscribe HERE for more expert insights and strategies from leaders shaping the future of sales and business.