Glossary
SDR (sales development representative)
An SDR (sales development representative) is a salesperson who generates and qualifies new pipeline: they research prospects, reach out by email, phone and LinkedIn, and book qualified meetings for account executives. SDRs don't usually close deals themselves.
What Is SDR (Sales Development Representative)?
In short The SDR role exists so that account executives spend their time on qualified deals.
A typical SDR day: refine a list against the ICP, research accounts, run multi-step sequences across email, phone and LinkedIn, handle replies, qualify interested prospects with a framework such as BANT, and hand over booked meetings with notes.
SDR and BDR titles are often used interchangeably. Where companies split them, LinkedIn describes SDRs working inbound leads and BDRs doing outbound prospecting, while Salesforce notes that some companies reverse the split. Read the job description, not the title. Salesforce describes the role as traditionally entry-level.
SDR Example
Example: a team of 3 SDRs contacts 1,500 new prospects a month. A 4% reply rate gives 60 replies, 20 of them positive. 12 become meetings held, and the AEs accept 8 as qualified opportunities, about 2.7 per SDR per month.
SDR in Practice
SDRs are usually measured on meetings booked and held and the opportunities those meetings create, with pay quoted as OTE. Much of the work repeats, so automation reaches it first: AI SDR tools and outbound platforms now handle list building, first drafts and follow-ups, and SDRs spend more of their time on replies and calls.
FAQ
What does an SDR do?
An SDR researches prospects, contacts them by email, phone and LinkedIn, qualifies the ones who respond and books meetings for account executives. The booked, qualified meeting is the main output.
What is the difference between an SDR and a BDR?
Many companies use the titles interchangeably. Where they differ, LinkedIn describes SDRs handling inbound leads and BDRs doing outbound prospecting, while Salesforce notes some companies reverse the split. Read the job description.
What is the difference between an SDR and an account executive?
The SDR creates and qualifies opportunities; the account executive runs the sales cycle from there and closes the deal. SDRs are measured on meetings and pipeline, AEs on closed revenue.
Is SDR an entry-level job?
Usually. Salesforce describes it as traditionally entry-level, and many SDRs move on to account executive roles.
Do This in Ken
Do This in Ken
An SDR in Ken builds lists in Ken Search, runs email and LinkedIn sequences in Campaigns and answers replies in Inbox, all in one workspace.
- Module
- Campaigns
- Open in Ken
- /how-it-works
The new Ken opens to the waiting list in batches.
Related
Sources
| Source | Checked |
|---|---|
| Salesforce: What Is a Sales Development Representative (SDR)? | |
| LinkedIn Sales Solutions: Guide to Sales Development Representatives | |
| Salesforce: What Is a Business Development Representative (BDR)? |
Changelog
- Page published.