BDR/SDR
bee-dee-AR / ess-dee-AR
Business development rep / Sales development rep. The people who prospect, qualify leads, and book meetings for account executives.
BDRs and SDRs are the entry point of the sales funnel. Their job is to generate qualified meetings for account executives. BDRs typically focus on outbound prospecting (cold outreach to target accounts). SDRs typically handle inbound leads (following up on website signups, content downloads, and demo requests). Many companies use the terms interchangeably.
This is usually a junior role. New college grads, career changers, and people breaking into tech sales. The job is repetitive, rejection-heavy, and metric-driven. A typical BDR is measured on calls made, emails sent, meetings booked, and SQLs generated.
The BDR/SDR role is also the most important talent pipeline in a sales organization. Most top-performing AEs started as BDRs. The role teaches prospecting, qualification, and resilience. Companies that invest in BDR training and career development build stronger sales teams over time.
Examples
An outbound BDR prospect a target account.
The BDR researches Acme Corp (ICP match, Series C, 500 engineers). They send a personalized email referencing a recent blog post from Acme's VP of Engineering. Three days later, they call. The VP agrees to a 15-minute discovery call. The BDR qualifies the lead using BANT and books a demo with the AE.
An inbound SDR follows up on a demo request.
A director of platform engineering fills out the 'Request a Demo' form. The SDR responds within 5 minutes via email and calls within 30 minutes. They confirm the prospect's role, company size, and use case. Qualified. Meeting booked with the AE for Thursday.
A BDR team's monthly performance review.
Team of 8 BDRs. Total outbound calls: 4,800. Emails: 6,400. Meetings booked: 96. SQLs generated: 42. Average SQL per BDR per month: 5.25. The top performer booked 9 SQLs. The bottom booked 2. The manager reviews tactics with the bottom half.
In practice
Read more on the blog
Frequently asked questions
What is the difference between a BDR and an SDR?
BDRs typically focus on outbound prospecting: cold calls, cold emails, and social selling to target accounts. SDRs typically handle inbound leads: following up on demo requests, content downloads, and website inquiries. Many companies use the terms interchangeably.
What metrics should BDRs be measured on?
Primary: qualified meetings booked and SQLs generated. Secondary: calls made, emails sent, response rates. Avoid measuring only activity (calls and emails) without tying it to outcomes (meetings and SQLs). High activity with low conversion means the approach needs fixing.
Related terms
The salesperson who owns the deal from qualified opportunity to signed contract. Carries a quota and earns commission on closed revenue.
A lead that a salesperson has vetted and confirmed has real buying intent, budget, and authority.
A lead that marketing has scored and deemed ready for sales follow-up based on fit and engagement signals.
The first structured sales conversation where a rep qualifies the prospect by understanding their problem, timeline, and buying process.
The total dollar value of deals your sales team is actively working. The most important leading indicator in any sales organization.
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