Leads to Deals: Key SDR vs BDR Role Differences

May 24, 2024 Dennis P. Stolle, JD, PhD

Sales Development Representative (SDR) job

An SDR works on inbound leads, so they only need the motivation to clear their inbox and do a thorough job. They need networking skills, a proactive mindset, more initiative, and self-motivation to keep shooting in the dark. The SDR researches the specifics of an inbound lead, its organization, and possible needs.

Sales Development Representative Job Description: Example 4

Sales development representative jobs are available in a variety of industries, including medical research, digital marketing, technology, education, finance, and more. As of July 2022, Glassdoor has over 28,000 SDR job listings in the US 2. But the best strategy for landing an SDR job in my opinion is to act like a salesperson. Sales Development Representative job Don’t settle for sending out resumes or responding to job ads. Use the nested comments in ClickUp Tasks to strategize the outreach program. Based on all the information available, debate options, A/B test approaches, and build sales plan templates for your needs.

  • Sales development representatives are similar to business development representatives (BDRs) but have their own distinct qualities.
  • SDRs have traditionally been seen as entry-level positions, but they do require a specialized skill set.
  • They focus on generating the sales pipeline for the rest of the team.
  • If you’re looking for a breakdown focused on more experienced candidates, take a look at this sample from Linkedin.
  • You can’t sell effectively without understanding your product, who it’s for, and how it helps solve their problems.

What is the hardest part of being an SDR?

  • That way, the sales team can focus entirely on nurturing qualified prospects and closing sales.
  • Be sure to ask prospects questions to discover their needs, what they’re looking for, and what they are experiencing that might lead them to the products and services you represent.
  • If the first outreach goes well, it’s up to the SDR to continue building a relationship without necessarily pushing a sale.
  • They are both early career roles with immense opportunities to grow into sales leadership.
  • Ask them to talk you through how they found past accounts, identified the most lucrative ones, and moved them through the pipeline.

Now that we’ve covered the bases, let’s see what a few real job descriptions look like for companies hiring a Sales Development Representative. We’ve gathered five job description examples from our seven online communities. You’ll notice that we’ve redacted some information to protect the privacy of the companies that posted them. Coursera’s editorial team is comprised of highly experienced professional editors, writers, and fact...

Filter out prospects that aren’t the right fit.

This helps the sales team focus on closing deals with high-quality leads, rather than spending time and resources on low-quality leads that are unlikely to result in a sale. Sales development representatives are similar to business development representatives (BDRs) but have their own distinct qualities. While they do a lot of the same jobs regarding lead qualification and generation, SDRs focus on inbound leads and BDRs focus on outbound leads.

Our advice for performing well in sales is - don’t take it personally! Work on building strong mental resilience to overcome sales objections and the frustration of not connecting with prospects. Research different buyers, market trends, and the competitive landscape.

Sales Development Representative (SDR) job

The secret to a successful modern sales team isn’t the closers—it’s the people behind the scenes. Your secret weapon is your sales development representatives. Even though a sales development rep role is entry level, there are ways to gain sales experience before applying for jobs as an SDR. Working in retail sales, for example, can offer valuable experience in interacting with customers and presenting products. Some companies may offer their sales team additional training.

Sales Development Representative (SDR) job

Workplace SDR skills

A sales development representative (SDR) is an employee whose job is to generate sales pipeline through prospecting. SDRs don’t close deals, so they must be able to pass qualified leads on to the salespeople who will. Over the past few years, the business industry rapidly capitalized on the idea of quality and quantity in regards to leads. In theory, endless qualified leads equal endless sales, but procuring and converting those leads isn’t realistic if your sales reps are expected to do all the work. A great SDR does the foundational work for your sales reps so that they can focus solely on developing relationships and increasing their sales performance.

What is Sales Development Representative's (SDR) Role?

Working in sales development has evolved massively in the last decade or two. Sales reps used to start on a traditional sales floor, picking up phones and talking to prospective clients. Depending on an organization’s policies, SDRs may get a commission for business opportunities generated or demos conducted. LeadSquared is the only sales execution CRM for all your products, teams, and processes.

Get ThemeVision on your team and get a clear, confident strategy for success.

let’s talk
ThemeVision is a wholly owned subsidiary of Barnes & Thornburg LLP
Copyright © 2024 ThemeVision | All Rights Reserved | Privacy Policy