Business Development Reprsentative (BDR)

A business development representative (BDR), also known as a Sales Development Representative (SDR) is an entry-level sales role focused on prospecting to open up new business opportunities.

Key responsibilities include identifying potential new accounts, initiating contact through cold outreach, qualifying early stage leads, and nurturing relationships to pass sales-ready opportunities to account executives. This allows AEs to focus on closing rather than lead gen.

BDRs need strong communication and persuasion skills given frequent rejection when they repeatedly reach out to prospects through calls, emails, social media, events and other channels. Promising BDRs progress quickly to AE roles. Companies with structured BDR programs achieve stronger lead pipelines.