A Sales Development Representative (SDR) is a sales team member responsible for identifying, qualifying, and booking meetings with potential customers in the early stages of the B2B sales process. SDRs specialize in outbound or inbound prospecting and act as the bridge between marketing-qualified leads (MQLs) and account executives (AEs).
What Is an SDR?
An SDR (also known as a BDR — Business Development Representative — in some organizations) focuses on pipeline generation, not closing deals. Their primary role is to engage leads via email, phone, or social media, assess fit using qualification frameworks (e.g., BANT, CHAMP), and set up discovery calls or demos with closers.
SDRs are critical in sales-led, ABM, and outbound motions where volume, personalization, and segmentation matter.
Key Responsibilities of an SDR
- 🔍 Prospecting & Lead Research – Identify ICP-aligned companies and contacts
- 📧 Email & LinkedIn Outreach – Execute multichannel communication sequences
- ☎️ Cold Calling – Initiate conversations and qualify leads
- 📊 Lead Qualification – Use criteria like budget, need, and timing
- 📆 Meeting Booking – Set qualified meetings for AEs or sales reps
- 🔁 CRM Updates – Track engagement, lead status, and handoff notes
Skills Required for SDRs
- 🧠 Strong Communication – Written and verbal
- 🔁 Process Discipline – Follow workflows and cadences consistently
- 🔍 Research-Oriented – Find context on companies and contacts
- 📈 Goal-Oriented – Hit KPIs such as meetings booked or activities per day
- 🤝 Collaboration – Work closely with AEs, marketing, and RevOps
SDR Performance Metrics
- 🎯 Number of new leads contacted
- 📅 Meetings booked per week or month
- ✅ Meeting attendance rate
- 🧩 Lead-to-opportunity conversion rate
- 📊 Pipeline contribution & influence
SDRs and CUFinder
CUFinder empowers SDRs with real-time, verified contact and company data — including job titles, direct emails, firmographics, and technographics. SDRs can instantly build high-fit prospect lists and launch targeted outreach campaigns via their preferred tools or CRMs, accelerating lead engagement and qualification.
Cited Sources
- Wikipedia: Sales development
- DBpedia: https://dbpedia.org/page/Sales_development