SDR meaning: SDR stands for sales development representative. An SDR finds new potential customers, starts the first conversation and books a meeting for the person who closes the deal. They don't close deals themselves.
The job is mostly research and outreach: pick the right companies, find a reason to reach out now, write the first message, follow up, and hand qualified leads to an account executive.
SDR
Sales development representative
1st
Conversation in the sale
Meetings
What they're measured on
AE
Who they hand the lead to
If you just got the title, or you're a founder about to hire your first one, this page covers what the role is, what a normal day looks like, how it differs from a BDR and an AE, and the tools and habits that make an SDR good at it.
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SDR meaning in plain words
An SDR is the person who opens doors. Their job ends when a qualified prospect agrees to a meeting.
In most B2B sales teams the work is split in two. The SDR creates the opportunity. The account executive (AE) runs the demo, handles pricing and closes. Splitting it lets each person get good at one part of the sale.
What an SDR does all day
Most of an SDR's day is spent on five things.
- 1
Pick accounts
Decide which companies are worth contacting this week, based on fit and timing. - 2
Research
Learn what the company does, who to contact and what changed recently: new hires, new tools, new products. - 3
Reach out
Send emails, make calls and send LinkedIn messages that give a real reason to talk. - 4
Follow up
Most replies come after the second or third touch, so follow-ups are planned, not improvised. - 5
Qualify and hand off
Check the prospect has the problem, the budget and the authority, then book the meeting for the AE.
SDR vs BDR vs AE
The titles overlap, and companies use them differently. This is the most common split.
| Role | Main job | Usually works on | Measured on |
|---|---|---|---|
| SDR | Qualify and book meetings | Inbound leads and outbound lists | Meetings booked, qualified pipeline |
| BDR | Create new pipeline | Outbound, often new markets | Meetings and pipeline from outbound |
| AE | Run the sale and close | Qualified opportunities | Revenue closed |
Many companies use SDR and BDR as the same job. If a job post says one, read the duties, not the title.
Skills that make a good SDR
- Curiosity: they look for the specific reason this company should care this month.
- Clear writing: short emails that say one thing and ask one question.
- Resilience: most outreach gets no reply, and that's normal.
- Organisation: they track every account and follow up on time.
- Judgment: they drop accounts that aren't a fit instead of forcing a meeting.
How SDRs research accounts faster
Good research answers three questions: is this company a fit, is now a good time, and what can I say that proves I looked. The fastest signals are public.
- Hiring: a company posting several sales roles is usually growing its team and spending. In our lookups of 52 well-known B2B SaaS companies, 26 had three or more open sales roles.
- Tech stack: the tools on their site (CRM, analytics, chat, payments) tell you how they work and who they buy from.
- Changes: a new pricing page, a new tool or a burst of new ads is a reason to reach out this week.
This is exactly what WorthPitching does in one lookup: what the company does, who they're hiring, their tech, their ads, a fit score against your ideal customer and a suggested first line. See buying signals for the ones worth watching.
Hiring your first SDR as a founder
Hire an SDR once you know who buys and why. An SDR scales a message that already works. They can't find it for you.
- Write down your ideal customer in one sentence before you hire.
- Give them a list of 100 good-fit accounts on day one.
- Share the emails that already got replies, so they start from proof.
- Measure qualified meetings, not activity.
Frequently asked questions
What does SDR stand for?
SDR stands for sales development representative. It's the person who finds and qualifies new leads and books meetings for the salesperson who closes the deal.
Is an SDR the same as a BDR?
Often, yes. Some companies use BDR for outbound-only roles and SDR for inbound qualification, but many use the titles for the same job. Read the duties in the job post.
Do SDRs close deals?
No. An SDR's job usually ends when a qualified prospect books a meeting. The account executive runs the sale from there.
What do SDRs spend most time on?
Research and outreach. Picking the right accounts and finding a reason to contact them takes longer than writing the message itself.
What tools does an SDR need?
A CRM, an email tool, a way to research accounts and a way to track follow-ups. WorthPitching covers the research step: one domain in, the company brief out, from $99 a month with a 7-day trial.
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