Sales Development Rep (SDR)
A Sales Development Rep (SDR) is an outbound-focused sales role responsible for prospecting, qualifying, and booking discovery meetings with new leads — operating the top-of-funnel pipeline before handing qualified opportunities to closing reps (Account Executives).
Why This Matters
The SDR role separates prospecting work (high volume, lower skill, lower comp) from closing work (lower volume, higher skill, higher comp), enabling specialization economics that pure full-cycle sales models can't match. SDRs typically work outbound (cold prospecting); BDRs (Business Development Reps) typically work inbound (qualifying form-fills) — though the terms are often used interchangeably. SDR-to-AE handoff models are dominant in B2B SaaS above $5M ARR. SDR comp structure: 60-70% base, 30-40% variable tied to qualified meetings booked and pipeline created.
Frequently Asked Questions
Frequently Asked Questions
What's the difference between SDR and BDR?
SDR = Sales Development Rep, typically outbound prospecting. BDR = Business Development Rep, typically inbound qualification of marketing-generated leads. Some companies use the terms interchangeably; others enforce strict outbound/inbound role separation. The functional distinction matters more than the title nomenclature.
What's a typical SDR compensation structure?
Base + variable structure: 60-70% base, 30-40% variable. Variable tied to qualified meetings booked, meetings completed, and pipeline created. Total comp ranges $60K-$120K for SDRs in major US markets, with senior SDRs in expensive metros reaching $130K-$160K total comp.