Business Development Representative (BDR/SDR) Job Description Template
A Business Development Representative (BDR) - also known as a Sales Development Representative (SDR) in some organizations - is a mid-level sales role focused on generating new business opportunities for the company. In a typical SMB (small-to-mid-sized business) context, the BDR is an individual contributor responsible for prospecting and qualifying leads rather than closing deals . The core function is to create long-term value for the business by finding and engaging potential customers through outbound efforts like cold calls, emails, and networking . BDRs serve as the first point of contact for prospects, initiating relationships and scheduling sales meetings or demos for account executives. The role's core focus is top-of-funnel sales activities - identifying prospects, sparking interest, and qualifying potential buyers - so that the sales team can convert them into customers. In an SMB setting, BDRs often wear multiple hats within the sales process: they might handle both inbound and outbound leads, collaborate closely with marketing on campaigns, and provide feedback to improve targeting. The scope typically includes meeting weekly/monthly activity targets (calls, emails, meetings set) and contributing to revenue growth by ensuring a steady pipeline of high-quality leads . This role is usually remote-friendly or hybrid, given that outreach is done via phone, email, and virtual meetings. BDRs in SMBs must be self-driven to manage their time and productivity in a less structured environment while maintaining effective communication with a distributed team.
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Business Development Representative (BDR/SDR) Responsibilities
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High-Volume Prospecting: Proactively identify and reach out to new business prospects through cold calls, cold emails, and social media outreach on a daily basis . This includes making a set number of calls/emails per day to meet activity quotas (e.g. calls made, emails sent).
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Lead Research & List Building: Perform upfront market and account research to generate target lead lists
. This involves researching industries, competitors, and ideal customer profiles, then compiling contact lists of potential clients (using tools like LinkedIn or online databases)
.
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Qualifying Inbound Leads: Quickly engage and qualify leads coming from marketing campaigns or the website. Use standard criteria (e.g. BANT: Budget, Authority, Need, Timeline) to determine if an inbound inquiry is a good sales opportunity. Prioritize responding to inbound leads to capitalize on their interest while it's hot.
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Lead Qualification & Nurturing: Conduct initial discovery calls or email conversations to assess prospect needs and fit, ensuring lead quality
. Ask probing questions to determine pain points and decision-making authority. Nurture interested leads over time with follow-up emails/calls, providing additional information or resources to build the relationship until the prospect is sales-ready.
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Meeting Scheduling: Secure and schedule sales meetings or product demos between qualified prospects and the sales executives. This includes coordinating calendars, sending invites, and
preparing the prospect for the meeting (confirming agenda, attendees, etc.). A key performance metric for BDRs is the number of qualified meetings booked for the sales team
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CRM Updates and Data Management: Maintain accurate records of all lead interactions and status updates in the Customer Relationship Management (CRM) system. Log calls made, emails sent, meeting outcomes, and next steps for each prospect daily. Keep the sales pipeline data clean and updated so that forecasts and hand-offs are reliable.
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Collaboration with Sales & Marketing: Work closely with Account Executives to hand off qualified opportunities, providing context and notes for a smooth transition . Attend regular sales team meetings to share pipeline status and insights. Also collaborate with marketing by providing feedback on lead quality or campaign responses, and by following up on marketing-generated leads
(e.g. event attendees, content downloads).
Required Skills & Qualifications
-CRM and Sales Tools Proficiency: Ability to use common CRM software (e.g. Salesforce, HubSpot) to manage contacts and pipeline . Also proficient with office suites (Microsoft 365 or Google Workspace) and sales engagement tools (email sequencing software, LinkedIn Sales Navigator, etc.). -Outbound Prospecting Techniques: Skilled in cold calling and cold emailing - knows how to craft effective outreach emails and handle phone conversations with prospects. Can navigate gatekeepers on calls and use social selling (LinkedIn) appropriately. -Lead Research & Data Management: Competence in researching companies and contacts (using the web, LinkedIn, etc.) to gather relevant information. Able to analyze a lead list or market segment to identify high-potential prospects. Strong data entry and attention to detail when adding leads to CRM or updating information. -Sales Qualification Knowledge: Familiarity with lead qualification frameworks (such as BANT or MEDDIC). Knows what questions to ask to determine a prospect's budget, decision-making authority, needs, and timeline. Can assess from a brief conversation whether a prospect meets the Ideal Customer Profile. -Communication Tools & Email Writing: Proficient in business communication - especially writing clear, concise emails and messages. Can draft professional outreach emails and follow-ups with proper grammar and persuasive language. Comfortable using team communication platforms like Slack or Microsoft Teams for internal coordination.
Preferred Soft Skills
-Communication & Active Listening: Excellent verbal and written communication skills are a must
. Able to clearly convey value propositions and engage prospects on calls. Equally important is active listening - can understand prospect needs and read between the lines during conversations. -Time Management & Organization: Strong ability to manage time and prioritize tasks in a fast-paced environment
. BDRs juggle dozens of calls/emails daily, so they need to be organized - using calendars, task lists, follow-up schedules - to ensure no prospect falls through the cracks and to hit their activity targets. -Resilience & Persistence: A thick skin and resilience in the face of frequent rejection. BDRs must stay
motivated and positive despite prospects ignoring emails or saying "no." They should handle objections or negative responses professionally and persistently (without being pushy) to find the next opportunity. -Interpersonal Skills & Teamwork: Good at building rapport with strangers and establishing trust quickly. Friendly, empathetic, and able to connect with prospects by addressing their concerns. Also a team player who collaborates well with colleagues (e.g. sharing tips, helping others with leads, and aligning with account executives)
. -Adaptability & Problem-Solving: Adaptable and can think on their feet
. If a call isn't going as planned or a prospect poses an unexpected question, the BDR can adjust their approach. They also bring creativity to try new strategies when old ones stall - for example, experimenting with a different email approach or finding a novel angle to pique a prospect's interest.
Interview Questions for Business Development Representative (BDR/SDR)
- What motivates you personally to succeed as a BDR, and what do you do to keep yourself engaged and learning in the role?
- or industry-specific, we may need to add a knowledge component (or at least expect candidates to learn basics). For example, if selling a cybersecurity product, an SME might suggest a basic technical aptitude screening. Currently, no technical domain questions are included. Is that acceptable or do we expect the BDR to have any domain knowledge up front?
- What Is a Business Development Representative?
- What does a business development representative (BDR) do?
Frequently Asked Questions
What does a Business Development Representative (BDR/SDR) do?
A Business Development Representative (BDR) - also known as a Sales Development Representative (SDR) in some organizations - is a mid-level sales role focused on generating new business opportunities for the company. In a typical SMB (small-to-mid-sized business) context, the BDR is an individual contributor responsible for prospecting and qualifying leads rather than closing deals . The core function is to create long-term value for the business by finding and engaging potential customers through outbound efforts like cold calls, emails, and networking . BDRs serve as the first point of contact for prospects, initiating relationships and scheduling sales meetings or demos for account executives. The role's core focus is top-of-funnel sales activities - identifying prospects, sparking interest, and qualifying potential buyers - so that the sales team can convert them into customers. In an SMB setting, BDRs often wear multiple hats within the sales process: they might handle both inbound and outbound leads, collaborate closely with marketing on campaigns, and provide feedback to improve targeting. The scope typically includes meeting weekly/monthly activity targets (calls, emails, meetings set) and contributing to revenue growth by ensuring a steady pipeline of high-quality leads . This role is usually remote-friendly or hybrid, given that outreach is done via phone, email, and virtual meetings. BDRs in SMBs must be self-driven to manage their time and productivity in a less structured environment while maintaining effective communication with a distributed team.
What qualifications does a Business Development Representative (BDR/SDR) need?
-CRM and Sales Tools Proficiency: Ability to use common CRM software (e.g. Salesforce, HubSpot) to manage contacts and pipeline . Also proficient with office suites (Microsoft 365 or Google Workspace) and sales engagement tools (email sequencing software, LinkedIn Sales Navigator, etc.). -Outbound Prospecting Techniques: Skilled in cold calling and cold emailing - knows how to craft effective outreach emails and handle phone conversations with prospects. Can navigate gatekeepers on calls and use social selling (LinkedIn) appropriately. -Lead Research & Data Management: Competence in researching companies and contacts (using the web, LinkedIn, etc.) to gather relevant information. Able to analyze a lead list or market segment to identify high-potential prospects. Strong data entry and attention to detail when adding leads to CRM or updating information. -Sales Qualification Knowledge: Familiarity with lead qualification frameworks (such as BANT or MEDDIC). Knows what questions to ask to determine a prospect's budget, decision-making authority, needs, and timeline. Can assess from a brief conversation whether a prospect meets the Ideal Customer Profile. -Communication Tools & Email Writing: Proficient in business communication - especially writing clear, concise emails and messages. Can draft professional outreach emails and follow-ups with proper grammar and persuasive language. Comfortable using team communication platforms like Slack or Microsoft Teams for internal coordination.
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