Sales Development Representative (SDR) Jobs

Entry-level position focusing on cold outreach to build sales pipelines. Great starting point for a sales career.

The last couple of decades have seen a significant evolution in sales development. Formerly, sales representatives began their careers cold calling and answering phones in the hopes of landing potential customers.

These days, sales development representatives (SDRs) take an even more active role by qualifying leads, prospecting, and conducting sales outreach. Their primary job is to make as many contacts with potential clients as possible to determine whether to advance them in the sales funnel promptly.

While cold calling and making direct contact with prospects using lists supplied by the marketing department is still a part of an SDR's responsibilities, that task is not only done via phone but also through direct messaging on platforms such as LinkedIn, Twitter, and Instagram. In addition, an SDR must also perform customer research and gather critical sales data. The most successful SDRs build sales opportunities, educate prospects about solutions, and facilitate closing deals.

What Are Sales Development Representatives' Duties?

The primary purpose of sales development representatives is to increase the company's customer base. As an entry-level position, there's usually no need for a college degree, but it's a good idea to have some sales experience in your background.

A typical list of an SDR's responsibilities includes:

1. Make cold calls, send emails, engage in social outreach, network, and conduct independent research to schedule outbound meetings.
2. Engage potential customers and communicate the benefits of products or services.
3. Assess prospects' pain points through sales discovery.
4. Provide prospects with relevant marketing content.
5. Follow up with existing clients to stay current with their needs.
6. Manage sales pipelines using customer relationship management (CRM) systems.
7. Work with sales representatives to support and close sales.

Successful Qualities For SDRs

You need to study prospects, analyze data, and stay up to date on everything in your business to succeed in an SDR role and hit targets.

This doesn't happen overnight. It requires time. You'll get rejected a lot, but don't let that deter you. You'll experience highs and lows each day. The trick is to remain optimistic, determined, and laser-focused.

You also need to have a strong understanding of your product. At the same time, it's essential to remember that, as a sales development representative, you're not just selling a product. You're selling a solution and your expertise.

Advancement In Sales Development

Many enthusiastic SDRs who join the profession soon advance to management and account executive positions. That said, the career path is not always easy.

To advance to an account executive position, you must reliably demonstrate your ability to perform your duties without repeating the same mistakes. From there, you may find yourself acting as an SDR stand-in. This is when you'd fill in for an account executive and take on their responsibilities.

Another way to advance quicker is to involve yourself in as much of the sales process as possible. Senior SDRs often join in on discovery and demo calls which is a great way to prepare them for what's to come in an Account Executive position.

What Are Some Positions An SDR Can Advance To?

Here is a list of some of the possible ways you can step up your career in sales following a successful stint as an SDR:

• Account Executive – Responsible for closing sales, supporting existing clients, developing sales strategies, and communicating product value to clients.
• Customer Success Manager – Guides new clients in finding solutions and meeting goals and works to retain existing customers.
• SDR Management – Responsible for managing junior SDRs and training SDRs just starting.

Locating SDR Opportunities

SDR positions exist across the country with exceptionally high demands in cities such as San Francisco, Los Angeles, Phoenix, Austin, Denver, Chicago, NYC, and Raleigh.

Many businesses have work-from-home and hybrid office options, providing employees with increased flexibility and autonomy.

How Much Do Sales Development Reps Earn?

It can vary.

The salary of a sales development professional depends mainly on how well you accomplish your goals. Some businesses choose to provide a base salary with occasional performance bonuses.

Comparably.com lists the average US sales development representative's compensation at around $74,000, including bonuses and commissions.

By averaging the reports from the job tracking sites Indeed, Builtin, and Payscale, we find an average of $55,200 as a yearly base salary with bonuses and commissions averaging approximately $17,500. This adds up to $72,700 yearly. Not bad for an entry-level position.

Succeeding in Sales Development

It goes without saying that in outbound sales, SDRs experience a lot of rejection. Don't take it personally. SDRs need to have great mental fortitude to succeed in sales and deal with the frustrations of not being able to connect with people they need to.

The good news is that if you have the right skills, being a sales development rep can be very rewarding, watching your prospected leads turn into closed-won opportunities.

Research

Do your research and—at the very least—confirm the prospect's name, job title, industry, and location. Verify the accuracy of the B2B marketing data you've been given. Demonstrating that you know who you're talking to and why will help you make a more favorable impression.

Active Listening

One of the most crucial SDR abilities is active listening since it enables you to interact with prospects on a personal level and allows you to establish yourself as a consultant.

Being Direct

You should keep in mind that, as an SDR, you are likely disrupting someone's workday. Getting right to the point will make you appear confident—a quality your clients will find value in.

Creativity

You'll gain more traction the more inventive your outreach is. Due to the intense competition in sales, SDRs must constantly develop strategies to differentiate their message.

The Start of a Great Career

Sales development is an essential step in the sales process and a terrific path for entering the field. While being an SDR on a sales team can be challenging, it's a crucial role that can also be quite rewarding.

You are the first point of contact and the one who qualifies leads for sales representatives farther down the funnel. Your job paves the way for the success of the company's sales team.

By cultivating the right skills and putting in the hard work required, you can stand out from the crowd and build a strong foundation for a lucrative future sales career.