What is a BDR?
A BDR (Business Development Representative) is a sales role focused exclusively on generating new opportunities through outbound prospecting.
BDRs work at the top of the funnel, identifying potential customers, reaching out cold, and qualifying prospects before handing them off to Account Executives (AEs) for closing.
Note on Terminology:
BDR and SDR (Sales Development Representative) are often used interchangeably. Some companies distinguish them:
- BDR: Focuses on outbound prospecting and new business
- SDR: May handle both outbound and inbound lead qualification
Why BDRs Matter
BDRs fuel the entire sales organization. Without BDRs, AEs would spend their time prospecting instead of closing.
The BDR Impact:
- AEs with BDR support close 2-3x more deals
- BDRs generate 60-80% of pipeline for many organizations
- Proper BDR scaling enables predictable revenue growth
- BDRs: Prospect, qualify, schedule (hunting)
- AEs: Present, negotiate, close (farming)
- CSMs: Retain, expand, delight (growing)
BDR Responsibilities
Core Activities
| Activity | Description | Time Allocation |
|---|---|---|
| **Prospecting** | Finding and researching potential customers | 25% |
| **Cold Outreach** | Email, phone, LinkedIn, social selling | 40% |
| **Lead Qualification** | BANT/MEDDIC qualification of prospects | 15% |
| **CRM Management** | Logging activity, updating pipeline | 10% |
| **Team Collaboration** | Working with AEs and marketing | 10% |
Daily Activities
Typical BDR Day:
- 50-100 personalized cold emails
- 30-50 cold calls
- 20-30 LinkedIn connections/messages
- 2-5 discovery calls with qualified prospects
- Research on target accounts and industries
- CRM updates and activity logging
Handoff to AEs
Once a prospect is qualified, BDRs hand off to AEs.
Handoff Criteria:
- BANT qualified (or equivalent framework)
- Discovery call completed
- Clear next step identified
- Stakeholder map started
- All relevant info logged in CRM
BDR Metrics and Quotas
Key Performance Indicators
Activity Metrics (Leading):
- Emails sent: 50-100 daily
- Calls made: 30-50 daily
- LinkedIn touches: 20-30 daily
- Total activities: 100-150 daily
- Meetings booked: 8-15 per month
- SQLs passed: 6-12 per month
- Opportunities created: 5-10 per month
- Pipeline generated: $50K-$150K monthly
BDR Quota Structure
| Experience Level | Monthly Quota | Annual Pipeline Target |
|---|---|---|
| Junior (0-1 yr) | 6-8 meetings | $400K-$600K |
| Mid (1-3 yrs) | 10-15 meetings | $800K-$1.2M |
| Senior (3+ yrs) | 15-20 meetings | $1.2M-$2M |
| Team Lead | Team quota | $5M-$10M |
Quota Attainment Benchmarks:
- On track (hit quota): 80%+ of BDRs
- Top performer: 120%+ of quota
- Performance improvement plan: <60% of quota for 2+ months
BDR vs Other Sales Roles
| Role | Focus | Primary Metric | Typical Experience |
|---|---|---|---|
| **BDR** | Outbound prospecting | Meetings booked | 0-3 years |
| **SDR** | Inbound + outbound | Lead qualification | 0-3 years |
| **AE** | Closing deals | Revenue generated | 2-10+ years |
| **CSM** | Customer retention | Retention rate | 2-10+ years |
| **SE** | Technical sales | Technical win rate | 3-10+ years |
BDR Career Path
Typical Progression
BDR (0-2 years)
- Learn prospecting and qualification
- Develop sales foundations
- Master CRM and sales tools
- Close deals independently
- Manage full sales cycle
- Develop negotiation skills
- Handle larger deals
- Mentor junior AEs
- Specialize in verticals
- Lead sales teams
- Develop strategy
- Manage hiring and training
- Executive leadership
- Revenue strategy
- Organization building
Alternative Paths
- Marketing: Transition to demand generation or marketing ops
- Customer Success: Move to CSM or customer success leadership
- Sales Operations: Build analytical and process skills
- Sales Enablement: Focus on training and content
BDR Best Practices
Prospecting Strategy
Target the Right Accounts:
- Know your ICP deeply
- Research before reaching out
- Prioritize high-fit accounts
- Use intent data to prioritize
- Don't rely on just email or phone
- Combine email, phone, LinkedIn, and social
- Consistent daily cadence across channels
- Track what works for your ICP
Effective Outreach
Personalize at Scale:
- Reference specific company news or events
- Mention mutual connections
- Tailor messaging to role/industry
- Avoid generic templates
- 80% of sales require 5+ touches
- Most BDRs stop after 1-2 attempts
- Create structured follow-up sequences
- Vary your approach and messaging
Time Management
Protect Selling Time:
- Block time for prospecting (no interruptions)
- Batch research and outreach activities
- Limit administrative work to off-hours
- Use tools to automate repetitive tasks
- Prioritize accounts most likely to buy
- Spend more time on qualified prospects
- Don't chase bad fits
- Disqualify quickly and move on
Common BDR Mistakes
Treating BDR as temporary:
Some view BDR as just a stepping stone. Top performers treat it as a career-building opportunity to master sales foundations.
Prioritizing activity over outcomes:
Sending 100 generic emails is worse than 20 personalized ones. Focus on quality, not just volume.
Not researching prospects:
Generic "saw your company" messaging stands out immediately. Take 2 minutes to find something specific.
Giving up too soon:
Most prospects need 5+ touches. BDRs who stop after 1-2 follow-ups leave pipeline on the table.
Poor CRM hygiene:
If it's not in CRM, it didn't happen. Bad data hurts your reputation and forecasting.
Fear of the phone:
Email is easier but calling is often more effective. Balance both channels.
Not qualifying properly:
Passing unqualified leads to AEs burns trust. Quality handoffs build credibility.
BDR Tools and Tech Stack
Essential Tools
| Category | Examples | Purpose |
|---|---|---|
| **CRM** | Salesforce, HubSpot | Pipeline and activity tracking |
| **Prospecting** | Apollo, ZoomInfo, LinkedIn Sales Nav | Lead list building |
| **Engagement** | Outreach, SalesLoft | Sequences and cadences |
| **Email Intelligence** | Firstsales.io, Instantly | Deliverability and inbox placement |
| **Data Enrichment** | Clearbit, Lusha | Contact and company data |
| **Call Intelligence** | Gong, Chorus | Call recording and coaching |
Tool Mastery
Top BDRs:
- Know their tools deeply (shortcuts, automation)
- Maintain clean CRM data
- Use sequences consistently
- Test and optimize messaging
- Share learnings with team
BDR Compensation
Typical Structure
Base Salary:
- Entry: $40K-$55K
- Mid-level: $55K-$70K
- Senior: $70K-$90K
- Metro areas add 20-40%
- $10K-$30K OTE (On-Target Earnings)
- Tied to meetings booked or SQLs passed
- Accelerators for exceeding quota
- Some plans include pipeline dollar value
- Entry: $50K-$75K
- Mid-level: $75K-$100K
- Senior: $100K-$140K
Key Takeaways
- BDR = Business Development Representative, focused on outbound prospecting and lead generation
- BDRs fuel the sales funnel by qualifying prospects before handing to AEs
- Key metrics: 50-100 emails daily, 30-50 calls, 8-15 meetings booked monthly
- Quota: $400K-$2M annual pipeline depending on experience
- BDR is typically a 0-2 year role before progressing to AE
- Success requires persistence (5+ touches), personalization, and qualifying properly
- Master the tools: CRM, engagement platforms, prospecting databases
- Focus on outcomes not just activity—quality over quantity
- Clean CRM data and proper handoffs build trust with AEs
- View BDR as foundational sales training, not just a stepping stone
Sources:
Related Terms
B2B (Business to Business)
Transactions between two businesses, not between business and consumer.
B2C (Business to Consumer)
Transactions between business and individual consumers.
Backlink Outreach
Cold email strategy targeting websites for link-building opportunities.
Bad Lead
Prospect unlikely to convert due to budget, authority, need, or timing misalignment.
