Sales Development Representative (SDR)
A Sales Development Representative (SDR) is an inside sales rep focused on qualifying inbound leads and booking meetings, not on closing deals.
In depth
SDRs sit at the top of the sales funnel, working leads that arrive through marketing channels such as content, ads, and quiz funnels. Their job is to verify fit using a defined qualification framework, gauge buying intent, and hand sales-ready prospects to an Account Executive. They live in the CRM all day, logging activities, sequencing follow-ups, and keeping pipeline data clean so forecasts stay reliable.
The common pitfall is treating SDRs as a volume machine that dials every name regardless of fit, which burns good leads and inflates no-show rates. In a quiz-funnel workflow, an SDR's leverage comes from the scoring data already collected: a scorecard reveals budget, role, and pain before the first call, so the SDR can prioritize hot tiers, personalize outreach, and skip the discovery questions the funnel already answered.
Example in practice
Frequently asked questions
What is the difference between an SDR and an AE?
An SDR qualifies leads and books meetings at the top of the funnel, while an Account Executive runs the demo, handles negotiation, and closes the deal. SDRs feed qualified pipeline to AEs so closers spend time only on sales-ready prospects.
How do quiz funnels make SDRs more efficient?
A scorecard quiz captures budget, role, and pain before the first contact, so SDRs can prioritize high-scoring tiers and personalize outreach. This reduces wasted dials and raises meeting show rates because intent is already confirmed.
What metrics measure SDR performance?
Common SDR metrics include qualified meetings booked, meeting show rate, lead-to-opportunity conversion, and pipeline value sourced. Activity counts like emails and calls matter, but outcome metrics tied to quality leads are far more meaningful.