Sales

Sales Development Representative job description

A Sales Development Representative generates high-quality leads using outbound prospecting. Learn what a Sales Development Representative does to grow revenue.

Published March 19, 2026Updated May 17, 20266596 likes

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Job brief

We are looking for a motivated Sales Development Representative to accelerate our growth by connecting with prospective clients and qualifying new business opportunities. You will serve as the first point of contact for our brand, navigating complex sales cycles and leveraging data-driven prospecting to build a robust pipeline. This role offers a unique opportunity to sharpen your consultative selling skills while working alongside an experienced team of account executives and marketing professionals. If you are passionate about outreach, high-energy, and eager to master the art of the discovery call, we would love to have you on our team.

Key highlights

Execute high-volume outbound prospecting campaigns via phone, email, and LinkedIn to build a consistent pipeline of qualified sales opportunities.
Qualify inbound and outbound leads using structured frameworks like BANT or MEDDIC to ensure alignment with our ideal customer profile.
Book high-quality discovery meetings and product demonstrations for Account Executives by effectively communicating our unique value proposition.
Research target accounts and key decision-makers to personalize outreach efforts and increase response rates among high-value prospects.

What is a Sales Development Representative?

A Sales Development Representative is a specialized sales professional focused on the top-of-funnel stage of the customer acquisition lifecycle. By identifying potential prospects and qualifying leads through research and personalized outreach, a Sales Development Representative bridges the gap between marketing initiatives and the closing sales team. They utilize sophisticated sales engagement platforms and CRM tools to maintain a consistent outreach cadence, ensuring that account executives are equipped with a high-intent pipeline necessary for driving sustainable business revenue.

What does a Sales Development Representative do?

A Sales Development Representative executes daily prospecting strategies by conducting cold outreach through email, social selling on LinkedIn, and strategic cold calling. They utilize tools like Salesforce, Outreach.io, or SalesLoft to manage lead sequences, document prospect interactions, and track conversion metrics against daily activity goals. Beyond initial contact, they qualify leads based on BANT or MEDDIC frameworks, setting up product demonstrations for senior sales staff and providing insights into prospect pain points to refine the overall outbound strategy.

Key responsibilities

Execute high-volume outbound prospecting campaigns via phone, email, and LinkedIn to build a consistent pipeline of qualified sales opportunities.
Qualify inbound and outbound leads using structured frameworks like BANT or MEDDIC to ensure alignment with our ideal customer profile.
Maintain precise documentation of all prospect interactions, lead status, and follow-up tasks within Salesforce CRM to drive pipeline transparency.
Book high-quality discovery meetings and product demonstrations for Account Executives by effectively communicating our unique value proposition.
Analyze prospect behavior and engagement data to iterate on messaging strategies and improve conversion rates across email sequences.
Collaborate with marketing teams to refine lead generation efforts by providing actionable feedback on the quality of incoming MQLs.
Meet or exceed monthly and quarterly activity-based KPIs, including call volume, email cadence completion, and meetings set.
Research target accounts and key decision-makers to personalize outreach efforts and increase response rates among high-value prospects.

Requirements and skills

1+ years of experience in a sales development, business development, or high-volume customer-facing role within a B2B SaaS environment.
Proven proficiency in using CRM software like Salesforce or HubSpot to manage leads and track sales performance metrics.
Strong command of modern sales engagement tools such as Outreach, SalesLoft, or Apollo.io for managing multi-touch outreach sequences.
Ability to articulate complex technical value propositions clearly and concisely to C-suite and director-level stakeholders.
Demonstrated ability to handle objections and navigate gatekeepers with professional resilience and a solution-oriented mindset.
Bachelor’s degree in Business Administration, Marketing, Communications, or a related field of study is highly preferred.
Understanding of the full-cycle sales process and the ability to contribute to revenue growth in a metrics-driven environment.
Completion of professional sales training certifications such as Sandler Training or SPIN Selling is a significant advantage.

FAQs

What does a Sales Development Representative do on a daily basis?

A Sales Development Representative focuses on top-of-funnel activity, which includes researching target accounts, sending personalized emails, and performing cold calls to prospective buyers. They spend a significant portion of their day inside a CRM and sales engagement platform managing follow-up sequences. Their primary deliverable is to qualify potential customers and transition them into formal discovery meetings with an Account Executive.

What are the essential skills for a Sales Development Representative?

Success in this role requires a blend of grit, communication skills, and data-driven organization. Essential hard skills include CRM proficiency, the ability to operate sales automation tools, and the mastery of lead qualification frameworks like MEDDIC or BANT. Soft skills such as objection handling, active listening, and the ability to maintain a positive attitude during high-volume outreach are equally critical.

Who does a Sales Development Representative work with internally?

They work most closely with the Account Executive team, who rely on the SDR to fill their pipelines with qualified opportunities. Additionally, they collaborate frequently with marketing departments to provide feedback on lead quality and content performance. Depending on the size of the company, an SDR may also coordinate with Sales Operations to optimize lead scoring and data enrichment strategies.

Why is the Sales Development Representative role vital for revenue growth?

A Sales Development Representative acts as the engine of the revenue team by ensuring that the sales pipeline remains full and healthy. Without effective prospecting and lead qualification, closing teams would waste time on unqualified leads, slowing down the entire revenue cycle. By focusing solely on the discovery and qualification phases, they enable the organization to scale its market reach and achieve long-term sales targets efficiently.