SDR vs BDR - What's the difference?

Among these rapidly expanding professions, Sales Development Representatives (SDRs) And the Business Development Representatives (BDRs) share the same objective but very different applications.

Many Akimbers become SDR or BDR after their Bootcamp at Akimbo !

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Sales jobs in B2B SaaS

Sales Development Representatives (SDRs) and Business Development Representatives (BDRs) are attackers. Their mission is to advance the commercial relationship of simple interest To one Act of purchase. Only the target accounts are different, the conversion strategy also diverges. Their action is carried out before the sales cycle and is based mainly on commercial prospecting.

Definition of an SDR - Sales Development Representative

Sales Development Representatives (SDR) mainly takes care of target accounts marketing. It forms the junction between the Marketing department (which brings out interested leads) and Accounts Executives (AeS) who are in charge of negotiating and closing the contract. Its action is therefore mainly focused on prospects who have already been in contact with the company, The incoming leads. The role of the SDR will be to retrieve these profiles and determine if it can convert them into potential customers.

Definition of a BDR - Business Development Representative

The Business Development Representative (BDR) is responsible for detecting business opportunities, the qualify and finally transmit them to the AEs. Unlike SDR, it looks for its prospects itself and contacts them on its own initiative. These outgoing leads have never been in contact with the company. The BDR is therefore versatile in its strategy of presentation and customer loyalty. He is responsible for a large portfolio of contacts to convince.

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The difference between SDR and BDR

The choice of segmentation for prospecting is not trivial. She is multichannel in order to differentiate and optimize strategies in each case.

Some structures still combine these two positions into one, but they are commonly separated in two distinct roles, in theory as well as in practice.

The specificity of each job is based on The types of profiles to be paid.

The BDR identifies and qualifies outgoing leads, or Outbound. That is, it initiates contact with individuals who are not familiar with the company.

The SDR looks for incoming leads, or Inbound. These are prospects who have already initiated an approach to business (often via marketing).

Depending on the audience, each agent will have a different approach in his presentation but also in his arguments. The aim is the same: qualify the most relevant profiles to fuel the sales cycle.

The missions and qualities of a good BDR

BDR identifies Outbound leads having never been in contact with the company. If they are receptive to the proposed product/service proposal, they will be qualified as business opportunities. To this end, he is developing a action plan consisting of Contact, orienting and convince prospects.

Unlike the Business Developer (BizDev), his action does not extend over the entire sales cycle. It is a profession specific to commercial prospecting within businesses.

He transfers his qualified prospects to the AEs who will take charge of the negotiations until the closing. However, the BDR can work closely with them as a support by intervening in the organization of appointments.

In order to fulfill these various tasks, the BDR can count on numerous administrative management and analysis tools. This position requires an argument and long exchanges. He must then know his offer, his business and know communicate to fuel a good customer relationship. It is a role that requires determination And of the creativity.

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The missions and qualities of a good SDR

The SDR retrieves the Marketing Qualified Leads (MQL) with the Marketing department. Its mission is to convert them into Sales Qualified Leads (SQL).

For this, it has numerous communication and management tools (CRM, database, emailing, calls...) in order to facilitateidentification and contact. Although a product/service and company presentation is required, the prospect is often Already familiar with the concept. The aim of the SDR is to address the real potential of this profile and to work on the possibility of collaboration.

To understand this complex decision circuit, the SDR must demonstrate great motivation and real abilities toorganizing. As a lead hunter, he must master commercial prospecting to perfection by exploiting the resources available. In order to reach his goal, he knows Arguing on its offers and Persevere despite the difficulties.

2 pillars of acquisition for your sales team

Together, the SDR and the BDR represent the first level of profitability of the company. These are two pillars of the Business & Sales team. Highly appreciated in Tech and startups, they are becoming essential roles for many organizations. Thanks to their tailor-made strategies, their organization and their involvement, they generate a large number of qualified prospects.

The entire sales cycle will depend on their work.. They are the very first middleman representing the company, they should send a favorable signal. In addition, they lighten and target the work of the departments that succeed them. Within the sales team, they identify and Prepare the ground so that EAs can manage negotiations on relevant profiles and without too much prospecting.

Their expertise and relationships allow them to build solid foundations to the rest of the sales process.

SDRs and BDRs are equipped with experience and skills that are carefully identified at the time of recruitment.

They are full profiles that structures take great care in choosing and managing. Their number and role will surely increase in the coming years.

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