What do SDR salespeople do and why do you need them on your team?

SDR = Sales Development Representative

In Czech, we could say "obchodní zástupce pro rozvoj prodeje." A Sales Development Representative (SDR) is a salesperson who focuses on the beginning of the sales process instead of closing deals.

They are a key part of the sales team. Their goal is to determine whether a lead is a suitable client, whether they fit the offered product, and if they are interested in it. If so, they pass it on to the salespeople. This increases their productivity and efficiency.

What does an SDR do

SDR salespeople help bring suitable leads into the sales funnel and move them along to the salespeople, who then close the deals.

The role of an SDR in the team involves:

• contacting and initiating communication with leads (via email, phone, social media, or at events),
• introducing the product or service,
• classifying leads and selecting those that match the customer persona and are suitable for the product,
• building relationships with leads without pushing them into a sale,
• facilitating the movement of leads through the sales funnel to the salespeople.

When do you need an SDR in your sales team?

If you're a medium or large company with many clients, it's a good idea to have SDRs alongside your salespeople. Managing not only the closing of numerous deals but also additional steps such as lead generation and classification can be overwhelming for regular salespeople. Overloading them in the long term can lead to burnout and turnover.

To avoid this, provide support with SDRs. Thanks to them, your salespeople can focus entirely on the final stage of the sales process, and their efficiency will increase.

What qualities should an SDR have?

SDR salespeople are often the first person from your company that potential customers come into contact with. They must have a solid understanding of the company, the product, the market, and the clients, while also needing to have strong interpersonal skills.

The key qualities an SDR needs for their job are:

• Communication skills, as they represent the company and its products, maintain communication with clients, and collaborate with the sales and marketing teams.
• Active listening skills, to understand clients and quickly respond to their needs.
• Proactivity and self-motivation, as they must find the best methods for approaching leads and acquiring them.
  
  

To do their job well, SDR salespeople also need to work with various tools. A CRM is essential for them, as it contains all the information about the leads.