Sales qualified lead
A sales qualified lead (SQL) is a lead that the sales team has reviewed and accepted as a real opportunity worth active selling.
Read more3. Outreach
What is a sales development representative?
A sales development representative (SDR) is a person who researches prospects, reaches out to them and books meetings for account executives. The role focuses on the start of the pipeline, not on closing deals.
The parts
- ResearchFind companies and people who match the target profile and learn enough to write a relevant first message.
- OutreachContact prospects by email, phone and social channels, following a cadence.
- QualificationAsk a few questions to confirm fit and interest before passing a lead to a seller.
- HandoffBook the meeting and share the notes, so the account executive starts with context.
Worked example: one week for one SDR
Shieldline Security, a fictional company, tracks the week of one SDR: 250 emails sent and 40 calls made.
By hand
- Replies received: 14.
- Meetings booked: 4.
- Meeting booked rate: 4 / 14 x 100 = 28.6%.
| Field | Value | Note |
|---|---|---|
| Emails sent | 250 | Across all active cadences |
| Calls made | 40 | Follow-up touches |
| Replies | 14 | All channels |
| Meetings booked | 4 | 28.6% of replies |
The week at a glance (invented figures)
How to apply it
- Define who an SDR hands leads to and what a ready lead looks like.
- Give the SDR a target list and a cadence, so time goes to outreach rather than building lists.
- Measure replies and meetings booked, not only messages sent.
- Review booked meetings with the sellers weekly and adjust the qualification rule.
Mistakes to avoid
- Rewarding the number of messages sent, which pushes quantity over relevance.
- Passing leads to sellers without notes from the conversation.
- Leaving the SDR to build lists by hand, which uses the time meant for outreach.
Related terms
Sales cadence
A sales cadence is a scheduled series of contacts, spread over days and often over more than one channel, that a seller follows to reach a prospect.
Read moreMeeting booked rate
Meeting booked rate is the share of replies that end with a meeting on the calendar.
Read moreQuestions
- What does an SDR do all day?
- Researches prospects, sends messages, makes calls, answers replies and books meetings for sellers.
- What is the difference between an SDR and an account executive?
- An SDR opens conversations and books meetings. An account executive runs those meetings and closes deals.
- What is the difference between an SDR and a BDR?
- The titles overlap. Some companies use SDR for inbound leads and BDR for outbound, others use them as the same role.
- Can software replace an SDR?
- Software can do list building, sequencing and reply sorting. A person is still useful for judgment on replies and for the conversations that follow.
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