What Is a BDR (Business Development Representative)?
A BDR — Business Development Representative — is a sales professional who focuses on outbound prospecting and generating new business opportunities. If you're wondering what a BDR is: they are the front line of lead generation, responsible for initiating contact with potential customers and qualifying them before handoff to closers.
What Does a BDR Do?
BDRs own the top of the sales funnel. Their core activities include:
- Outbound prospecting — identifying and reaching out to potential buyers
- Cold calling and warm calling to book meetings
- Lead qualification using frameworks like BANT or MEDDIC
- Pipeline generation — creating opportunities for Account Executives to close
- CRM updates — logging activity and maintaining accurate sales pipeline data
The primary metric for BDRs is typically meetings booked or qualified opportunities created.
BDR vs. SDR: What's the Difference?
The terms BDR and SDR are often used interchangeably. In practice:
- BDR tends to emphasize business development — broader outreach, new market expansion, strategic prospecting
- SDR tends to emphasize sales development — focused on qualifying inbound and outbound leads for the sales team
Many organizations use one title or the other. The role is the same: generate pipeline through outbound activity.
Key Skills for BDR Success
- Prospecting — finding the right contacts and accounts
- Cold calling — engaging strangers on the phone (see our cold calling guide)
- Objection handling — navigating pushback (practice with Vozah)
- Time management — batching calls, emails, and research for maximum output
BDRs who practice deliberately ramp faster. AI-powered sales training gives reps unlimited practice without manager availability.