Sales Development Representatives
Overview
Introduction
Sales development representatives (SDRs) conduct research to identify sales prospects. Then they contact prospects to generate leads and foster new clients. Their ultimate goal is to pass qualified prospects to an account executive (who is also known as an account representative), who closes the sale by customizing solutions to the prospect’s needs, delivering the product or service to the new client, and maintaining the relationship with the client.
Quick Facts
Median Salary
Employment Prospects
Minimum Education Level
Experience
Skills
Personality Traits
Earnings
Entry-level sales development representatives with less than one year of experience earned average total compensation (including salary and variable compensation such as tips, overtime pay, and bonuses and incentives tied to meeting quotas) of $43,058 in 2020, according to PayScale.com. Those with one to four years of experience earned average total compensation of $44,602. An experienced SDR w...
Work Environment
Sales careers can be stressful at times. Most contacts made by sales development representatives do not turn into solid sales leads, and SDRs face constant rejection and sometimes even rude responses to their sales pitches. Representatives need a confident nature and the ability to get over negative interactions quickly to be successful in this competitive field.
Work hours are typically...
Outlook
Sales development representatives will be in demand over the next decade as companies continue to compete for business and market share. Those who are certified, have a college degree, and who have excellent communication, interpersonal, and sales skills—as well as knowledge of lead generation and customer relationship management software—will have the best job prospects.