SDR vs BDR: who does what in your sales team
SDR, BDR, AE... sales roles are constantly confused. We clarify who does what and how to structure a team that does not step on itself.
As soon as a sales team grows, the acronyms appear: SDR, BDR, AE, AM. They are used interchangeably, which creates confusion about who does what. Clarifying roles is not pedantry: it is what prevents the team from stepping on itself and leaving gaps.
SDR and BDR: the usual difference
Though it varies by company, the common split is that the SDR (Sales Development Representative) qualifies inbound leads, and the BDR (Business Development Representative) generates new opportunities outbound. Both prepare the ground for the closer to close, but from opposite sides of the funnel.
The AE and the close
The AE (Account Executive) is who takes the qualified opportunities and closes them. The role division exists because qualifying and closing require different skills, and mixing them in one person usually means neither is done well. Specializing improves both.
- SDR: qualifies inbound leads
- BDR: generates outbound opportunities
- AE: closes the qualified opportunities
- AM: manages and grows the account
- The key: no one doing everything halfway
Why specialize
Asking one person to prospect, qualify, close and manage the account is the recipe for everything being done mediocrely. Specialization by role lets each one master their part of the process. As the team grows, defining roles well is what keeps the machine oiled.
How buying leads fits
Buying qualified leads lightens the BDR/SDR load: instead of spending the day searching and validating, they receive opportunities ready to qualify and converse. That lets each role focus on what it does best and lets the team, without growing, work more real opportunities.