SDR: definition
A sales rep specialized in the start of the cycle: they prospect, qualify leads, and book the meetings that others close afterward.
By Mathéo Ballasse · June 10, 2026
Definition
The SDR (Sales Development Representative) focuses on the top of the sales cycle: identifying targets, reaching out cold, qualifying their interest, and landing a meeting for a closing rep. Separating this role from closing lets you specialize effort: prospecting is a different craft from final negotiation.
Why it matters
The SDR role structures outbound prospecting and makes it predictable: by dedicating one person to generating qualified meetings, you feed the pipeline steadily instead of prospecting in bursts. For a B2B SaaS looking to scale, it's often the first sales hire to make.
When to use it
You bring in an SDR once cold email and LinkedIn become a structuring channel that needs to run full time. Concretely, the SDR works ICP lists, personalizes each approach, and hands off to the closer only the prospects who are genuinely qualified.
Example
An SDR sends targeted messages every week to decision-makers at companies matching the ICP, and books meetings for the founder, who then closes the sale.
Common mistakes
- Hiring one before validating the outbound channel.
- Judging them on send volume instead of qualified meetings.
- Merging prospecting and closing into one role too early.
Don't confuse it with
- prospect: The SDR is the person who prospects; the prospect is the qualified contact they generate.
Related terms
Articles that use this term
Frequently asked questions
- Do you need an SDR from day one?
- Rarely: at the start, the founder prospects themselves to learn from the market. The SDR comes once the outbound channel is validated and needs to run at scale.