Glossary entry
BDR vs SDR
Also known as Business Dev Rep · Sales Dev Rep
Two role names that often mean the same thing — both work cold outbound to book qualified meetings. The distinction varies by company: some orgs use BDR for outbound + SDR for inbound; some use BDR for new-logo + SDR for expansion; some use the terms interchangeably. The job is the same: research, sequence, book. The title that wins depends on what your competitors call the role when recruiting.
01Definition
TLDR
Two role names that often mean the same thing — both work cold outbound to book qualified meetings. The distinction varies by company: some orgs use BDR for outbound + SDR for inbound; some use BDR for new-logo + SDR for expansion; some use the terms interchangeably. The job is the same: research, sequence, book. The title that wins depends on what your competitors call the role when recruiting.
02Why it matters
Title politics matters for recruiting and retention. Mostly cosmetic, occasionally consequential.
03Example
Worked example
At Outreach: BDR = outbound, SDR = inbound. At Salesforce: SDR = outbound, BDR = inbound. At most startups: pick one.
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