Three titles that show up on every outbound org chart, and get used inconsistently enough that people building their first sales team usually have to ask.
SDR (sales development rep) and BDR (business development rep) both prospect and qualify leads — the titles are often used interchangeably, though some teams split them by inbound (SDR) vs. outbound (BDR). AE (account executive) takes the qualified meeting from either one and runs the deal to close. The short version: SDR/BDR opens the door, AE closes it.
| Role | Job | Measured by |
|---|---|---|
| SDR | Prospects and qualifies, often inbound-leaning | Conversations, qualified meetings booked |
| BDR | Prospects and qualifies, often outbound-leaning | Dials, connects, meetings booked |
| AE | Runs the qualified meeting through to a closed deal | Pipeline value, quota, close rate |
In practice, plenty of teams run one title doing both inbound and outbound work, and plenty of "SDR" job posts describe pure cold-calling — the industry hasn't standardized. What doesn't change across naming conventions is the shape of the handoff: whoever's doing the prospecting is measured on activity and qualified meetings, and whoever's closing is measured on revenue. Building your dial queue, CRM and call review around that handoff matters more than which title is on the business card.
What is the difference between SDR and BDR?
In most teams, the titles are used interchangeably or split by inbound vs. outbound: an SDR often works inbound leads, while a BDR focuses on outbound prospecting. Some companies use only one title for both motions.
What is the difference between SDR and AE?
An SDR prospects and qualifies — booking the first meeting. An AE takes the qualified meeting and runs the deal through to close. The SDR opens the door; the AE closes it.
Does an SDR need a CRM?
Yes — an SDR's job is measured in activity and pipeline created, both of which need to be logged somewhere the rest of the team can see. Sales Montana bundles the CRM with the dialer so that logging happens automatically as the SDR calls.
Related: Outsourced SDR services · Connect rate · Call disposition
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