Sales Development Representatives

The career of sales development representative began in the 1980s, primarily in the business-to-business tech sector. Companies recognized the value of creating specialized sales teams to handle various aspects of the sales process—from research and lead development, to closing the deal and providing ongoing services to customers. In the early 2000s, the use of SDRs accelerated when large tech companies such as Oracle and Salesforce began breaking up the sales process into deal finders (who were experts in sales development) and deal closers (experts in finishing off the sale and working with clients on their long-term needs). In recent years, the development of data analytics, automated lead generators, auto dialers, call performance monitors, and other lead development tools has allowed sales development representatives to do their jobs more effectively and reach more potential customers. “The case for sales development is extremely compelling,” says Craig Rosenberg, co-founder of the research and advisory firm TOPO in an article about SDRs at ResourcefulSelling.com. “The best revenue machines have a sales development group to reach leads, overcome objections, make sure they are a fit, and get them connected to sales teams.“