Pillar Guide · Lead Generation Consulting℠
What Is a Business Development Representative (BDR)?
A business development representative (BDR) is a rep focused on generating new pipeline through outbound prospecting — finding and opening conversations with accounts that haven't raised their hand yet. It's the outbound half of prospecting.
What a BDR does
A BDR researches target accounts, runs cold outreach, and books qualified meetings from net-new pipeline. The focus is outbound, not inbound.
Success comes from targeting and timing, not volume alone.
BDR vs SDR
Conventionally, a BDR drives outbound net-new pipeline while an SDR qualifies inbound — but many companies use the titles interchangeably.
The modern BDR motion
The research-outreach-qualify loop a BDR runs is now largely automatable with AI agents, which is the motion we run for you.
Key takeaways
- A BDR drives outbound net-new pipeline
- They prospect accounts that haven't engaged yet
- BDR vs SDR usage varies by company
- The BDR motion is now AI-automatable
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FAQ
Common questions.
What's the difference between a BDR and an SDR?
Typically a BDR focuses on outbound net-new pipeline and an SDR on inbound qualification — though usage varies.
Is BDR a sales or marketing role?
It sits between the two — generating pipeline that sales closes, aligned to marketing's targets.