What is a BDR and Why Does Your Company Desperately Need Them?

What is a BDR and Why Does Your Company Desperately Need Them?

Ahhh, acronyms. 

Whether you love ‘em, hate ‘em, or can’t live without ‘em, those little squished packets of information are everywhere. 

Sometimes they’re used to make you look super smart and impress your industry teammates with your obvious knowledge of ROI and AGR and CX and KPIs.

Maybe you’re just uber productive with your time and “BRB” is eight keystrokes less than “be right back.”

Whatever your relationship is with acronyms, brace yourselves because we’ve got another one coming for you. And since you’re reading this article, we’re pretty positive you already know what it is.

So…what exactly is a BDR? 

We’re so glad you asked.

BDR Definition 

BDR stands for business development representative. They are part of a company’s sales team tasked with the responsibility of prospecting, qualifying, and nurturing leads. Usually a BDR is the first point of contact for a potential client or customer. 

After researching a lead or receiving one from another team member, a BDR will reach out to a customer through various means of communication, be that text, email, phone—whatever mode they believe will best serve to move the conversation forward. They may also use social selling and networking to build and create more potential business opportunities. 

The BDR is not responsible for closing a deal. Their job is to keep a steady stream of qualified leads flowing smoothly through their company’s pipeline. They are an integral part of any flourishing business as their job directly impacts company growth and development.

A BDR is not to be confused with an SDR (for all you acronym lovers out there…you’re welcome). Occasionally you will see these acronyms used almost interchangeably, but there is a difference. 

• A BDR handles outbound prospecting (reaching out and drawing in potential customers/clients).
• An SDR (Sales Development Representative) fields and qualifies inbound prospects (potential business opportunities that have already engaged with a company on their own).

What Does a BDR Do Exactly?

The core responsibilities of a BDR can be split into three main activities.

1. Prospecting new leads and business opportunities.
2. Making sure those leads are qualified thoroughly.
3. Funneling pre-screened, warm leads on to the sales team’s closers.

Within each of these are a variety of tasks to be accomplished. We’ve briefly touched on some of these already, but since you’re still reading you’re obviously enthralled so let’s dive into a little more detail.

• Research and Lead Generation

A good BDR is like a lead generation magician, pulling leads from what appears to be thin air. But don’t get the wrong idea; prospecting is recognized as one of the hardest parts of the sales process. It can be slow and time-consuming work. Data needs to be analyzed, current customer profiles need to be studied, LinkedIn pages have to be stalked (professionally. Not creepily). All this is done to search out new business opportunities that aren’t randomly generated and a waste of precious company time and resources.

• Cold Calling and Emailing

Once the BDR has a good solid list of leads and has done adequate research on their potential customer, they start reaching out. It takes a special individual indeed to accomplish this task.  Any unsolicited communication is inherently intimidating, and the one speaking with the prospect has to be a quick-thinking and creative communicator. When it comes to cold phone calls specifically, there are so many variables and directions the conversation could go, and the caller has to be well educated and prepared for a variety of questions, objections, and scenarios. 

And when it comes to emails, another level of creativity must be implemented, as written material is easily skimmed over and discarded. The BDR has to create a solid email pitch that instantly engages and draws the reader in, stirring interest and prompting them to respond.

• Social Selling and Networking

Connections are key for business growth. And the BDR is a master at building relationships. They know their target audience, and they know data patterns and analytics, which can all be used to strategically target prospects on social media sites.

And not only will a good BDR know their audience, they’ll have a great grasp on social media itself as well. They’ll understand how to use each platform most effectively, right down to what day and time is best to post and interact. 

Can BDRs Really Impact My Company?

Short answer? Um, YES. 

Longer answer? Still, YES. Some might even go so far as to state that a BDR is one of the most critical positions on any thriving sales and marketing team. 

The BDR takes on the vast majority of the most time-consuming tasks that would normally tie up your sales department and keep them from simply closing deals. Researching, prospecting, qualifying, nurturing…your sales team doesn’t want to do it. They live for the close, the excitement of making money and sealing a deal. “Clutter tasks” are tedious and frustrating, and honestly? Your business is losing money on a daily basis if sales is bogged down with tasks other than closing.

A BDR optimizes the sales process and is an integral part of any successful business growth strategy. They heighten productivity and help create a smooth business process from beginning to end. Higher contact rates equal higher sales conversions, which means a significant increase in ROI on your marketing spend.

Why Should I Outsource BDR Services?

Sure, you could attempt to build up a BDR team internally, but that is a time-consuming and expensive endeavor. Outsourcing your lead generation and nurturing tasks to a sales experience provider like Squeeze is a profitable and business-savvy solution.

•  A dedicated BDR team opens up a pool of opportunities that your internal team might not otherwise reach. You can test new markets and potential revenue streams as an expert team uses their knowledge of the industry to find the best clients for you and your company.

• Not only will your flow of leads increase, they will be higher quality and sourced with your specific company and brand in mind.  An experienced BDR will know a great fit when they find it and move them quickly down your sales funnel.

• With trained and highly-skilled BDRs, pitches are perfected and crafted to engage your target audience at just the right time, improving your close rate and increasing revenue.

• You can’t gloss over the added benefit of an incredible customer experience. When a potential customer has a positive interaction with a trained professional representing you and your company, this builds up a strong brand culture and nurtures the relationship between your prospects and you. When the customer’s happy, everybody’s happy. 

So What Are You Waiting For?

Hi. Hey. What’s up. This is us, the Squeeze team, waving at you. We’ve got those incredible, skilled BDRs you’ve heard so much about. And they are ready to integrate with your team, optimize your business process, and make you money TODAY.