The system that records companies and conversations

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Lesson 1 of 6 · 20 min

What Does an SDR or BDA Do? Daily Work and Targets Explained

Understand the job before the interview: activities, meetings, pipeline and how you are measured.

In this lesson1. The job in one sentence 2. A typical day 3. How you are measured 4. Worked example: a first week 5. Common beginner mistakes

The job in one sentence

A sales development representative, often called an SDR or a business development associate (BDA) in India, starts conversations with companies that might need what their employer sells, and books qualified meetings for senior sellers. You are the first voice a prospect hears. You do not usually close deals; you open them. That makes the role one of the best entry points into sales, technology and business careers, because you learn how companies buy.

A typical day

Mornings often go to research and calls, when decision makers are reachable. Afternoons go to LinkedIn and email sequences, follow-ups and updating the CRM, the system that records every company and conversation. Teams selling to the US or UK may shift hours to match those time zones. Expect daily activity goals and a weekly or monthly target for meetings booked.

Research target companies and people
Cold calls and voicemails
LinkedIn and email outreach
Follow-ups and meeting booking
CRM updates

How you are measured

Most teams track activities, such as calls and messages, and outcomes, such as meetings booked and meetings that turn into real opportunities. The outcome matters most. A good SDR learns which activities lead to meetings and focuses there. Incentives are often paid on meetings or pipeline above a target, so understanding the measure is understanding your pay.

Worked example: a first week

Riya joins an IT services company as a BDA. In week one she learns the three services the company sells, studies two client case studies and shadows a senior colleague's calls. By Thursday she makes her own calls to a list of logistics companies, using a short script. She books no meetings in the first week, but logs every call and notes the objections she heard. In week two, she adjusts her opening and books her first meeting.

Common beginner mistakes

New SDRs often judge themselves by a single day. Sales development is a numbers and learning game; improvement shows across weeks.

Not learning the product and the customer first
Skipping CRM updates
Giving up after a few rejections
Chasing activity counts instead of meetings

Key takeaways

SDRs and BDAs open sales conversations and book meetings.
Days mix research, calls, messages and CRM work.
Meetings booked matter more than raw activity.
Expect to improve over weeks, not days.

Try it

Pick a software or IT services company you would like to work for. Write who their customers are, what problem they solve and what an SDR there would say in the first ten seconds of a call.