
Leveling Up an SDR or BDR: A Playbook for Sales Leaders

It’s game time for your SDRs and BDRs. You’ve got hungry, ambitious individuals ready to step into the big leagues of business development, but how do you get them there? Just like an athlete training for their next level of play, the development of a junior sales rep is a combination of raw talent, structured coaching, and a pipeline built for success.
At its core, leveling up a business development representative (BDR) or a sales development representative (SDR) requires more than just their ability to book meetings or hit call quotas. It’s about fostering a mindset where they don’t just see sales as a function but as an opportunity to drive revenue. They need to be part of a growing team and, even more, they need to want to grow themselves. That drive, paired with proper guidance from their coach—you, the sales leader—paves the way for future success.
Building the Foundation: Sales Leadership Starts with You
As a sales leader, you have a pivotal role. It’s not just about pushing numbers; it’s about nurturing potential. You have to love growing people. That’s right—your desire to see them succeed is the foundation. The ability to recognize when someone is ready to step up and, more importantly, when they’re not, is essential. Not every BDR will make it to full-fledged salesperson status, and that’s okay. Your job is to identify those who have what it takes and those who need more time.
In fact, this realization is crucial. Many won’t make the leap right away because they lack either the skills or the interest at this moment. Knowing when to push and when to hold back is the art of leadership.
The Daily Grind: Process and Accountability
Let’s talk process. A well-oiled pipeline isn’t just about having a bunch of opportunities lined up—it’s about daily review, accountability, and structure. Here’s where the sports analogy hits home: just like reviewing game tape, you and your team must commit to going through the pipeline daily. What does this look like? Reviewing opportunities, activities, and next steps together, every day. Your experienced reps will model this process, showing your junior reps what it looks like to push deals forward.
This daily rhythm of accountability shows your BDRs and SDRs what’s expected of them. They see that success isn’t just hitting targets; it’s about the process—tracking leads, following up consistently, and maintaining momentum. The ones who thrive on this structure will actively engage, hungry to make the sales funnel work for them.
Pre-Funnel Pipelines: Where the Magic Happens
Here’s the magic formula for moving your junior reps to the next level: the pre-funnel pipeline. This is where deals aren’t quite qualified yet, but they’re still opportunities. They may not have a high probability, but they’re there, waiting to be nurtured. And guess what? You’re going to treat these pre-funnel opportunities just like any other deal in your pipeline.
By doing this, your BDRs are learning how to handle deals, communicate with prospects, and track activities just like seasoned salespeople. Instead of focusing solely on booking the demo, they’ll start taking ownership of every step leading up to it. It’s about following the process—taking notes, logging activities, defining next steps. And for them, booking that demo is their sale. The more you treat it that way, the more they will rise to the occasion.
Weekly Reviews: The Power of the Written Word
There’s something old-school that still holds immense power in today’s tech-driven sales world: weekly reviews in a document. Yes, you’ve got your CRM, your dashboards, your tracking tools. But there’s nothing quite like having each BDR write down every account, every conversation, every role they’ve engaged with in a simple document. Line by line, they can track their progress, update it weekly, and see their growth right in front of them.
This habit builds discipline and forces them to stay organized. It’s a step beyond just filling out a CRM—it’s personal accountability in action. And when BDRs stick to this method, you’ll be amazed at the progress they make. I’ve seen junior reps using this technique beat out enterprise reps simply because they’re so tuned in to their deals, while others are just trying to “figure it out” as they go.
Not Everyone Makes the Cut—And That’s Okay
Here’s the hard truth: some SDRs and BDRs just won’t make the leap. It might be too early in their career. Sales might not be their calling. They can make the calls, sure, but they struggle to grasp the intricacies of the deal. If left unchecked, they’ll slip into the bare minimum, doing what’s required without pushing themselves to grow.
As a leader, it’s your job to recognize this early. You need to call it out, not as a failure, but as a reality. Not everyone is ready for the next step, and that’s okay. What’s important is your ability to set the groundwork for future growth, whether it’s today or a year from now.
Final Thoughts: The Perfect Marriage of Growth
Sales leadership is about more than just hitting targets; it’s about growing people. It’s one of the most rewarding parts of the job, watching someone transform from a junior rep to a seasoned salesperson who’s thriving. When you combine your vision with their desire to grow, magic happens. You’re not just building a sales team—you’re building careers.
So as you think about leveling up your BDRs and SDRs, remember: it’s a process. It takes commitment from both sides. But when it works, it’s the perfect marriage for companies in growth mode, delivering not just results for the business but rewarding careers for the individuals you’re leading.
Want to dig deeper? Need a playbook to get started?
Give me a ring, and I’ll send it over.
– Tim