A Sales Development Representative, or SDR, fills your pipeline. They find the right companies and people, reach out by email, LinkedIn or phone, qualify interest and book meetings, so your sellers spend their time on real opportunities.

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No tech background needed. This guide explains the role in plain English: what it is, when you need it, what to expect and how to choose the right Volunteer.

A global engine of Volunteer talent, collaborating with ambitious Tech Founders.

70,000+

Volunteers

158+

Countries

225+

Tech startups

Years in operation

In plain English

What does a SDR do for you?

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Think of a talent scout.

The scout travels to find promising players, checks whether they are a good fit and arranges the trial. The coach then decides who joins the team.

Finds the right prospects

Companies and people who match your ideal customer.

Starts conversations

Personal outreach that earns a reply.

Books qualified meetings

Only the conversations worth having reach your sellers.

When you need one

Signs it is time to bring one in.

If two or more of these sound familiar, add this role to your Sales team.

Bring one in when

✓Your calendar has too few sales meetings
✓You know your ideal customer but nobody is contacting them
✓Marketing leads are not followed up quickly
✓You or your Account Executive spend hours prospecting
✓You want to test outreach to a new market

You can wait if

…You are not yet sure who your ideal customer is
…Your product is not ready to demo

What they own

Four areas a SDR takes off your plate.

Prospect lists

Researched lists of target accounts and contacts.

Outreach sequences

Emails, LinkedIn messages and calls that earn replies.

Qualification

Checking need, budget and timing before booking.

Meeting handover

Clear notes so the seller starts the call well prepared.

What to expect

Across a 60 Volunteer day term.

Volunteers give up to three hours a day, Monday to Friday, over three months or more. Daily and weekly updates keep you informed, and rapid feedback from you in the first two weeks makes the biggest difference.

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Weeks 1 and 2

Learns your ideal customer, builds a first list and drafts outreach for your approval. Expect daily updates and give rapid feedback.

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By mid term

Outreach running every day, replies tracked and the first meetings booked.

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By day 60

A steady flow of qualified meetings, tested messages and handover notes for the next SDR.

Choosing the right Volunteer

What to ask, and what to look for.

You do not need to be an expert to recruit well. Use these questions at interview and listen for the signs below.

Questions to ask

?How would you find our first 100 target accounts?
?Show me an outreach email you wrote. Why does it earn replies?
?How do you decide a lead is qualified?
?How do you handle a prospect who says no?

Good signs

✓Personalises every message
✓Tracks replies and improves the message
✓Comfortable with rejection

Red flags

✕Wants to send the same message to thousands of people
✕Ignores data protection rules
✕Books meetings with anyone, qualified or not

Your part as a Tech Founder

Give them this, and they deliver from Day 1.

✓A clear description of your ideal customer
✓Approval of the outreach messages
✓Access to the CRM and an email account in your company's name
✓Someone ready to take the meetings booked
✓A signed Volunteer Agreement before they start

Who they collaborate with

The roles around your SDR.

Account Executive

Runs discovery and demos. Understands each buyer and shows how the product helps them.

Read the guide →

Market Research and Lead Intelligence

Builds target lists. Companies that match your ideal customer.

Read the guide →

Head of Sales

Sets the target and the plan. A clear revenue goal and how the team will reach it.

Read the guide →

FAQ

Questions Tech Founders ask.

Is an SDR the same as cold calling? +

Not only. SDRs use email, LinkedIn and sometimes phone. The aim is a relevant, personal conversation, not a script read to strangers.

Do I need a lead list tool? +

It helps, but is not essential at first. Your SDR or a Lead Intelligence Volunteer can research accounts manually and recommend tools later.

Can a Volunteer SDR be paid per meeting? +

No. Volunteers cannot be paid, including commission, per meeting fees or any taxable reward in kind.

How much does it cost to recruit this role? +

Volunteers give their time for experience, not pay. You subscribe to the Advanced (GTM) plan at £250 a month or £2,500 a year, which lets you recruit up to 100 Volunteer team members across Marketing, Sales and Customer Success. See the plans.

Grow it ·
scale it ✦

Ready to recruit your SDR?

Create your company account, list an Opportunity with the matching template and start meeting Volunteers this week.

Create account → Back to the Sales team