What Does a Sales Development Representative Do?
A Sales Development Representative (SDR) sits at the top of the sales funnel — prospecting, sending cold outreach, and qualifying leads before handing the best ones to an account executive to close. It is a common, high-energy entry point into a sales career.
The work is phone-, email- and CRM-based, so it adapts fully to remote teams. Resilience, clear communication and consistency are what make top SDRs.
Key skills
- Prospecting & cold outreach
- Lead qualification
- Email & call scripts
- CRM (Salesforce, Outreach)
- Resilience & persistence
- Time management
Remote Sales Development Representative salary
A remote Sales Development Representative typically earns $45k – $85k per year (USD base salary). The range runs roughly from junior to senior — where you land depends on experience, region, and whether the employer pays by location or uses global pay.
For how remote pay is actually set, and how to negotiate it, read our remote salary guide and offer-negotiation guide.