What is a sales development manager and how to become one

Updated January 8, 2025

5 min read

Quoted expert

Bill Thorne

A sales development manager oversees the sales process in a company. They identify new business opportunities, create sales strategies, and lead a team of representatives. Additionally, they analyze data to determine the effectiveness of sales campaigns, identify areas for improvement, and develop solutions. The role requires excellent communication skills, strategic thinking, and the ability to motivate a team. Sales development managers work with marketing and product development departments to align their efforts with company objectives.

What general advice would you give to a sales development manager?

Bill Thorne

Executive Director of the NRF Foundation and Senior Vice President of Communication and Public Affairs of NRF, National Retail Federation

Retail is the largest private-sector employer in the country, directly employing 32 million people and supporting 52 million jobs overall - roughly one-quarter of the U.S. workforce. While COVID-19 has presented new and unexpected challenges, retailers have continued to showcase the industry's resilience and adaptability time and again. The safety and security of customers and employees remains our greatest priority. It is no doubt that the professional environment has changed this year, but retail continues to offer a plethora of career opportunities for graduates and seasoned veterans alike.

ScoreSales Development ManagerUS Average

Salary

7.7

Avg. Salary $102,790

Avg. Salary $59,228

Stability level

6.1

Growth rate 7%

Growth rate 0.3%

Diversity

2.9

Race

American Indian and Alaska Native 0.51%

Asian 4.38%

Black or African American 10.42%

Hispanic or Latino 16.62%

Unknown 5.52%

White 62.56%

Gender

female 32.18%

male 67.82%

Age - 44

Race

American Indian and Alaska Native 3.00%

Asian 7.00%

Black or African American 14.00%

Hispanic or Latino 19.00%

White 57.00%

Gender

female 47.00%

male 53.00%

Age - 44

Stress level

6.1

Stress level is manageable

7.1 - high

Complexity level

8.2

Complexity level is challenging

7 - challenging

Work life balance

4.2

Work life balance is poor

6.4 - fair

What are the pros and cons of being a sales development manager?

Pros

Opportunity to earn a high income through commissions and bonuses
Chance to develop and lead a team of sales representatives
Ability to travel and attend industry events and conferences
High level of autonomy and flexibility in managing work schedule
Potential for career growth within the company

Cons

High levels of stress and pressure to meet sales targets
Long hours, including evenings and weekends during peak seasons
Constantly dealing with rejection and setbacks
Potential for burnout due to high levels of work intensity and stress
Challenges in maintaining work-life balance due to frequent travel and demanding schedule

Key steps to become a sales development manager

Explore sales development manager education requirements

Most common sales development manager degrees

Bachelor's

76.9 %

Master's

12.6 %

Associate

7.5 %

Start to develop specific sales development manager skills

Skills	Percentages
SDR	8.74%
Salesforce	6.97%
Customer Service	6.90%
CRM	5.25%
Sales Process	4.59%

Complete relevant sales development manager training and internships

Accountants spend an average of Less than 1 month on post-employment, on-the-job training. New sales development managers learn the skills and techniques required for their job and employer during this time. The chart below shows how long it takes to gain competency as a sales development manager based on U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics data and data from real sales development manager resumes.

Research sales development manager duties and responsibilities

Create the communication of leads into the sales CRM to be follow up on by the inside sales force.
Develop and manage customized patient education programs for nationwide distribution through healthcare nonprofit associations by securing third-party pharmaceutical sponsorship.
Conduct healthcare need assessments for prospective assist living residents.
Maintain CRM customer database for assign and newly develop customers.

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