---
tags: Week 1, H3, M3
---
# Sales roles: deep dive

Now that we know where each role fits into the sales funnel, let's dive a little bit deeper into the two main roles this course prepares you for: SDR/BDR and AE.

## SDR/BDR and AE's

### Sales Development / Business Development Representative (SDR/BDR):
Their goal is to generate (qualified) meetings for the Account Executive. Core activities include:
- generating leads,
- researching them,
- contacting them and
- qualifying them through discovery calls.

### Account Executive (AE):
They are responsible for the bottom part of the funnel: nurturing the relationship with the prospect and closing the deal. Core activities include:
- doing demos and giving presentations
- sending proposals
- ultimately closing the deal
 
## Are roles always so strict?
🙅‍♀️ Nope.

Exact roles and responsibilities depend on each company.

At some companies, the salesperson might cover the whole funnel, from lead generation to closing. At others, they will be solely focused on lead generation and qualification.

Any time you apply for a role, carefully read the description, and ask the hiring manager what your day to day would look like! For example, note that in Patrick's explanation below, the Account Manager role also includes responsibilities sometimes attributed to a Customer Success Manager.

Enjoy!

{%youtube EmHP8N5QiZk %}

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