A sales rep, short for sales representative, is a professional whose primary responsibility is to sell a company's products or services to customers. In B2B, the term "sales rep" covers a range of specialised roles that have different functions in the sales process: some focus on generating new leads, others on closing deals, and others on managing and expanding existing customer relationships. Understanding how these roles divide the sales process helps companies build the right team structure for their stage and model.
Types of B2B sales rep roles
- SDR (Sales Development Representative): focused on outbound prospecting and lead generation. SDRs research target accounts, reach out via email, phone, and LinkedIn, and set qualified meetings for Account Executives. SDRs do not typically close deals; they generate and qualify pipeline. Entry-level role in most B2B sales organisations.
- BDR (Business Development Representative): similar to an SDR but sometimes focused on inbound lead qualification, strategic partnerships, or more senior prospecting. The distinction between SDR and BDR varies by company; in many organisations the roles are used interchangeably.
- AE (Account Executive): responsible for running the sales process from first meeting through negotiation and contract close. AEs typically take qualified meetings from SDRs, conduct discovery, run demos, and close new business. The primary revenue-generating role in B2B sales teams.
- Enterprise AE: an Account Executive focused on large, complex enterprise deals with longer sales cycles, larger contract values, and multiple stakeholders. Enterprise AEs typically manage fewer deals at a time but with significantly higher ACVs.
- Account Manager (AM): responsible for managing and growing existing customer relationships after the initial sale. Account Managers handle renewals, identify upsell opportunities, conduct QBRs, and ensure customer satisfaction. In some companies, AEs retain their accounts and combine both new business and account management.
- CSM (Customer Success Manager): focused on product adoption, onboarding, and ensuring customers achieve their desired outcomes. CSMs reduce churn and create expansion opportunities by driving customer value. Closely related to account management but more focused on product adoption than commercial outcomes.
- Sales Manager / Director: responsible for managing and coaching a team of sales reps, conducting pipeline reviews, forecasting, setting quota, and hiring. Move from individual contributor (IC) selling to team management.
Sales rep career path in B2B
A typical B2B sales career starts as an SDR or BDR (entry level, 0 to 2 years). After 1 to 2 years of strong performance, SDRs are typically promoted to Account Executive roles where they carry a full revenue quota. High-performing AEs may move into Senior AE, Enterprise AE, or Sales Manager roles (managing a team). From there, the path goes to Director of Sales, VP of Sales, CRO (Chief Revenue Officer), or sales operations roles. Some experienced individual contributors choose to remain as senior ICs (especially in enterprise sales) rather than taking management paths.
B2B sales rep compensation in India
In India's B2B tech and SaaS market: SDR/BDR: INR 4 to 10 lakhs base salary plus commission of INR 1 to 3 lakhs on target, total OTE INR 5 to 12 lakhs. Account Executive (mid-market): INR 8 to 18 lakhs base plus commission, total OTE INR 15 to 30 lakhs. Enterprise AE: INR 15 to 30 lakhs base plus commission, total OTE INR 30 to 60 lakhs. Sales managers typically earn INR 20 to 40 lakhs in base plus team performance bonuses. Compensation varies significantly by company size, product ACV, and individual performance track record.
Frequently asked questions
- What is a sales rep?
- A sales rep (sales representative) is a professional whose primary job is to sell a company's products or services to customers. In B2B, the term covers multiple specialised roles: SDRs who focus on prospecting and lead generation, Account Executives who run the sales process and close deals, Account Managers who maintain and grow existing customer relationships, and Customer Success Managers who focus on product adoption and retention.
- What is the difference between an SDR and an AE?
- An SDR (Sales Development Representative) is responsible for prospecting and generating qualified pipeline: identifying target accounts, reaching out via email, phone, and LinkedIn, and booking meetings for Account Executives. An AE (Account Executive) is responsible for running the sales process from the first qualified meeting through to contract close: discovery, demonstration, proposal, negotiation, and closing. SDRs generate pipeline; AEs convert pipeline to revenue. This division of labour allows each role to specialise and perform its function at a higher level.
- What does OTE mean for sales reps?
- OTE stands for "on-target earnings," the total compensation a sales rep earns if they hit exactly 100 percent of their quota. OTE is split between base salary (paid regardless of performance) and variable (commission earned through hitting sales targets). Example: a B2B AE with INR 15 lakh base and INR 15 lakh variable has an OTE of INR 30 lakhs. If they hit 120 percent of quota, they earn more than OTE; if they miss quota, they earn less. OTE is the most important compensation figure to understand when evaluating a sales role.
- What is a good B2B sales rep salary in India?
- B2B sales rep salaries in India vary by role and company stage. SDRs/BDRs: INR 5 to 12 lakhs OTE. Mid-market Account Executives: INR 15 to 30 lakhs OTE. Enterprise Account Executives: INR 30 to 60 lakhs OTE. These are broad ranges: funded SaaS startups and large IT companies often pay at the top of these ranges; early-stage startups may offer lower base with higher equity and commission potential.