I haven’t seen a hotter market for salespeople over the course of my sales recruiting career, especially for BDRs.

Some of you reading this might not be familiar with the term BDR, which stands for Business Development Representative. This term is essentially interchangeable with titles such as SDR (Sales Development Representative), Lead Generation, and Appointment Setter.

Many businesses would prefer to bring on a salesperson that is adequately seasoned and has an ability to take the sale from “cradle to grave.”  Companies believe that the amount of training required for these individuals is a fraction of what they might need to invest in a different salesperson. Additionally, seasoned salespeople can have an immediate impact on the company and sales team that they are joining.

Despite this preference among businesses hiring salespeople, there is a very strong case to be made for the hiring of BDRs. In order to explore this hot hiring trend, let’s take a look at why BDRs are a great decision for the companies choosing to hire them.

1.) They Don’t Have Bad Habits

An unfortunate attribute of many seasoned salespeople is that they come to the new job engrained with bad habits that they’ve been practicing for years. When hiring a BDR that has little or no experience, you are provided with an opportunity to teach them in a way that is best for you. This ensures they learn to approach their role exactly how you want them to. The best BDRs are typically sponges, fearless, and humble. This means they are usually very open to feedback but it’s up to you to give it to them.

2.) They’re Less Expensive

Talented and experienced salespeople tend to come at a premium. It is common for these individuals to expect something in the ballpark of 6 figures. One of the upsides of hiring a BDR is that they will cost you significantly less and you might be able to hire 2 for the price of 1 experienced salesperson.

3.) You Can Show Them a Path for Advancement

Most BDRs aren’t looking to make 100 cold calls per day and set appointments for several years.  However, this can be viewed as an opportunity to inspire success and ultimately help illuminate a path for advancement. It is possible to demonstrate to these individuals that, “We have Account Executives making well into 6 figures here who started off as BDRs.  If you work hard, you can get promoted into one of these roles.”

4.) They’re More Likely to Cold Call

The experienced salesperson that is willing to make over 50 cold calls a day is rare to say the least. Most salespeople I know aren’t in this category. Many of them will tell me, “I did that 10 years ago when I graduated college.” Someone new to the realm of sales on the other hand, understands that he will need to start somewhere. This creates a willing mindset to place these cold calls whenever needed.

5.) They’re More Likely to Be Loyal

If you hire a BDR and treat them well, promote them when they deserve it, and pay them competitively, they will likely remain with you for a longer period of time as opposed to a seasoned Account Executive. Many Account Executives have previously worked at a number of different companies, are more established in their career, and have seen big paychecks, which makes them less likely to remain loyal to your organization should another opportunity arise.

Hiring a BDR has been a great decision for many of the companies that I assist. It depends on what you are looking for, but the benefits are clear, and the trend is hotter than I can ever remember.  I personally believe that developing a strong, “minor league system,” is very important to a company’s short-term and long-term success.