BDRs Are (STILL) a BFD: A Guide to Business Development Rep Success in the Age of AI

Introduction

Back in 2020, we wrote a book called BDRs Are a BFD. In it, we argued that business development reps (BDRs) are pivotal to the success of modern B2B sales and marketing efforts. Not only are they the primary driver of pipeline, they’re also the voice of the brand and the curators of the prospect experience. Especially in account-based sales and marketing motions, BDRs are a big *bleeping* deal.

A lot has changed in the last 5 years. Covid-19, and the worldwide shutdowns that ensued, upended our worlds. In addition to the tremendous human toll, it shifted the B2B business landscape overnight. People pivoted to remote work, supply chains were massively disrupted, and the digital-first buying transformation was supercharged.

And that’s all before the biggest operational game-changer of all came on the scene: Generative AI.

In short, the B2B world looks a lot different than it did in 2020.

So we figured it was time to ask ourselves: Is the premise still true? Are BDRs still essential? Or are they poised to become obsolete as AI takes over?

On the one hand, 75% of BDR organizations have either grown or maintained their size since 2023. Our own research shows that BDR quotas have increased since generative AI hit the scene — and that BDRs have maintained their performance, hitting 88% of their quota on average.

On the other hand, you can’t go five minutes without hearing a tech company promise that their AI agent can double, triple, or even 10X the work of a BDR.

So what’s the real story?

At 6sense, we like to push the envelope, and this situation is no different. We’ve gone all in on tech for our BDR team, and we’ve figured out that the truth is somewhere between the extremes. For instance: there are some plays where agents can fully replace BDRs. But there are also times when BDRs are irreplaceable.

We have learned when to use generative AI Email Agents … and other times when intelligence, AI, and automation enable you to scale up your BDR team’s efforts — not replace them.

Ready to hear what worked, what to avoid, and lessons learned along the way? Let’s dive in. 

TL;DR 

• Some use cases and plays can be 90% autonomous.
• That’s not true for every play or use case. 
• There is a TON of opportunity to scale up BDR function with AI.
• Separate but related: As BDR ratios and roles evolve, account executives (AEs) must self-generate more pipeline.

A note about terminology

Before getting started, let’s clarify some terminology. The world of revenue generation is filled with an alphabet soup of acronyms — BDR, SDR, MDR, RDR, and even XDR — and while these roles share similarities, their specific responsibilities often vary by organization. 

• Marketing development reps (MDRs) typically focus on qualifying leads from marketing campaigns.
• Sales development reps (SDRs) handle early-stage prospecting for sales teams.
• Business development reps (BDRs) work across inbound and outbound channels to create pipeline opportunities. 
• Some companies use the umbrella term revenue development rep (RDR) or cross-development rep (XDR) to encapsulate broader responsibilities.

In this book, we’ll mostly use “BDR” to keep things simple, but the principles and insights apply broadly across these roles. 

First, the bad news: Our environment is getting worse

Why is this question so pressing right now? Because the context we’re operating in has changed significantly. Numerous factors have combined to make it really hard to generate high-quality pipeline today.

You’re probably feeling it. Revenue generation is a grind. We face more headwinds than ever before in the effort to reach and engage the right buyers. Here are a few of the changes working against us:

B2B inflation

You know how you need to spend more money for the same amount of groceries, even though your salary has stayed the same? Well, something similar is happening on B2B revenue teams. We now have to spend so much more, in terms of time and resources, to net the same results. And from what I hear from revenue leaders, budgets are not increasing to meet these expanding demands.

This phenomenon, which I call “B2B Inflation,” is reflected in just how much effort goes into closing a deal. According to 6sense research, a single B2B purchase today:

• Involves 11 decision-makers
• Takes 13-months
• Requires more than 800 interactions with vendors

Every quarter, we look at our data to see what it took to reach and engage a buyer — from very early in their research process to known engagement. We look at how many engaged buying team members, web visits, calls, and channels were involved in each deal.

Across all our segments, each one of those numbers is up quarter after quarter — currently up to 163 activities across 24 engaged buying team members. It’s an enormous amount of work for already-overtaxed revenue teams.

The dreaded dark funnel

The Dark Funnel is the invisible part of the buyer’s journey where they conduct anonymous research, explore solutions on third-party sites, and consult peers. It’s where they form opinions and narrow options, long before they reach out to us.

The Dark Funnel makes more work for revenue teams, and the problem is only getting worse. Buyers now complete 70% of their purchasing journey before ever engaging with a seller, and about 50% of buying interactions are now self-guided. Buyers now initiate first contact more than 80% of the time, leaving sellers with less control over the early stages of the journey.

The scariest stat is that by the time buyers finally do reach out, 81% of them have already chosen their preferred vendor.

With decision-making starting much earlier and getting completed in the dark, sellers and BDRs may be tempted to get more aggressive with their outreach earlier on, but that only backfires … which brings me to the next challenge.

Defensive buying syndrome

In this largely self-directed buying journey, aggressively reaching out to buyers before they’re ready to talk will have the opposite effect of what you intended.

Buyers are more guarded than ever, and honestly, it’s a problem of our own making. We’ve spent years annoying them with gated content, spam, and cold calls. No wonder they want to control their own buying journey. It’s spawned what my friend and colleague Kerry Cunningham calls Defensive Buyer Syndrome.

If we try to pressure defensive buyers or get them on the phone before they’re ready, they won’t just disengage — they’ll actively remove us from consideration. It leaves us trying to strike a delicate balance: staying top of mind without being intrusive.

The fact is buyers are seeking information. Our research shows that 70% of buyers won’t engage with a salesperson before making a decision, but they will talk to nearly anyone else at your company — customer success, product experts, even peers in their network. For revenue teams, that means we need to master digital relationship-building, provide buyers with content and community-driven interactions, and create value long before a sales conversation begins.

Email effectiveness is diminishing

It’s easier than ever for BDRs to send lots of emails quickly, so it’s no surprise that it’s becoming less effective as a channel. First of all, it’s increasingly difficult to break through the noise. And second, email deliverability is becoming a big issue that continues to grow. Over the past 6 months, here’s the breakdown of BDR-driven opportunities by channel for our team:

• Phone: 45%
• Email 36%
• LinkedIn: 14%

This is a major shift, and it’s one we’re observing across the market. Email has historically been our primary channel, accounting for about 70% of all BDR-driven opportunities. But now, as email becomes less effective, our BDRs are generating more opportunities by picking up the phone and through social selling. And I’m not talking about cold calls or spamming via InMail instead of regular email. I’m talking about using data-driven signals to appropriately engage potential buyers.

Of course, both of those channels take more work (and higher-level skills) than simply sending another email … adding to the B2B Inflation burden.

The economy … it is what it is

What is there to say about the economy that hasn’t already been said? I’ll just leave it at this: When there’s uncertainty in the market, companies tighten the purse strings. That means fewer accounts in market to buy, and therefore fewer opportunities to create. It requires revenue teams to work harder than ever to fill their pipeline and hit their numbers.

All of these challenges add up to an incredibly difficult environment for revenue teams. Even when the whole team is giving 150%, the fact is it’s just harder to meet our revenue goals than it used to be.

But before you throw your hands up in despair, keep reading … there’s some good news too.

Now, some good news: Technology is rising to the challenge

As the selling environment becomes more challenging, BDRs have to deal with things earlier generations of BDRs didn’t face. However, they also have one distinct advantage: The technology they have access to is smarter than ever. AI and automation are changing the game for BDRs, helping them cut through the noise, eliminate time-sucks, and focus on activities that have a meaningful impact.

And with the advent of generative AI, they even have AI-powered “Agents” to help share their workload. These tools analyze data, surface opportunities, and handle routine tasks — identifying buying signals and optimizing engagement — allowing BDRs to focus on what matters most: high-impact activities.

But let’s be real: not all new technology is created equal. The market is flooded with “AI-powered” tools, countless “signal” vendors, and ever-present claims a certain piece of tech can 10x your pipeline.

So how do you separate the sizzle from the substance? What tech is actually useful? And most importantly — what’s making a real difference for BDRs right now?

AI turns signals into intelligence

First up: AI has gotten even more effective at turning data into intelligence revenue teams can use.

Advances in big data mean BDRs have more signals coming at them than ever before. But those signals are more than the human brain can process without AI. AI takes all those trillions of signals that have been collected and then curates them, analyzes them, and turns them into something reps can use to be more successful in their jobs

For instance, AI can identify in-market opportunities from signals that might seem unrelated at first glance. Imagine a company where two marketing team members are searching review sites for advertising platforms, an operations person is visiting your website, and three BDRs from that same company are researching account data on ChatGPT. Individually, none of these actions might stand out. But when AI connects the dots, it reveals a much bigger picture — this company is likely entering the market for a combined marketing and sales solution.

That level of insight is a game-changer. Instead of relying on gut feel or incomplete data, BDRs can focus their outreach on companies that are actively showing intent — long before competitors even realize they’re in play.

AI-generated email conversations

I’m not saying an AI-powered Email Agent is a better writer than your best BDR … but it’s certainly better than your average one. AI can identify key personas and determine which opportunities are most winnable and then craft high-quality, highly personalized emails at scale using the same data that built your ideal customer profile (ICP).

What’s more, it can learn which CTAs, case studies, and messages work best and use those to engage in high-impact conversations. That “conversation” aspect is key — Email Agents are not simply blasting emails. They read responses, categorize intent, and carry on intelligent follow-up conversations until a human touch is required.

Intelligent workflows

Operational orchestration makes it easier to add the right accounts and contacts to the CRM, right when you need them. That keeps the database healthy and up-to-date and simplifies BDR workflows — rather than spend their time hunting down account and contact data, they can focus on making inroads with the accounts and contacts that are showing intent.

Automated research & summaries

Instead of BDRs juggling 20 open tabs and scrolling through LinkedIn for hours before starting their outreach, AI can deliver a full company profile — including buying team structure, financial situation, tech stack, and competitive landscape — in seconds.

Dark funnel visibility

Remember that Dreaded Dark Funnel I told you about? AI and big data help address that challenge too, by giving revenue teams a flashlight to see all those hidden buying activities. This visibility reveals key insights that inform a BDR’s approach, including how long a company’s typical buying journey lasts, the number of decision-makers involved, and what technology they’re already using — and whether it’s compatible with your solution

Choosing the right AI

With the flood of new AI and automation tools available, how do you know which ones are best for your team? Here are some must-haves to look for in any new AI solution:

• Curation & actionability. AI should do more than surface random intent signals. It should connect the dots between multiple buying signals, prioritize accounts that are heating up, and tell BDRs exactly where to focus. If BDRs have to manually piece together data from multiple systems, that’s wasted time that they could be spending building pipeline.
• Personalization-ready insights. AI should inform messaging to make it hyper-personalized. And that means it needs to integrate rich, unique, and relevant data. If you’re only using the same large language model (LLM) as everyone else, you’re going to sound exactly like everyone else. Data is key to personalization and differentiation.
• Seamless connectivity. No one wants another standalone tool. If AI insights live in a platform no one uses, they’re The best solutions push insights directly into the tools BDRs already live in — like sales engagement platforms (SEPs), CRM, and LinkedIn. The more friction AI removes, the more valuable it is.
• Privacy & compliance. AI-driven outreach has to be built for long-term sustainability. Many AI-powered tools operate in gray areas when it comes to privacy regulations and platform policies (like LinkedIn’s terms of service). They might work for now, but if they’re skirting compliance, they’re a ticking time bomb. The best tools prioritize data security, consent management, and platform compliance so you don’t have to worry about headaches down the line.

When evaluating AI, remember this: BDRs don’t need more tools. They need better workflows. The right AI simplifies, enhances, and makes every action more effective.

The ideal* BDR tech stack

Tech is key to helping BDR teams be successful in today’s complex B2B buying environment, but what does the ideal tech stack look like? A CRM is non-negotiable, of course. In addition to that, our BDR leaders tell me these are the tools they couldn’t (or really wouldn’t want to) operate without.

*Note I’m calling this the ideal tech stack. Not every team will have every tool on the list, but it’s something to build toward.

AI adoption is already here

Whether or not revenue teams are diving into the AI waters, BDRs aren’t waiting around. They’re already using it — and seeing results. Today, 62% of BDRs are using AI-powered tools, and most report significant productivity gains.

And here’s a stat that should make every revenue leader’s ears perk up: BDRs who feel supported — which includes having the right tools and training to succeed in their roles — earn 15% more quota than those who don’t.

Let’s get to work

Let’s be clear: AI is changing everything about how we prospect. But buyers still want to engage with humans — especially when making big, complex decisions. The teams that win will be the ones who:

• Use AI to remove friction for BDRs — not add more steps to their workflow
• Invest in tools that connect data and insights across platforms
• Train their teams to engage strategically — with AI and humans working together

The idea of AI and humans working together is a big one, and we’ll get into the nitty-gritty of it in our playbook. But the short story is that successful AI-human collaboration is based on understanding what jobs BDRs do and then deciding which ones can be handed off to AI, which ones BDRs should own, and which ones can be shared.

Some tasks are straightforward and easy to hand off to AI entirely. A few examples:

• Following up on inbound leads
• Engaging MQLs and free trials
• Conducting behavior-based email conversations
• Finding and adding relative contacts to the buying center

Other jobs require BDRs’ uniquely human capabilities like judgment, creativity, and adaptability:

• Phone and LinkedIn channels: It used to be that BDRs spent the lion’s share of their day on emails. But as the email channel becomes less effective, and as AI can handle more of it on its own, BDRs can focus on other channels that require a human touch. Video messages, LinkedIn messages, and phone calls still require BDRs.
• Pipeline strategy: With the new tools available to them — and with more of their time freed up by AI agents — BDRs are evolving to be more than just “meeting bookers.” They’re now able to upskill and help shape pipeline strategy, identify opportunities, and drive the conversations that fuel revenue growth.
• Developing a point of view: Effectively engaging prospects requires a deep understanding of the account and individual you’re BDRs can use insights from intent data, CRM records, and predictive analytics to develop a compelling angle that’s likely to strike a chord.

Spoiler alert: AI can’t do it all

Those examples should make it clear that while you can replace some BDR activities with AI, there are limits. We learned this the hard way last year. We had tremendous early success with our generative-AI Email Agent, quickly ramping up to the point where Email Agents were creating 25% of our pipeline autonomously. We got a little overeager and thought, “If it can do 25%, why not 50%?” So we shifted more BDR responsibilities to our Email Agents and … our pipeline suffered.

It’s a cautionary tale: Teams need to find the sweet spot of automating what can be automated while also enabling BDRs and AEs to prospect effectively. Because the truth is that real, multichannel, multithreaded personalization is HARD. At the end of the day, humans buy from humans. While AI can streamline parts of the journey, that person-to-person connection will always be a key part of the equation.

AI is a huge asset for revenue teams, enhancing — not replacing — the critical work BDRs do. At 6sense, we’ve mostly struck the right balance, and we’ve learned from the time we missed the mark. And we’re now ready to share what our playbook of how to empower BDRs and boost productivity, efficiency, and revenue with AI.

Our playbook: Email agents + BDRs = Better together

BDRs working alongside their AI sidekicks may sound futuristic, but it’s happening now. To make this partnership seamless, we need to combine the strengths of Email Agents and BDRs to create scalable, efficient, and personalized outreach strategies. And that requires us to rethink traditional engagement tactics.

From cadences to journey orchestration

In the first edition of this book, predefined cadences — structured, repeatable sequences — were the core operating rhythm for BDRs. They were effective for their time, but now they leave gaps.

At 6sense, we’ve shifted to journey orchestration. This approach allows us to tailor outreach (from both BDRs and Email Agents) dynamically, based on a buyer’s stage, needs, and interactions. By analyzing buyer intent signals through our platform, we ensure every interaction is timely, relevant, and meaningful. While our 6sense Email Agents handle portions of the journey with back-and-forth email conversations, BDRs adjust outreach in real time, aligning with the buyer’s evolving journey.

This transition not only enhances the buyer experience but also improves revenue team efficiency.

Sister act: A new workflow paradigm

The cadence-driven model relied on rigid schedules, often missing the nuances of buyer behavior or the realities of BDR workloads like sick days or vacations. Journey orchestration replaces static sequences with adaptive processes, pairing Email Agents and BDRs for a seamless buyer experience.

At 6sense, we call this partnership the “Sister Journey.” It ensures:

• Alignment between AI and BDR activities: Email Agents manage initial broad outreach, while BDRs handle personalized follow-ups with high-priority prospects. For example, AI sends an introductory email on Day 1, and the BDR follows up with a LinkedIn touch or call referencing the email on Day 2 or 3. This prevents duplication or conflicting messages.
• Multi-channel approach: Sister Journeys use emails, LinkedIn touches, calls, and direct mail. AI scales outreach, while BDRs add a personal touch, creating a cohesive experience.
• Sequential integration: Outreach alternates between AI and BDRs. For instance, AI introduces the company on Day 1, and by Day 3, the BDR follows up with a call informed by the AI’s prior engagement. This rhythm continues, fostering a relationship over time.

Before: 

After:

An updated view of buying stages

Taking this journey orchestration approach and integrating Email Agents into the process also means looking at buying stages in a new light.

In the past, I advised BDRs to wait until accounts reached the Decision stage, but here’s the hard truth: if we wait that long, it’s too late. We know that by the time buyers engage sellers, 81% have already chosen their preferred vendor. But we also know that trying to get buyers to talk to us before they’re ready will backfire (see my previous explanation of Defensive Buyer Syndrome).

Revenue teams have to get creative about how to influence buyers earlier in the journey — before the competition locks them in — without being bloodhounds. With Email Agents and BDRs working together, it’s easier to influence the journey at every stage.

Target stage 

• What it is: Dormant accounts, not researching or showing intent.
• How Email Agents can help: Email Agents take the lead here, warming up large numbers of accounts by driving intent and readiness and ensuring your solution is top of mind for buyers when they’re ready to engage.
• How BDRs can engage: BDRs still shouldn’t devote time to accounts in Target stage since they’re not ready for human outreach yet.

Awareness stage 

• What it is: Accounts exploring industry challenges and generic topics but not actively looking for your solution.
• How Email Agents can help: Email Agents can start email conversations with Awareness-stage accounts, aiming to educate — not to sell. Partner with marketing to deliver content addressing pain points and questions. Offer answers, not pitches.
• How BDRs can engage: BDRs can keep an eye on accounts in the Awareness stage and do some light outreach offering educational content.

Consideration stage 

• What it is: Accounts actively evaluating solutions.
• How Email Agents can help: At the consideration stage, you can introduce the Email Agent/BDR Sister Journey. The Email Agent can use intent and predictive data to kick off outreach at the right time, sharing case studies, ROI calculators, and persona-based content.
• How BDRs can engage: BDRs can add personalization more specific to roles and connect the dots for the buying team. At the same time, they can begin to personally engage buyers, sharing relevant case studies, ROI calculators, or targeted emails.

Decision stage 

• What it is: Buyers comparing vendors and narrowing choices.
• How Email Agents can help: Email Agents continue to provide engagement and outreach at key times in the buying journey.
• How BDRs can engage: BDRs add more personalization while also expanding beyond the email channel. This is prime time for BDRs to go all in — calls, LinkedIn, whatever it takes to stay front and center. Align with marketing campaigns and provide proof points to reinforce your value.

Purchase stage 

• What it is: Buyers are ready to finalize. Contracts are being reviewed, final questions answered, and champions are making internal cases.
• How Email Agents can help: In the Purchase stage, Email Agents continue conversations with key decision-makers, providing the types of resources that can help tie up loose ends and confirm the buyer’s choice.
• How BDRs can engage: Deepen relationships, involve other stakeholders, and ensure buyers have everything they need to close the deal.

By partnering with Email Agents and equipping BDRs with AI-driven insights, we can deliver the outreach buyers need to make informed decisions.

For buyers, it’s a win: no more irrelevant outreach, just genuinely helpful interactions tailored to their needs. For BDRs, it’s a game-changer: AI handles the heavy lifting, freeing them to focus on what they do best — building relationships, delivering personalized experiences, and driving pipeline.

This shift also means we have to revise how we measure success. Let’s explore the KPIs for high-performing BDRs in this new landscape.

Redefining KPIs for the modern BDR

In this new model, measuring BDR success by the number of emails sent or calls made no longer makes sense. Instead, the focus is on driving meaningful engagement, building real connections, and creating high-quality pipeline. At 6sense, we’ve updated our KPIs to reflect these goals:

1. Prioritizing personalization

Buyers want outreach that feels tailored to them. Every touchpoint — email, LinkedIn message, or call — must address their challenges and goals. Generic messaging isn’t an option.

2. Conversations that count

It’s not about dialing for the sake of activity. It’s about quality interactions. Using AI-driven call tracking, we measure the depth and impact of conversations. Are they creating momentum? Are they meaningful? That’s what matters.

3. Account penetration

With ballooning buying committees, engaging one or two people isn’t enough. Our KPIs track how well we’re connecting with entire buying teams, ensuring influence is created across all key personas.

4. Pipeline that drives revenue

We measure BDR contributions to the pipeline, focusing on both quantity and quality. It’s about tying their efforts to tangible outcomes and showing the value they bring to the business.

5. Benchmarking for growth

Different segments require different strategies. We’ve developed benchmarks for each market, tracking nuances like the touches needed to move accounts forward. These insights refine our approach and optimize results.

By redefining KPIs to focus on what truly matters, we’ve transformed our BDRs’ mindset. They’re more focused, energized, and confident in their ability to create value. This framework empowers them to excel while driving pipeline, revenue, and customer success.

AI + BDR integration in action

How does the AI-BDR partnership work in practice? It’s not one-size-fits-all. The balance of work shifts depending on the task, with Email Agents sometimes leading and other times supporting BDRs in delivering personalized, high-touch engagement. 

No-brainer email agent plays 

These are some plays that Email Agents can handle 100% on their own, freeing up BDRs to focus on the stuff that requires their human touch. 

1. Inbound: Inbound messages require super-fast follow-up, which isn’t always feasible with limited BDR resources. AI never has too much on its plate, and it never takes a vacation day, making it the perfect solution to handle all inbound demo requests, questions, and meeting requests.
2. Events (Virtual & in-person): The work around events can get overwhelming for BDRs, and it’s not uncommon for important work to fall through the cracks. We have handed all event communication — sending invites, driving registrations, engaging in post-event follow-up conversations — to our Email Agents, and increased event-driven pipeline as a result. 
3. “Awaken the Dead” (Revisiting closed-lost accounts): Accounts and contacts from dead/lost or stalled opportunities may not engage with bulk nurture emails, but that doesn’t mean they can’t be re-engaged. Email Agents can use historical account data for context and then use generative AI to reignite conversations and increase top-of-funnel pipeline.
4. Non ICP inbound follow up: Inbounds that don’t fit your ICP tend to fall to the bottom of the BDR’s priority list. However, even if these inbounds aren’t a perfect fit, you don’t want to ignore them. Instead, let your Email Agent engage them in a helpful and relevant conversation and direct them to the appropriate channel. Maybe they’re a good lead for a partner or a separate offering. 

Sister journey plays 

With more of the email workload being shifted to Email Agents, BDRs are able to spend significantly more time on the phone (our highest-converting channel) and LinkedIn. Here are three plays, where Email agents and BDRs side-by-side to create more opportunities: 

1. High-intent outbound

• Email agent analyzes buyer intent signals to identify engaged or ready-to-purchase accounts, automating personalized email outreach tailored to the buyer’s journey stage.
• BDR focuses on high-priority prospects, providing direct communication, addressing specific needs, and offering tailored demonstrations to move them closer to a decision.

2. Nurture early-stage prospects

• Email agent delivers educational content to top-of-funnel leads, engaging in conversations until they’re sales-ready.
• BDR builds on AI’s engagement with deeper insights and personalized outreach, guiding prospects down the funnel.

3. Cross-sell and upsell opportunities

• Email agent analyzes customer data to identify opportunities and sends personalized recommendations.
• BDR (30%) engages customers to understand evolving needs and facilitates purchases of additional

By handling data-driven, repetitive tasks, AI allows BDRs to focus on strategic, human-centric activities. This partnership improves operational efficiency, enriches the buyer experience, and drives revenue growth. 

Benefits of the AI + BDR model

• Improved Efficiency: AI automates repetitive work, enabling BDRs to prioritize personalization and strategy.
• Increased Reach: AI scales outreach, helping BDRs engage more prospects without sacrificing quality.
• Enhanced Buyer Experience: Consistent, timely communication across channels creates a seamless and engaging journey.

The revenue team: Greater than the sum of its parts

This book is about BDRs, but it’s important to take a step back and consider how they fit into the whole ecosystem of the revenue team. And as the BDR role evolves, a collaborative, one-team mentality will make everyone — BDRs included — more successful. 

Deeper collaboration and closer alignment across marketing and sales are increasingly essential, especially in: 

• Identifying and prioritizing high-value accounts 
• Understanding the personas on the buying team 
• Strategizing how best to serve each persona as they educate themselves 

To do that, every function should be anchored in the same data, insights, and success metrics. When everyone operates from the same playbook, teams make faster, smarter decisions that improve pipeline health and buyer engagement. 

And about that pipeline … as I often remind my team: Pipeline is destiny. While BDRs and Email Agents drive pipeline, their efforts are exponentially stronger when the entire revenue team views themselves as stewards of it. Sustaining pipeline is an all-hands-on-deck effort fueled by alignment, shared responsibility, and trust. 

The role of sales in a collaborative ecosystem 

The modern buying journey calls for a unified approach from marketing, BDRs, and AEs to influence buyers early and throughout their journey. For AEs, self-generated pipeline is non-negotiable — it consistently delivers higher conversion rates and greater revenue impact. 

BDRs are amazing and we’re lucky to have them, but they shouldn’t become a crutch for AEs. That’s why, at 6sense, we launched Pipeline Generation (PG) Tuesdays — a dedicated day each week where the entire revenue team focuses on pipeline contributions. 

Here’s what PG Tuesdays look like: 

• Team-wide participation: The whole revenue team actively engages in pipeline generation activities. 
• Leadership involvement: Marketing leaders craft personalized outreach, collaborate with sellers on deals, and ensure BDRs follow up on generated demand. 
• Surfacing opportunities that need attention: We grade early-stage pipeline and surface Grade A and B Stage 1 opportunities that have not progressed so we can address it. 

• Visible scorecards: At the beginning of the day and at the end of the day we all look at the pipeline scorecard and recognize the highest performers.  
• Content development: The marketing team creates engaging content tailored to target accounts, helping move buying group members through the journey. All of this is available to the whole team on a shared internal content page. 

PG Tuesdays have been a great way for us to time-block and support our sales team in prospecting. When we launched the initiative, we immediately saw an 11% boost in stage 0 pipeline. But time-blocking for prospecting is only one part of the equation.

The truth is, I don’t care if AEs prospect on Thursdays instead of Tuesdays if that works better for them … I just need them to prospect consistently and effectively. That’s where pipeline inspection comes in.

To ensure we’re properly identifying and giving attention to issues, we cover pipeline on forecast calls, we include it in our weekly forecast email, and our AEs, front-line managers, and VPs inspect pipeline weekly.

It may seem like a lot, but I want everyone to achieve their goals. If we wait until end of quarter, we only have 4 opportunities to course-correct per year. If we inspect pipeline weekly, we have 52 opportunities to hit the mark.

Another important note: AEs need to have clear swim lanes on where they prospect. A subset of our ideal customer profile (ICP) represents named “Tier 1” accounts that are 100% the responsibility of AEs to hunt into. We manage this cohort by inspecting penetration, activities, and conversions of these accounts into qualified pipeline.

The role of marketing in a collaborative revenue team

Across companies of all sizes, from scrappy startups to massive enterprises, marketing consistently stands out as the primary driver of pipeline. The chart below highlights a critical point: Marketing is more than air cover — it’s the engine that equips BDRs and AEs to succeed. In 2024, marketing was responsible for nearly half of all new logo pipeline contributions across industries, underscoring its critical role in driving revenue.

In fact, at 6sense, marketing owns the pipeline number. From setting the strategy to executing campaigns and ensuring demand converts into revenue, marketing is deeply embedded in every aspect of the pipeline. This level of ownership ensures that marketing operates not just as a partner, but as a driver of revenue outcomes.

In terms of how marketing supports BDRs (who, by the way, sit under the marketing org at 6sense), it all starts with the fundamentals. Marketing defines the ICP and identifies the most winnable accounts so our BDRs and AEs are not wasting their time on accounts that are never going to buy, and marketing budget isn’t being used on those accounts either.

Once we’re laser-focused on our ICP (which we review and recalibrate multiple times a year), we dig in to understand the pain points of these accounts and where they are in their buying journey. What keywords are they researching across 3rd party websites, which pages on our website are they viewing anonymously, and what campaigns are resonating with them? All of these signals inform our content strategy.

And that content strategy spans every stage of the buying journey. If prospects are early in their journey, we want to facilitate education with thought leadership content such as deep research on the B2B Buying Experience, guides to scale your ABM strategy, and webinar series on ABM best practices. Of course, we ungate all of these assets — we want to make it super-easy for prospects to know us and learn from us.

Marketing also launches peer-to-peer nurtures to early-stage prospects — the key being that these are no-spam nurtures. No ask, pure give. Whether they include playbooks and ideas that have recently worked for us, invitations to join our CMO and BDR communities, or offers for readouts on companies that might be researching their competitors — our goal is to provide a value-add experience.

We run 1:1 and 1:few account-based plays as well — curated experiences for smaller groups of prospects to foster learning and collaboration. For example, we run virtual wine tastings and cooking classes, in-person learning breakfast series, and Club 6 lounges as ancillary experiences at events that our ICP frequents. These ABX plays are all signal- and intent-driven, so we know we’re connecting with the right audience at the right time.

All of these marketing strategies are designed to give our BDRs more arrows in the quiver. BDRs are informed of what is coming up, who the target audience is, and when to begin outreach every single week. We create “Weekly Content Roundups” (see below) and a dedicated internal page for BDRs every Monday morning, summarizing calls-to-action, scripts, upcoming ABX campaigns, and hot new research they can include in their cadences. This also prepares them for PG Tuesdays.

On PG Tuesdays, marketing leaders collaborate directly with sellers, craft ghost notes, and monitor how BDRs follow up on generated demand.

With SLAs and scorecards in place, marketing ensures follow-ups are timely, personalized, and target multiple key personas.

At 6sense, we track pipeline metrics obsessively, contextualizing every number against plans, past performance, and future goals. This ensures the entire team can see whether we’re on track.

Transparency is key for us. Our mantra is simple: “Find the red.” Instead of hiding issues, the revenue team identifies challenges and collaborates to solve them.

Our operating rhythm helps facilitate this data-driven focus. Weekly pipeline calls are anchored around a single source of data truth — one dashboard to rule them all. Each marketing and sales leader starts with their pipeline creation forecast, with calls from each team (inbound, outbound, ABX, AE-generated) on how they are pacing toward the monthly pipeline goal. Any team that is falling behind comes prepared with an action plan on how to address it, with the entire group supporting and providing input.

The goal is to move from data to insights to action, every single week.

Lessons in collaboration for marketers

Marketers play a vital role in creating a seamless customer experience. True collaboration isn’t accidental — it’s cultivated intentionally. Here’s how marketers can lead the charge:

• Start with the ICP: Collaboration starts with clarity. Defining and sharing the ICP ensures the entire team targets the most winnable accounts and understands their pain points.
• Deliver actionable insights: Data is valuable only when shared effectively. Provide BDRs and AEs with buyer intent signals, behavior data, and account-level insights to help them tailor outreach.
• Enable personalization at scale: Equip the team with tools and resources for tailored efforts. Email Agents, targeted messaging, and account-specific content ensure outreach feels personalized — even with automation.
• Lead with great content: Content drives engagement. Work with BDRs and sales to create resources that align with buyer needs and move them through the funnel. Think ebooks, webinars, peer connections, and podcasts.
• Foster accountability: Collaboration thrives on transparency. Monitor pipeline progress as a team to ensure timely, consistent follow-ups.
• Get your hands dirty: From crafting ghost notes to joining strategy sessions or prospect calls, marketers should play an active role in BDR and AE success.

By collaborating strategically, sharing insights, and enabling teams with actionable resources, marketing becomes the cornerstone of revenue success. At 6sense, this mindset ensures that everyone — not just BDRs and AEs — plays a role in driving pipeline.

A unified, unstoppable revenue engine

Pipeline is destiny, and success requires an all-hands-on-deck approach. When everyone leans in as one team, incredible results follow — not just for BDRs, but for the entire company.

The new era of the BDR

The role of the BDR has always been essential, but the way BDRs deliver value has transformed in a major way. As the B2B buying journey becomes increasingly complex, BDRs are no longer just the frontlines of engagement — they’re the strategic linchpin connecting marketing, sales, and buyers.  

With the rise of AI, they now have powerful tools that free them to focus on what they do best: building relationships, solving problems, and driving high-quality pipeline. 

At 6sense, we’ve witnessed this transformation firsthand. By embracing AI and fostering collaboration across our revenue team, we’ve created an environment where our BDRs are more empowered and effective, and the results speak for themselves: 

• 58% increase in phone-sourced opportunities
• 25% of our pipeline generated by Email Agent–led plays
• 38% increase in S0 opportunities created
• 26% increase in S0+ annual contract value (ACV) from BDR-sourced opportunities
• 57% reduction in BDR activities required to open an opportunity
• 14 BDRs promoted to AEs in a single quarter

Our approach helps us do more, but it also helps us do better. By combining cutting-edge technology with the brilliance of our people, we enable every member of the revenue team to operate at their highest potential. 

Looking ahead  

Even with all the big changes and challenges revenue teams face today, one thing hasn’t changed: BDRs are an essential part of the revenue team. They connect marketing and sales, drive pipeline, and lay the groundwork for sustainable growth. That’ll remain true even as the landscape continues to evolve — and BDRs will also benefit from new opportunities to make an impact.  

Success is shifting away from activity-based metrics like calls and emails. It’s now about outcomes. While this change might entail learning some new tools and technologies, it also allows BDRs to develop lasting, irreplaceable skills. 

New challenges bring new opportunities 

The rise of AI-assisted workflows and AI agents is transformative in so many ways, but I especially love how it can accelerate BDRs careers. We’re seeing it right now: BDRs who embrace these tools have a leg up on those who don’t. They win more often, with fewer — but more strategic — activities.  

And with the help of Email Agents, BDRs can hand off time-consuming tasks like account research or routine email outreach so they can double down on human-centered work like phone calls, social engagement, strategy, and multithreaded relationship-building. 

The stakes couldn’t be higher. BDRs who adapt to these shifts will thrive as valued contributors to their revenue teams. Those who don’t risk being left behind. The question is: How do we set them up to win in this new world?