Inside sales is a type of job where the person in charge of making the sale does so by phone or email. If you're interested in learning more about what an inside sales representative does, this blog post will tell you all about it!
Sales inside sales is the act of selling products or services to customers inside an organisation.
It can be done internally with other employees of the same company or externally where you represent a company to another business.
Inside sales jobs are in demand and it’s easy to get started if you have some inside sales representative job skills from your previous experience, but what exactly does inside sales reps do?
In this blog post, we will discuss all things inside sales including its definition, how it works, inside sale model and organisational structure.
We will also provide an inside sales representative job description template that includes key duties and responsibilities for both internal and external positions - perfect for posting on your next job board!
Inside sales reps often operate in a shared office space with a team of other inside sales colleagues, which differs from the face-to-face sales technique adopted by outer sales reps at their clients' offices.
Within the inside sales department, there are usually two divisions: Sales Development Reps (SDRs) and Business Development Reps (BDRs) (BDRs).
SDRs specialise in inbound sales, such as warm leads from potential clients who have downloaded content, requested a demo, used live chat, or registered for a webinar.
Small enterprises and commercial industries are the most common sources of warm leads. SDRs contact these leads and enter their information into a CRM platform, where an Account Executive (AE), a more senior salesperson, will begin nurturing these opportunities in the sales pipeline.
Cold callers are Business Development Representatives. These outbound sales representatives specialise in higher-end commercial and enterprise sales. A qualified lead is forwarded to an Account Executive.
SDRs and BDRs can supply a steady influx of leads from two market segments:
small business/small commercial and large commercial/enterprise, thanks to these sales process steps. Account Executives track these possibilities as they progress through the sales funnel.
The increased demand for a connected customer experience that seamlessly transitions into the first personal touch will be recognisable to modern salespeople.
As a result, many businesses are re-evaluating the benefits and drawbacks of traditional field sales, as well as how effectively they meet the expectations of customers in the twenty-first century.
After years of playing second fiddle to their higher-paid outside sales counterparts, the internet has prompted a shift in the way customers and sellers interact, requiring many businesses to shift their focus in order to keep up.
This isn't to imply that outside sales aren't beneficial. Some argue that a bias toward inside sales undervalues the value of face-to-face interactions, which is true — a face-to-face interaction adds value to a purchase.
When a salesman visits a client in their location, it is generally easier for them to establish trust and explain how the product would address the client's problem.
That is why, for most businesses, outside sales remain an important aspect of their overall strategy.
However, with companies looking for ways to increase discussions at all stages of the sales funnel, forming a talented inside sales staff is a reasonable strategy to compete for a piece of the ever-shrinking buyer attention pie.
They also have access to more data from a company's CRM platform which helps them address issues faster
As inside sales representative jobs increases in popularity, many people have begun to pursue careers as inside sales representatives.
However, starting your own career in inside sales can be challenging if you do not understand the inside sales model or inside sales organisation.
This inside sales representative job description template includes key duties and responsibilities that will help you succeed as an inside sales rep.
Post this inside sales representative description to a job board in order to get your foot in the door for many of these opportunities.
Complex customer requirements necessitate a well-trained team and a refined methodology. Here are some things to think about while you put together your strategy:
1. The right software for successful inside sales- inside sales reps rely on technology to be successful, so it's important that you have the right software in place.
This includes a CRM system to track all customer interactions, a communication tool like Slack or Skype for team collaboration, and email automation software to help with lead nurturing.
Tools like SalesforceIQ can also be helpful in identifying buying signals and other inside sales metrics.
2. Sales and Marketing alignment- it's important that your sales and marketing teams are aligned in their messaging and strategy, as buyers often see these two departments as one.
Marketing should be creating content that helps inside sales reps explain the product and how it solves the customer's problem, while Sales should be providing feedback to marketing on what content is resonating with customers.
This alignment will also help when it comes time to measure the success of your inside sales efforts.
3. Well thought-out inside sales organisation- your inside sales organisation should be structured in a way that allows for scalability and efficient communication.
This includes having a team leader who can manage the day-to-day activities of the reps, as well as setting up process flows for common tasks like lead qualification or product demos.
Your inside sales team should also be using a shared methodology so that inside sales reps are able to work more independently.
4. A motivated team- inside sales is a challenging role, and it's important that your team is motivated to succeed.
This can be done by setting goals and providing feedback, as well as offering training and development opportunities.
You should also celebrate small wins along the way, as these help keep the team morale high.
5. A skilled team supported by ongoing training- inside sales is a constantly evolving field, and it's important that your team is skilled in the latest techniques. This can be done through regular training, both on the job and off-the-job.
You should also look for opportunities to send your team to industry events so they can learn from the experts.
An inside sales representative will be critical to reaching our aggressive customer acquisition and revenue growth goals.
You should feel at ease making dozens of calls every day, collaborating with channel partners, generating interest, qualifying prospects, and closing sales.
Responsibilities
An inside sales representative's main tasks include:
Inside sales staff use methods like phones, email, video, and virtual meetings to engage with potential customers because they rarely meet with them face to face.
Their schedule is more predictable, and they frequently set a daily goal for the number of tasks they complete (e.g., number of calls, meetings booked, proposals sent).
If you want to work as an inside sales representative, you'll need to know everything there is to know about your product.
Inside sales personnel, unlike outside sales reps who can conduct an in-person demo, must be able to explain the functionality and value of their product to customers during a cold call if necessary.
What are the responsibilities of Outside Sales Representatives?
Outside sales representatives spend the majority of their time travelling to meet with clients, make connections with prospects, and maintain relationships.
Outside teams make 25 percent more calls and send over 50 percent more emails, according to the Xant.ai report for 2021.
They frequently sell at trade shows, conferences, and speaking engagements. This type of sales job is ideal for people who prefer to set their own hours and work independently.
Inside Sales Personnel
You'll need the following important positions to build an inside sales team:
Companies must pay market value for salespeople in order to retain top personnel.
According to Glassdoor, the typical base income for an inside sales professional in the United States in 2021 will be $43,712.
The starting wage for an inside sales account executive (AE) is little under $80,000.
According to The Bridge Group, the average sales development rep (SDR) will earn a median base pay of $50K in 2021.
According to Xant.ai, average on-target profits for SDRs increased 3% in 2018 and now stand at $90,434.
Outside sales agents are sometimes thought to bring greater experience to a post, therefore sales bosses seek a higher base compensation.
Organizations with the majority of outside sales people had a basic wage that was 36% greater than companies with the majority of internal sales reps, according to our 2017 data. Surprisingly, outside sales only had a 9.2 percent higher OTE.
Because OTE is supposed to be a predictor of predicted earnings, inside sales jobs pay roughly the same as outside sales jobs.
You'll need a good digital sales approach to satisfy them, which includes including inside salespeople on your team.
When it comes to inside and outside sales, there is no manual. Companies are experimenting with numerous models and organisational structures in order to find the best fit for their product, buyer, and market. Find out what works best for you.
