In this guide, we delve into the contrast between inside and outside sales, why one might be more valuable for your company's specific goals than the other, how to hire reps, how to structure your sales team, and much more.
What is outside sales? Definition of an outside sales representative
Outside selling refers to the process of selling products and services in person, through face-to-face meetings. The outside sales representative's job description includes traveling to meet prospects. This can happen at industry events and trade shows, as well as at the lead 's office , a restaurant, or simply by going door-to-door. It all depends on what you're selling, industry norms, and your company's strategy.
Outside sales are also called field sales. Although outside overseas chinese in canada data sales reps sometimes have an office as their base, they spend most of their time in the field.
Unlike inside sales representatives who can close hundreds of sales without ever seeing their prospect's face, the success of outside salespeople depends on their ability to build and maintain in-person relationships with their prospects .
Outside sales reps build trust through the power of in-person interactions, body language, and a deeper human connection. Because of their proximity to the customer, hiring the right kind of people as your outside sales reps is crucial, but we’ll dive deeper into that later.
What is inside sales ? Definition of an inside sales representative
Inside sales is the process of selling products and services remotely (as opposed to face-to-face). Inside sales reps do not meet with their sales prospects in person. Instead, they use phone calls , emails, video conferences, and more to maintain relationships with their leads, prospects, and customers.
Inside sales are also known as virtual sales or remote sales. They are usually conducted from behind a desk. Therefore, inside sales reps have the benefit of being able to sell to anyone, regardless of how far away they are.
In the 1980s, the term inside sales was used to differentiate telemarketing from high-value telephone sales, which were typical of B2B and B2C sales practices at the time. In the early 2000s, inside sales became a term to help differentiate sales made from an office and sales made in the field or territory.
