So this topic is one that I have had countless conversations with different Founders/CEOs about. Each with their unique take on what inside sales is all about, or what it should be according to them.

Well, the good thing about selling for over a decade is that you develop a somewhat “deeper” understanding of just about everything revolving around sales. So with that in mind, I will try and answer this question of what is inside sales once and for all and hope that we all can be on the same page.

Or, well, one can try right?

What is Inside Sales?

Inside sales involves sales reps working remotely or from a company’s office, to engage prospects (potential customers) and close deals. This is typically done through phone calls, meetings through zoom (or other video conferencing software), email and at times social media.

Unlike outside sales, which involves in-person interactions and travel, inside sales relies on technology to build and maintain relationships with prospects, leads and customers.

Is it less fun? Maybe. But is it extremely effective? Most definitely.

I for one have primarily worked in inside sales since the start of my career in 2012. At that time when I started out, there was a huge percentage of sales teams that were engaged in outside sales. Since then things have shifted towards inside sales in nearly every industry.

Who the thunk it that it would be cheaper and effective to just sell using technology? No need for the drinks and dinners then, eh.

AI of course plays a big role here as well, as the rise of it definitely has helped the inside sales’s cause.

Before I get in to the nitty gritty of this topic, I want to make one thing really clear. Folks buy from folks they know or at least trust. This is more true now than ever with the rise of inside sales and sales teams working remotely.

Where inside sales teams typically thrive is by building relationships with the potential customers, while the tech and strategies behind it all have changed the principals remain very much the same.

The question then becomes, is inside sales the right model for your business? Or if you’re a sales person looking to start your career in inside sales? Either way, I hope to help you make an informed decision.

A brief how behind Inside Sales

Some of the common inside sales tactics include cold emailing, cold calling, doing demos to potential clients from inside your (home?) office. As oppose to outbound sales when you sell out in the field, through in-person interactions with prospects. Think pharmaceutical reps or reps working in real estate.

In recent years however, inside sales has become one of the most popular sales models, both for selling high-ticket products and for small businesses, as buyers become more comfortable purchasing and collaborating remotely.  

Simply put: Technology is everything for inside sales teams.

Empowering your inside sales reps with the work environment and toolset they need to convert potential customers is crucial to building a successful inside sales team.

So before you attempt to use or build an inside sales team, ensure you understand what you’ll need to succeed. Just like you wouldn’t try to build a house without the right tools (and a contractor who knows what they’re doing), you shouldn’t launch a remote sales team without the tools and processes built for success.

If you do, let me tell you how this story ends. In a disaster. So por favor, do yourself a favor and don’t venture out if you don’t know what you are doing. Read up.

Different inside sales roles

No matter if you’re looking to build out an inside sales team or if you’re just getting started in sales, you’ll want to have a deeper understanding of what are the type of roles in an inside sales team. Remember that the structure can look different from team to team (even verbiage of the titles) but rest assured, no matter which way you look at it, it’s all pointing to the same thing.

For instance, at Hubstaff we don’t have SDRs that are doing outbound sales, our sales team is purely inbound, yes inside sales reps. It can get confusing because there are both inbound and outbound sales, but either approach can leverage inside selling.

Here are the different roles:

• Sales Development Representative (SDR): Perhaps the hardest role in any sales team. An SDR mostly is responsible for the opening stages of the sales process. If it’s an inbound sales rep, they typically will be responsible for qualifying the leads through phone, email, or social. The goal will be to qualify the leads and put the proverbial meat on the table for the AEs.
• Account Executives (AE): It’s more of a mid-market/Enterprise level function but can be used in SMB. An AEs job is to convert prospects into paying customers. Doing demos, sending proposals and closing the deals by getting the Mula in. In some SMB focused companies, they are usually responsible for the full sales cycle, meaning qualification as well.
• Customer Success Managers (CSM): So not a typical sales role as you can imagine. CSMs typically enter at the last stage of the sales process if the prospects being sold to are Enterprise-esque, if SMB, then they are handed over once they become customers. CSMs job is to over time cross-sell, upsell, and help the customer retain.
• Inside Sales Manager: The El Patron overseeing and leading the team of inside sales reps. The job is all about setting the sales targets, training and optimizing the sales processes.

What does an inside sales rep do?

While the exact sales process always varies by company (and industry), in general, inside sales reps will:

• Use the sales tools in their tech stack to gather leads and prospects. 
• Qualify leads using B2B databases social media sites like LinkedIn, and their own connections. 
• Find decision-makers at that company and authentically connect with them. 
• Use their communication skills to build relationships with prospects through email, video, and phone calls.  
• Use templates and automation tools to nurture those leads through the sales funnel
• Collaborate virtually with leads via video conferencing, email, and other digital channels.
• Collaborate with other teams, including customer support and marketing, to ensure customer support throughout each step of the sales process. 
• Overcome objections prospects have, negotiate, and discuss pricing. 
• Close sales, mostly without ever meeting their prospect in person

Here is an example of what an inside sales rep’s average day might look like:

9-10AM	– Review calendar for meetings, review notes for meetings – Respond to emails from existing engaged prospects
10-12PM	– Cold calling or taking scheduled calls with prospects – Add notes to CRM – Check tasks in CRM for follow ups
12-1PM	Lunch break
1-2:30PM	– Take scheduled calls with prospects – Schedule follow-up workflows to reach out to prospects who haven’t responded in 7+ days
2:30-3PM	Weekly team meeting; review pipeline and evaluate tracking against quarter 3 goals
3-4PM	– Respond to emails:Send a recorded demo to a new prospect – Connect new customer with customer success – Schedule follow up calls
4-5PM	– Review meetings for tomorrow – Finalize notes from calls – Respond to any last minute emails

Inside sales vs. outside sales

Throughout this blogpost, I’ve mentioned outside sales a few times because it’s the other strategy companies can choose for building relationships with prospects and obtaining more customers. Inside and outside sales are two different sales models, but they have the same goal—to increase sales for the business.

The most significant difference between inside vs. outside sales is that outside sales requires its representatives to travel to meet with prospects and customers in person. Outside sales reps may meet in offices or restaurants, knock on doors, or attend conferences and trade shows, while inside sales reps work from home or in an office without the need for traveling.

Inside and outside sales reps use similar tools, and many sales jobs overlap, with inside sales reps going outside the office to meet with customers and outside sales reps working from their desks.

In general, inside sales focuses on acquiring leads and has a faster sales cycle, while outside sales focuses on nurturing leads and converting them. However, both can accomplish the same tasks, and as customers look for faster interactions and time to sales, they may prefer one over the other, so it’s best for businesses and sales reps to be flexible.

When choosing between inside sales vs. outside sales, it’s always best to consider the Ideal Customer Profile (ICP) of your customers. Some customers may prefer in-person interactions, while others are too busy to meet with representatives and would prefer to do business over the phone or computer.

To succeed in inside sales, you need to embrace technology and invest time in learning about your target customers. Many organizations are shifting to inside sales and digital channels, so staying updated and continually learning is key to becoming a sales leader.

Hope this was able to clarify if it wasn’t for you already what a function of an inside sales team is and what they should be focused on. As always, take a look at your use case and see how this strategy will fit in with your broader goals. Work backwards from there and slow things down.

You will almost always find success.