What are the main challenges and benefits of outside sales vs inside sales in your industry?

I have always preferred outside sales. It puts me in the environment where I get to meet new and interesting people and earn a value. At a minimum you make a "friend" or an acquaintances that will 100% have a ROI, whether that is a financial ROI or an intellectual ROI, there is no such thing in a bad meeting. I have gained value and in some fashion bettered myself with each moment I met a new face, spoke a new name, or shook a new hand. Every seed sown yields a positive result, its all in the attitude and perspective.

I see the role of the outside sales person as an ambassador and a guide. Our understanding, of the industry and company we represent, helps us to facilitate and coordinate the best experience and outcome for our customer. Because we are, most times, once removed from the immediate transactional business we are able to mitigate agreeable solutions for both companies.

Since starting my role in outside I have been blessed with the opportunity to challenge myself by: Having the opportunity to go into a company and meet the people who make decisions and learn how they make them and why. (5-W’s) Working with Distribution Technical Teams has taught me how to approach each client and make them understand we are there to help them gain larger ROI’s and how investing in new products and technology can benefit them long term. (Product Knowledge) By creating a schedule that allows me to go out three days and two in office focusing on what I’ve learned in those days, completing quotes, and following up on sales; I have been able to maintain considerable success and keep clients happy. (Balanced Schedule)

Examples of inside sales would be: Day to day customer interaction via walk-ins, phone call or emails. Retaining product knowledge by taking distribution provided training, walking your store and asking trained technical reps about specific products and what their uses in your industry are and how can they help benefit clients. Building relationships with clientele to ensure they can trust you to provide them solutions for their business. Developing the ability to recognize when it is time to introduce clients to outside sales reps who can go to their facilities and learn more about their business in order to provide solutions that will better suit their needs. Build sales up to provide more than one possible solution for each client.

I believe some sort of demo is helpful for an inside sales person to offer a prospect. Keep it short, informational, and leave the prospect wanting to know a little more. Hopefully this leads to second meeting online with more decision-makers.

When outside sales people cold call, a lot can be learned by the environment and casual conversations on site. One goal of cold calling is to simply find out the decision-makers and set the first meaningful meeting.

In sales, building trust is absolutely essential. People are more likely to listen to you and give you their time if they trust you. That's why cold calling can be challenging – it's hard to build a rapport with someone you've never met before. But there are ways to overcome this challenge. First and foremost, it's important to be a people person. You want your prospect to feel comfortable talking to you, without feeling pressured to make a decision right away. You also need to be able to read their reactions and respond accordingly. If you can show them that you genuinely care about their needs, they'll be more likely to trust you.

Firstly, it allows for cost-effective operations as it eliminates travel expenses associated with outside sales. Inside sales teams can reach a larger audience through virtual meetings and digital communication tools. Moreover, inside sales enable better tracking and analysis of customer interactions, leading to more efficient sales processes and targeted marketing strategies. Additionally, it provides flexibility for sales representatives to work remotely, contributing to a better work-life balance and potentially higher job satisfaction. Overall, inside sales in the technology sector offers scalability, efficiency, and adaptability, contributing to improved sales performance and customer engagement.

I like to find ways to use technology to make a “smart call “whether it’s prospecting in an inside or outside sales role. Find a mentor or technology coach to help.

Some things to consider when deciding on either Inside or Outside sales are: How much knowledge of the products your company sells do you need to turn inventory at an acceptable rate? What are your own personal short and long term goals in sales and how do they align with the company’s strategy for selling their products? Are you ok with being told “No thanks”; and can you handle rejection? What is your plan for either position and what do you hope to help the company achieve in either role? Just a few thoughts that come to my mind when you are considering a position in either role…