Inbound vs. Outbound Sales: What’s the Difference and When Do You Use Them?

Which sales strategy is best for your business—inbound or outbound? It generally involves both. If your brand is well-known and popular, inbound sales are likely steady. If your business is new and offers unfamiliar products, you need a more aggressive outbound sales technique. However, you must balance inbound and outbound sales to optimize leads in both scenarios.

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Inbound sales

Inbound sales occur when customers seek out your products or services. Customers who find you online, through advertising, or word of mouth are familiar with your brand. Develop an engagement strategy to keep these prospects going down the pipeline and convert them.

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Some of the most typical ways leads can find you are:

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1. Referrals

Existing customers suggest you to friends and encourage them to test your goods.

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2. Search engine ads

This type of inbound sale occurs when a prospect searches for a term online and sees an ad for a product they might like.

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3. Content promotion

This works like the search engine method above, but users click on blog posts instead of ads.

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Outbound sales

Outbound sales involve reps contacting prospects directly. These prospects may or may not know the brand and are not expecting outreach. Outbound sales reps research pain areas and needs to engage prospects. They then email or contact the prospect with a pitch.

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Many outbound sales examples exist, like inbound sales. Here are some popular ones:

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1. Cold-calling

Many reps start the sales process by calling prospective customers with needs their product can meet and discussing its worth. This is cold calling.

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2. Tradeshow promotion

Sales are still made in person, especially at trade events and conventions where agents may find the right customers. They talk to attendees to determine whether they want their products.

3. Social selling

Social media is where many potential clients seek solutions. By searching by terms or organizations that match their company's vision and values, sellers can locate prospects to contact.

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Inbound vs. outbound sales funnel differences

Inbound and outbound sales differ in who initiates the sale, buyer or seller. In inbound sales, customers approach firms to buy. In contrast, outbound salespeople contact potential clients who may not know their products or services.

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Practical comparison of the two sales strategies:

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Inbound sales involve clients visiting you online or in person. Online shopping generally involves no salespeople. Your salespeople must actively listen to customers who want to chat with you to seal the sale.

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Salespeople are familiar with the sales funnel, the step-by-step process to close in the inbound sales funnel:

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? Awareness and discovery: Prospects recognize an issue, look for a solution, discover your answer, and inquire how your product or service can solve it.

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Potential customers exhibit interest and explore products and services.

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? Consideration: Prospects examine your product's features, execution, and price to see if it satisfies their needs.

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Signing up for a free webinar or trial shows intent to buy.

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? Evaluation: They use or demo your solution and compare it to others.

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? Purchase: Prospect becomes customer.

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While inbound customers may know your brand, they may not know about new products or services. It pays to teach your sales crew on brand upgrades and innovations. Thus, your staff may close more sales when they talk confidently and efficiently handle consumer objections.

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Frequent inbound sales users include:

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Early-stage firms that prioritize marketing and advertising over in-house sales reps

Online-searched product companies. The list includes cleaning goods, dog food, and children's toys.

Businesses offer impulsive purchases at frequent locations, such as checkout lines with candy bars, and services with an existing audience. This could involve pool upkeep, elder care, and accountancy.

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Outbound sales

Different investments are needed for outbound sales. To attract customers and educate them about your products, your sales team may need to research prospects, write sales pitch scripts, and attend trade exhibitions or industry events.

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Outbound sales funnel phases are identical to inbound sales funnel stages. However, awareness and discovery work differently:

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First, finding prospects who fit your product or service may take time. To address distinct pain points and needs, reps must personalize their sales pitches to each one. Because of this, outbound sales cycles are lengthier.

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Outbound sales is typical for brands:

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New and innovative products and services that need explanation

Customers may not recognize they need niche items.

Unfortunately, inbound sales requires a lot of early work to promote your business. Due to your study, you can ensure that your target clients are likely to buy.

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Combine inbound and outbound sales?

Yes, you can blend inbound and outbound sales. Many organizations maintain a blog with relevant product or service information as part of their content marketing. Inbound sales uses after engagement to attract leads. For outbound sales, reps study good-fit prospects on social media and contact them to see if they're interested in the company's offerings.

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Outbound and inbound sales: two ways to close deals

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Potential customers will find you naturally with inbound sales. Once they find you, your sales team must convert prospects into clients. Outbound sales demand more initial work from your sales staff, but patience and ability will pay off. While their methods differ, inbound and outbound sales both boost income.