The Inside Sales Revolution

In our sales recruiting we have noticed a consistent trend in the type of salespeople companies are looking to hire. We found that more companies are looking for inside salespeople vs. just “feet on the street.” In addition, COVID-19 has further accentuated this trend.

Based upon our research, this is a comparison of the inside sales process vs. the outside sales process…

Inside sales positions are estimated to be growing 3 to 5 times as fast as outside sales positions
The average outside salesperson only spends about 25-30% of their time actually selling vs. an inside salesperson who can spend 65-75% of their time selling…increased productivity
In the future, it is estimated that 75% of all buying decisions will occur online, enhanced by video technology and social media with inside sales reinforcement
The average remote salesperson actually gains three more weeks of selling time due to reduction in travel time and other factors
Remote sales reduce stress and carbon emissions…and save over $4500 per person in fuel and maintenance and other expenses

Digital Technology

When we build a house, we need to have skills which are enhanced by using a variety of power tools to increase efficiency and save valuable time.

In the same sense, an inside salesperson can use many digital tools to increase their sales productivity…

Each one of these tools can be used in combination to win a new client. Messaging in different formats is quite effective.

Sales Productivity

An inside sales professional and their structure has a number of advantages compared to an outside salesperson working in their territories…

A Harvard Business Review article estimated that inside sales reps can decrease customer acquisition cost from 90% to 40%
Inside sales candidates can reach quota at a 9.8% higher rate than outside sales (Hubspot)
Outside salespeople require a higher base salary than an inside salesperson
The average outside sales call costs approximately $308 vs. $50 for an inside sales presentation
An inside salesperson has more flexibility in scheduling conference calls, online demos, and targeted emails to solve business problems and close more sales
Depending on the service and product, 75% of buyers prefer making a purchase without ever meeting a salesperson (SALESLOFT)

Scaling

It is much more efficient to scale an inside sales team vs. an outside sales team. You have more flexibility and a higher growth rate in building an inside sales team. For example, outside salespeople cover specific territories and would live in one of those territories to decrease travel time. An inside salesperson can live anywhere because they are not restricted by travel time. Their flexibility increases tremendously which makes scaling much more efficient.

Hiring

When hiring an inside salesperson vs. an outside salesperson, the requirements are basically the same…good communication skills, the passion to reach and exceed sales goals, combined with perseverance.

However, there is one important quality that an inside person needs—a good phone voice. Since we never really meet an inside salesperson, the only judgment we have is the quality of their voice. An inside salesperson only has about 7 seconds to make a good first impression. We really see what we hear so a person with a sincere enthusiasm represents a high quality candidate. When interviewing an inside salesperson listen closely to their voice…would you buy from them?

When you find the right candidates who have great presentation skills and seem sincere and enthusiastic, ask them to take a Sales Success Assessment that measures their true sales skills. In addition, SALESTALENT can help you…we have a track record of over 20 years of both hiring and training inside sales teams.

Advantages of Hiring Outside Salespeople

In many situations, an outside salesperson has distinct advantages over an inside salesperson…