Inside Sales vs Outside Sales Strategy: Which Sales Team Is Better for Your Company?

Companies that rely on sales for profit need to look for the right strategies to make sure that they earn more than enough money to keep the business afloat. They must look for ways to generate income that will pay for the salaries of their employees and the overall operational costs and get the owner’s return on investment. Because of these, business owners often need to decide on how they want their team to sell their products and services. They would weigh the benefits of inside sales vs outside sales to determine which of these strategies could generate more profit. They must also consider the basics of structuring a sales team based on these two opposite strategies. 

If you are running a company that needs to decide which sales strategy will help boost your revenue, here are several guides on how to structure inside sales and outside sales teams.

Difference between the two opposite sales strategies

Before you begin to develop your sales team, you need to understand the differences between inside sales vs outside sales strategies. 

Inside sales take place inside the office. It means that the sales rep offers your products or services from their desk instead of having a face-to-face transaction with the customers. It also uses all types of communication tools like phone, email, VOIP, and different CRM platforms. 

Outside sales or field sales, on the other hand, presents the company’s offerings through face-to-face, in-person transactions. It usually happens outside the office, which means the sales reps need to travel and bring samples or presentations of the products and services to possible clients. 

Critical responsibilities of inside sales reps

To further understand what inside sales agents can contribute to the company, you must know their key responsibilities and tasks at work. 

One of the primary skills they must possess is the thorough knowledge about the product to answer the questions and inquiries of the customers. They also need to know how to build a relationship with their prospects so they can gain trust and develop their rapport. It is also crucial for them to understand how to convert leads into customers after getting referrals from their loyal customers. Also, they must know how to close the transactions and report pertinent sales data.

Critical responsibilities of outside sales reps

The team that handles the outside sales strategy needs to spend most of the time in the field. They are usually present in different industry events like conferences and conventions. It is also vital for them to learn how to attract their clients’ attention through public speaking.

Also, they need to know all the aspects of the company’s products and services so they can explain and demonstrate it better in front of prospective clients. 

Which among inside sales or outside sales teams is useful for your company?

The revenue of your company lies in the effectiveness of your sales team. You might benefit from inside sales teams if you have limited resources since you only need a reliable computer, a stable Internet connection, and a functional CRM to help the team close deals and generate sales. These can also help the company reach more prospects without the need to spend on transportation expenses.  

Meanwhile, outside sales teams need a bigger budget to fulfill their tasks. They need to spend on gas, flight tickets, accommodations, and dinners to reach out to their target clients. But these could be all worth it since some customers may only get persuaded to purchase an item or avail of services from people they can trust. Since they can interact with an outside sales rep in person, it will become easier for them to trust someone they can physically see.  

Deciding between inside sales vs outside sales strategy may not be an easy task. As long as you know your company’s goals and how you want to achieve them using the available resources, you can decide between building a team of inside sales reps or hiring outside sales agents to offer your products and services.