With the demand for inbound sales jobs constantly on the rise, many people are considering starting an inside sales job. This is a great decision to make! Inside sales can provide you with stability and good compensation. However, before you start looking into potential opportunities, we will discuss about 20 things to know before starting a inside sales associate job.
If you're thinking about starting an inside sales job, then there are 20 things that you need to know before you get started.
But before that let’s discuss what it's like being in the position of an inside sales associate and how to be good at it.
Inside sales is a term used to describe a position that focuses on a broad range of activities. An inside sales associate starts by calling their customers and identifying potential new business opportunities.
Then, they use data-mining software to find the best customer matches for these opportunities. The next step is going into the field and working with the client on any kind of company event (i.e., trade show), or setting up an appointment to make new business pitches.
If this pitch is successful, the sales associate acts as negotiator between companies and makes sure all necessary contracts are signed in time before deadlines expire.
Finally, after getting confirmation from clients about what materials and services they require (purchasing), the sales associate verifies these orders and sends invoices to the customer.
The main focus of an sales associate is to increase a company’s market share by finding and bringing in new customers, so that they can continue providing top-quality products and services.
Companies are always on the lookout for great sales associates because their work is so important in driving business growth.
If you have strong communication skills, enjoy working with people, and are motivated to achieve goals, then this could be an ideal career for you. Check out job postings in your area and see if there are any openings for sales associates – it could be the start of a rewarding career!
There are countless reasons why being a successful sales associate is preferable to being outside. When you are inside, you have the ability to interact directly with potential customers without waiting for them to come to you, which allows you more time and opportunity to sell products or services.
You can spend all day leveraging your knowledge of the industry in order to convince customers that this company's goods and/or services will benefit them. Plus, it's less strenuous than being outside in harsh conditions trying desperately to find new leads.
So if you're looking into jobs in sales , becoming a sales associate should definitely be on your list of potential career paths.
1. Research the field- Before you start any job search, it's important to have a realistic idea of what kinds of jobs are out there and what kinds of companies you would like to work for.
The best way to do this is to research the industry you're interested in and read up on the different types of sales positions that are available. This will help you get a general understanding of the skills and experience that employers are looking for in their candidates.
2. Get some experience- Most employers prefer candidates with some sales experience, so if you don't have any yet, now is the time to start acquiring it.
Try volunteering or interning at a local company in your area of interest. If you have a friend or family member who works in sales, ask them to share their experiences with you. You can also consider doing some freelance work to gain valuable sales experience.
3. Consider getting an education or certification- Since sales is such a competitive industry, many employers are looking for qualified candidates who have the knowledge and skills needed to successfully land customers themselves.
There are many online courses that provide training in subjects like telemarketing , PPC marketing , social media marketing , email marketing , web design , blogging , public speaking , etc., which can be very helpful for those interested in becoming successful sales associates at companies like Google, Twitter, LinkedIn, Facebook, Hubspot, Paypal... The list goes on.
4. Polish your resume and LinkedIn profile- Once you have a good idea of what you want to do and the experience and education required for those jobs, it's time to start polishing your resume and LinkedIn profile.
Make sure to list all of your relevant experience and skills, as well as any courses or certifications you may have obtained. Be sure to also highlight any sales-related accomplishments you may have achieved in previous roles.
5. Start applying!- Now that your resume is looking good, it's time to start applying for jobs. Start by searching for openings on job boards or company websites.
Then, send personalized applications to the ones that interest you the most. And don't forget to follow up with employers after they receive your application.
6. Look for opportunities outside of the big companies- If you're interested in becoming an sales associate at a smaller company, start by searching job boards and company websites for openings.
Then, reach out to local businesses that you'd like to work with directly and let them know how you can help them grow their business. You never know—you might be able to create your own position!
7. Be ready to prove yourself- Whether it's through presentations , proposals , or competitions, most employers are looking for hard evidence that potential hires have what it takes before bringing them on board full-time.
This means that if you haven't done these things before, now is the time to practice so you can ace them in your interview and start working for a company like Salesforce, Dell... The list goes on.
8. Stay positive and confident- It takes some time to find the job that's right for you, but it will be worth the wait! So while you're looking for your dream position , make sure to stay flexible and open-minded.
And remember: no matter how many jobs you apply to, there is only one of you out there with your unique skills and talents so keep doing whatever it is that makes you feel confident in yourself and your abilities.
As a sales associate, it is important for you to understand the benefits and challenges that may be part of your role. Being a valuable member in a company requires a certain level of versatility and flexibility when dealing with different personalities and tasks.
The following outlines some of the most common characteristics within this position, as well as some tips that can be used to maximize employee performance.
As a sales associate, you likely face daily challenges; however, there are many benefits to consider as part of your responsibilities.
Although each company will vary somewhat on what they define as necessary skills (and therefore represent different levels of compensation), here are some factors that could define benefits specific to your job:
There are also several challenges that are associated with the role of inside sales associate. While many of these may vary based on the individual company, here are some general areas to consider:
1. Nobody likes to hear the words "sales" or "inside sales"- While you may think that inside sales is one of those phrases like "multitasking" (which means we work with a distracting noise, screamers on TV and text messages going off everywhere), it actually refers to a job where you'll be calling people and pitching them on your company's product or service.
Something they probably don't want, and will actively avoid giving their money for.
2. You'll look at Craigslist personal ads for entertainment- We all do it: surfing Craigslist starts as research for how much you should charge per hour as an inside sales person, but quickly devolves into watching videos about Nigerian princes who need help transferring $27 million into your bank account.
3. You will be good at making small talk- Chit-chatting with people you don't know is a key part of the job, so you'll want to hone your skills in order to make the best first impression. It's also important to be able to read people and understand when they're not interested in talking to you.
4. You'll have an arsenal of rebuttals ready- Whenever someone says "no" to you, it's important to have a response prepared that will help you move on and continue trying to sell them on your product or service.
5. Cold calling is your bread and butter- The best way to make is by reaching out to potential customers who don't know you exist. This means making a lot of calls, and sometimes dealing with a lot of rejection.
6. You'll need to be persistent- No one wants to buy something on the first try, so you'll need to be patient and keep pitching your product or service until they're ready to buy.
7. You'll need to be organized- Keeping track of your leads, follow-ups, and sales goals is essential in order to make sure you're meeting your targets and making progress.
8. Learning about the product or service is key- If you don't know what you're selling, it's going to be hard to convince someone else to buy it. Make sure you take the time to learn about the product or service inside and out.
9. You'll need to be a good listener- When you're talking to potential customers, it's important to let them do most of the talking and take in what they're saying.
This will help you understand their needs and figure out how your product or service can best meet them.
10. You'll need to have a positive attitude- No one wants to buy from someone who seems like they hate their job, so make sure you keep a positive attitude no matter how tough things get.
11. You'll need to be comfortable on the phone- Since a big part of an inside sales job is making calls to potential customers, you'll need to be confident and comfortable talking on the phone.
This means having a strong phone presence and being able to sell your product or service over the phone.
12. It's important to be organized and have good time management skills- Since you'll be working independently, it's important to be well-organized and have good time management skills.
This will help ensure that you're able to stay on top of your work and meet your quotas.
13. You'll need to be self-motivated- Since much of your work will be done independently, it'll be important to have good self-management skills and be highly motivated.
If you don't motivate yourself to work hard on a daily basis, it's unlikely that you'll meet your quotas and achieve success with this type of work.
14. You need to know how to prioritize your time and tasks efficiently- Since you'll need to manage multiple tasks simultaneously as an inside sales agent, it's important that you're able to prioritize them effectively.
This will help ensure that your workload is manageable and as efficient as possible as you're working on various projects for different people or companies at the same time.
15. It helps if you like technology and gadgets ( phones)- As mentioned, a big part of this job is making calls to potential customers.
This means you'll need to be comfortable using technology, such as phones and computers, in order to do your job well. If you're not familiar with or don't like using technology, it may be difficult for you to succeed in this type of position.
16. You must be able to take rejection well- Since you'll be contacting potential customers who may not be interested in what you have to offer, you'll need to be able to handle rejection well.
This means having a positive attitude and being resilient when people say no. It's important to remember that not everyone will be interested in what you're selling, so don't take it personally if someone doesn't want to buy from you.
17. You'll need to be able to work independently- As mentioned, one of the key characteristics of an inside sales agent is being able to work independently.
This means being able to manage your own time and tasks effectively without needing a lot of supervision. If you're not comfortable working on your own, this may not be the right job for you.
18. You must have good writing skills- Since you'll likely be doing a lot of writing as part of your job, it's important that you have good writing skills. This includes being able to write clear and concise emails, proposals, and other documents related to your work.
19. You need to be able to handle pressure- Since you'll be working on deadlines and meeting quotas, it's important that you can handle pressure well.
This will help ensure that your work is completed on time and meets the needs of your customers or company. If you don't do well with deadlines or under pressure, this may not be the best position for you.
20. You must like people (customers)- As mentioned, one of the main reasons people become inside sales agents is because they enjoy dealing with people (i.e., getting to talk to potential customers) and helping them solve problems or make decisions. If you don't like interacting with others, this type of job isn't right for you.
