Many
still define inside sales in one word—telemarketing.
But
these two modes of selling are far, far apart. Whereas telemarketing is
characterized by the random, annoying calls at dinner time, inside sales is far more sophisticated in choosing its targets and in its approach. It involves
higher ticket items and multiple calls. It requires a level of selling skill
that goes way beyond reading a script. In fact, inside salespeople need to be
flexible in their communication style, professional in their responses and
strategic in the way they talk to their target customers.
Though
the major challenge for inside sales managers remains finding good leads, a
close second is hiring the right people. A fourth is using inside sales training
to ensure that your reps have the skills, knowledge and conviction to succeed.
If you run an inside sales force, you need to
improve your hiring and training processes. Do not settle for a lower level of
skill when you hire unless you have confidence in their ability to learn and
unless you have a proven onboarding training program.
