graphic of a group of confident salespeople Field Sales vs. Inside Sales

In the realms of marketing, sales, and business management, all hands on deck can be incredibly helpful in gaining the most traction as a business as possible. The more resources that are available, the broader the potential customer base and sales opportunities for a business, and the more customers begin taking notice of, partnering with and seeking services from said business. With all of this in mind, it is incredibly important that businesses take advantage of every sales opportunity available to optimize growth and profit. One way that this can be done is through the utilization of both field sales and inside sales.

 

Field Sales

Field sales, otherwise known as outside sales, are centered on going out in person, pursuing new relationships, and seeking new customers through conversation and outreach. These potential customers are often not already seeking the services a business offers but begin to grow an interest upon having further communication with these field sales representatives. The goal is to educate your prospects on why your product or service will provide value and explain why they should make the upcoming journey with you! 

 

To understand this through easily-digestible examples, think about local neighborhood children having a lemonade stand at the park or even the local scouts going from door-to-door selling their confectionary treats. In both of these cases, potential customers are likely not going out in pursuit of lemonade or baked goods, but upon being approached by people selling these goods, people often consider the benefit the goods may bring to them and often engage in a transaction with the salesperson due to the appeal of the product, as well as the convenience of having it brought to them. Field sales help people realize the potential goods and services they may miss out on and allow them an easy and immediate medium to pursue them.

Inside Sales

Unlike field sales, inside sales are conducted through a potential customer taking the initiative and approaching a sales team virtually, usually already having an interest in the good or service being offered. This form of sales is not as much about outreach, broadening a business’s customer base, or seeking out new potential customers; rather, it is more commonly about being available to those that are already knowledgeable about what a business has to offer and taking the initiative to pursue those services. Regardless of how a customer comes into contact with a business and invests in their goods or services, inside sales are always made virtually, and the sales team often conducts those sales from an office.

A couple of common examples of inside sales include logging into an online jewelry shop in search of an engagement ring for your partner or placing an online pick-up order from your favorite restaurant or grocery store. In each of these scenarios, a customer is pursuing a good or service that a business is offering remotely. These transactions are beneficial to businesses because they do not require traveling, transportation, or significant amounts of time. They also oftentimes do not require as much recruitment since their customers usually approach them as opposed to them always needing to approach their potential customers.

 

Advantages of Salesforce for Both Sales Types

While there are pros and cons to both field sales and inside sales, both are incredibly important for businesses to grow and thrive to their fullest potential. That being said, it can be overwhelming to juggle everything necessary to have successful sales of both types. Salesforce recognizes this and works with businesses to manage everything involved in conducting either type of sale.

As one of the top CRM platforms, Salesforce is known for its ability to support businesses in reducing the time-consuming components of sales, increasing the quality of the customer experience, building and maintaining customer relationships, and managing marketing campaigns. Salesforce is cloud-based, making it available to all people involved in a business at all times and from any location. This allows businesses to receive and provide support regarding both field sales and inside sales, whether it is through social media, a mobile app, a website, or any other platform. Salesforce CRM is available via multiple mediums, including Salesforce Mobile and other Salesforce platforms, making Salesforce products always convenient and easy to access and utilize. This leads to more beneficial customer service, improved reputation, and a positive view of a business from its customers, which are all incredibly important in running an integral, successful business. Regardless of how a business prefers to conduct its sales, Salesforce CRM tools and CRM software can help increase efficiency and quality of service, leading to a better business overall.

 

If you have any questions about Salesforce and the services they offer, please reach out to a representative or check our website.