Setting up an inside sales team can be a daunting task. First, you need to find the right people, train them, and give them the tools they need to be successful. But with the proper structure in place, you can create a winning team that drives sales and growth for your company. 

However, starting an inside sales team, many get confused in proceeding to the next step with this set of questions:

• Where to start? 
• Whom should we hire first?
• Whether to outsource or have an inbuilt team?
• Sales team structure, and so on.

This article will help you overview the structure, positions, and how to maintain the team effectively in the long term. Keep scrolling!

Benefits Of Using An Inside Sales Team

Over 70% of prospects prefer to speak to sales reps via inside sales than through outside sales [Source]. Moreover, using an inside sales team also adds an advantage to your organization.

• It reduces the expenses of travel and entertainment.
• Many decision-makers turn towards the internet to solve their company problems, which helps the inside sales team get inbound leads using social media and websites.
• Using inside sales even opens doors to new prospects with whom you have never communicated.
• The usage of software tools generates easily measurable metrics.
• You have an option of replicating the same process that works well across teams and much more.

Related: The Benefits of Inside Sales – Read This!

Structuring An Inside Sales Team

An essential part of building an inside sales team, whether outsourced or in-house, depends on the structure and whom you hire.

To structure it, you mainly need to make up the below positions.

Sales manager

The sales manager is a foundational role, responsible for the whole inside sales team. This role had to collect input from different parts of the team to make significant decisions.

Attributes needed for the role:

1. Strong leadership skills.

2. High emotional intelligence with excellent listening skills.

3. Attentive to every small detail provided.

4. Great researcher with forecasting skills.

Sales representative

They play a significant role in interacting with customers, selling products, and closing deals. In addition, they work with potential customers, build strong relationships and nurture them by solving their problems.

Attributes needed for the role:

1. Friendly in nature.

2. Being optimistic and firm.

3. Determined and trained.

4. Very efficient in dealing with sales.

Sales development representative

They are the key prospectors, who initiate the sales by setting appointments with the decision-makers and generating solid leads for the sales reps to sell their products.

Attributes needed for the role:

1. Courageous to overcome rejections.

2. Possessing healthy competitiveness.

3. Adapting to opportunities available.

4. Determined to grow.

Sales Engineer

Sales engineers are those who have complete technical knowledge about the products. They are the ones who help the sales team by providing complex technical information during interactions and also help in the implementation of products after sales.

Attributes needed for the role:

1. Good technical background.

2. Ability to work as a team.

3. Should have good problem-solving skills.

4. Ability to build a swift relationship with clients.

These fundamental roles need to be structured in an inside sales team. But, depending on your organization, it may be considered a part of a team or an independent team. Moreover, as the team grows, the roles may become more defined and specialized.

Related: Tips & Strategies For Successful Inside Sales

Developing And Motivating The Team

As you start a new inside sales team, it is equally important to make your team grow and help them to thrive towards the goal of a successful organization. To do so, empower them by providing all the essential sales tools that stand best and are convenient.

 Also, provide them with onboarding programs. Here are some key points that need to be covered.

• Create a training program on the overall sales process. 
•  Make them technically strong by having them use your products.
•  Provide with your organization’s core values and make sure they follow.
•  Have them up-to-date by training with upcoming technologies regularly.

Lastly, motivate your team with a clear set of expectations and metrics. Figure out your team’s success and explain to them what you exactly need to maintain the same.

A successful inside sales team is the backbone of your business. So, make sure you structure your team to focus on central goals and provide excellent customer service. In addition, motivate and train your team to keep updated and grow.