Many technology companies have implemented or are considering inside sales as a means to build pipelines and/or generate revenue.  Inside Sales has come a long way since the days of “telemarketing”. Getting the most out of your inside sales organization requires a solid strategy and an effective tactical plan to support that strategy.  Here are some things to consider before launching a team:

Strategy
 

1. How will Inside Sales fit in to your overall sales strategy? Is there a hole they can fill?
   
2. Will inside sales be responsible for pipeline development or revenue generation? These are two very different strategies that require unique skill sets. Pick one and then hire appropriately.
   
3. How will Inside Sales work with Marketing and the Outside Sales force?  What is their role in the overall sales process?
   
4. Have you thought through channel conflict? You do not want to create a situation where you have your distribution channels competing for the same business. Channel conflict is a waste of time, effort and energy for everyone involved in the sales process.
   
5. Where does your product fit in the technology adoption life cycle? What is your average order size, your average sales cycle? All these things should be taken into account when building an inside sales organization.

 
Implementation
 

6. How many reps should you hire to accomplish your goals? Hiring too few dilutes their ability to be effective, hiring too many can kill your cost of selling.
   
7. Has anyone in your organization ever built an Inside Sales team before? Do they know how to identify and hire appropriate candidates? Do they know how to manage and motivate this kind of team?
   
8. What are Marketing’s expectations of Inside Sales? It is important that you coordinate your efforts with Marketing and their expectations are in alignment with yours. Do they assume Inside Sales will follow-up on all inquiries they generate? Is this in alignment with the strategy you have developed?
   
9. What kind of technical resources will be required to support the Inside Sales effort and where will they come from?
   
10. What will be your metrics for measuring success? You can’t manage what you can’t measure.  What does a winning situation look like?

Once you have thought your way through these issues, you can begin building a plan that will help you achieve your goals.
 
Happy selling!
 
Trish Bertuzzi is President of The Bridge Group, Inc., helping companies build and increase the productivity and effectiveness of Inside Sales organizations.  More information about building effective inside sales can be found at www.bridgegroupinc.com or by calling 978.562.2623.