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Key Takeaways
Inside sales refers to a selling model where reps engage with prospects remotely- typically over phone calls, emails, video conferencing, or chat tools. Sales development reps (SDRs), business development reps (BDRs), and account executives (AEs) working in B2B SaaS are common examples.
Inside sales teams operate primarily from an office or remotely, relying heavily on CRM systems, data, and automation tools.
Inside sales is ideal when:
Outside sales, also known as field sales, involves reps meeting prospects and customers face-to-face. These reps travel to client sites, attend events, and build in-depth relationships- often over a longer period.
While more resource-intensive, outside sales remains a preferred strategy for complex, high-value deals, especially in sectors like manufacturing, enterprise tech, healthcare, or real estate.
Outside sales is best suited when:
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Inside Sales Compensation:
Inside sales reps generally receive a lower base salary than outside reps, but their variable pay (commission) tends to be higher in proportion to total earnings. According to Glassdoor and RepVue:
Since performance is easily trackable through CRMs and sales engagement tools, inside reps are often put on activity-based quotas: number of calls, booked demos, meetings held, etc.
Outside Sales Compensation:
Outside sales roles often come with higher base salaries and larger deal-based commissions, reflecting their longer sales cycles and deeper involvement in high-value deals. Key benchmarks:
Outside reps often have quarterly or annual quotas, tied to revenue closed rather than activity. Some roles include travel allowances or field visit stipends.
Also Read: Guide to 10 SaaS Sales Commission structures
Inside Sales:
Inside teams typically handle mid-market or SMB accounts, where the deal value ranges between $2,000 to $25,000 per year. These deals usually:
Because inside reps work remotely, their ability to scale outreach via cold calls, emails, and demos gives them leverage in high-volume scenarios.
Outside Sales:
Field reps are reserved for high ACV (Annual Contract Value) customers. Deals here may exceed $100,000 to $1M+, particularly in enterprise software, manufacturing, or capital goods.
These deals often involve:
Outside reps focus less on quantity and more on relationship depth, stakeholder alignment, and strategic account planning.
Inside Sales Cycles:
Inside reps often close deals within 30–60 days, especially in product-led or low-complexity environments. Tools like Zoom, Gong, HubSpot, or Outreach enable a fast, digital-first experience.
Inside sales reps benefit from:
Outside Sales Cycles:
Outside reps work deals that last 3 to 12 months, depending on ticket size and buyer org maturity. Field sales involves more face-to-face engagements, site visits, POC setups, and extended procurement cycles.
Their timelines are longer, but their average contract values are higher, and win rates can be stronger when relationships are well-nurtured.
Also Read: What is a Sales Cycle?
Inside Sales:
Inside reps can cover multiple geographies from a single location. This model is scalable, allowing organizations to build follow-the-sun teams and centralized sales hubs.
Remote communication tools allow:
Outside Sales:
Outside reps are geographically anchored. Their presence is needed at client offices, trade shows, or on-site assessments. Travel is a built-in part of their schedule.
Challenges include:
Inside Sales Tools:
Inside sales relies on a digital-first tech stack that includes:
Outside Sales Tools:
Outside sales uses a more hybrid tech + scheduling stack:
While outside reps do use CRM and sales enablement tools, much of their edge comes from personal connection and presence.
Key difference in metrics: Inside sales metrics are activity-based and easier to quantify. Outside sales metrics are outcome-based and take longer to show results. (Calls made vs in-person meetings attended for example)
While both roles earn a mix of base salary and variable commission, their compensation plans often reflect their working styles.
💡 Tip: Many companies use an On-Target Earnings (OTE) model to define total comp. Learn more with our OTE Calculator.
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Yes- most companies today use a hybrid sales model that blends both. For example:
This model ensures high efficiency while still offering personal attention where needed.
Inside sales is remote and software-driven, while outside sales involves in-person meetings and travel. Both aim to close deals but use different approaches and timelines.
Inside sales tends to be more cost-efficient due to lower travel expenses and faster cycles. However, outside sales may yield larger deals that justify the investment.
Yes, especially in digital-native industries. But complex, multi-stakeholder deals still benefit from in-person attention, making outside sales more effective in some cases.
No, but it’s evolving. Many outside reps now use hybrid methods- initial remote contact followed by strategic visits- especially post-COVID.
There’s no one-size-fits-all. The best sales model is the one that aligns with:
Evaluate both models not as opposing forces, but as complementary strategies in a modern go-to-market motion.
Looking to automate your sales commissions for both inside and outside teams?
Check out Visdum- the commission management platform that supports hybrid teams with real-time data, integrations, and payout transparency.
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