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The differences between inside sales associates and outbound sales representatives can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. It typically takes 2-4 years to become both an inside sales associate and an outbound sales representative. Additionally, an outbound sales representative has an average salary of $45,723, which is higher than the $40,687 average annual salary of an inside sales associate.
The top three skills for an inside sales associate include inside sales, sales associates and strong customer service. The most important skills for an outbound sales representative are outbound sales, customer service, and excellent interpersonal.
| Inside Sales Associate | Outbound Sales Representative | |
| Yearly salary | $40,687 | $45,723 |
| Hourly rate | $19.56 | $21.98 |
| Growth rate | 4% | 4% |
| Number of jobs | 320,863 | 240,781 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 63% | High School Diploma, 33% |
| Average age | 47 | 47 |
| Years of experience | 4 | 4 |
An inside sales associate is responsible for selling the company's goods and services through remote communication. Inside sales associates make calls to potential customers, demonstrate the products' features, take orders, process payments, and inform the customers of the delivery details. They strategize the most effective sales pitches to attract the customers on purchasing more services that would generate revenues and increase the company's profitability and brand image. An inside sales associate also supports the marketing team in developing marketing campaigns and promotional offers depending on customer demands and requests.
An outbound sales representative focuses on securing sales by reaching out to clients through calls, correspondence, or face-to-face interactions. They primarily offer products and services, assisting customers every step of the way to ensure client satisfaction. To carry out their duties, they must perform research and analysis to identify business opportunities, develop sales strategies, generate leads, discuss product specifications with customers, introduce payment plans, and negotiate contracts. Moreover, an outbound sales representative must build positive relationships with clients while adhering to the company's policies and regulations.
Inside sales associates and outbound sales representatives have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Inside Sales Associate | Outbound Sales Representative | |
| Average salary | $40,687 | $45,723 |
| Salary range | Between $30,000 And $54,000 | Between $24,000 And $84,000 |
| Highest paying City | Seattle, WA | Hoboken, NJ |
| Highest paying state | Washington | New Jersey |
| Best paying company | MSCI | Altice USA |
| Best paying industry | Health Care | - |
There are a few differences between an inside sales associate and an outbound sales representative in terms of educational background:
| Inside Sales Associate | Outbound Sales Representative | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 63% | High School Diploma, 33% |
| Most common major | Business | Business |
| Most common college | SUNY College of Technology at Alfred | SUNY College of Technology at Alfred |
Here are the differences between inside sales associates' and outbound sales representatives' demographics:
| Inside Sales Associate | Outbound Sales Representative | |
| Average age | 47 | 47 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 57.3% Female, 42.7% | Male, 45.9% Female, 54.1% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 3.8% Unknown, 3.7% Hispanic or Latino, 14.0% Asian, 5.1% White, 73.1% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.2% | Black or African American, 3.8% Unknown, 3.7% Hispanic or Latino, 14.2% Asian, 5.1% White, 72.9% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.2% |
| LGBT Percentage | 6% | 6% |