Specialty sales representative vs inside sales associate

The differences between specialty sales representatives and inside sales associates can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. While it typically takes 1-2 years to become a specialty sales representative, becoming an inside sales associate takes usually requires 2-4 years. Additionally, a specialty sales representative has an average salary of $67,605, which is higher than the $40,687 average annual salary of an inside sales associate.

The top three skills for a specialty sales representative include patients, product knowledge and territory management. The most important skills for an inside sales associate are inside sales, sales associates, and strong customer service.

Specialty sales representative vs inside sales associate overview

	Specialty Sales Representative	Inside Sales Associate
Yearly salary	$67,605	$40,687
Hourly rate	$32.50	$19.56
Growth rate	4%	4%
Number of jobs	174,608	320,863
Job satisfaction	-	-
Most common degree	Bachelor's Degree, 86%	Bachelor's Degree, 63%
Average age	47	47
Years of experience	2	4

What does a specialty sales representative do?

Specialty sales representatives are responsible for selling products and services using firm arguments to possible clients. Also, they perform a cost-benefit study of present and prospective clients. These representatives support positive business relationships to guarantee future sales. Their main role is to give complete and correct solutions to clients to enhance top-line revenue progress, profitability, and investment levels. Their duties include reaching out to customer leads through telemarketing as well as maximize customer satisfaction by efficiently providing resolutions to their issues and complaints.

What does an inside sales associate do?

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.

Specialty sales representative vs inside sales associate salary

Specialty sales representatives and inside sales associates have different pay scales, as shown below.

	Specialty Sales Representative	Inside Sales Associate
Average salary	$67,605	$40,687
Salary range	Between $40,000 And $113,000	Between $30,000 And $54,000
Highest paying City	-	Seattle, WA
Highest paying state	-	Washington
Best paying company	-	MSCI
Best paying industry	-	Health Care

Differences between specialty sales representative and inside sales associate education

There are a few differences between a specialty sales representative and an inside sales associate in terms of educational background:

	Specialty Sales Representative	Inside Sales Associate
Most common degree	Bachelor's Degree, 86%	Bachelor's Degree, 63%
Most common major	Business	Business
Most common college	University of Pennsylvania	SUNY College of Technology at Alfred

Specialty sales representative vs inside sales associate demographics

Here are the differences between specialty sales representatives' and inside sales associates' demographics:

	Specialty Sales Representative	Inside Sales Associate
Average age	47	47
Gender ratio	Male, 50.9% Female, 49.1%	Male, 57.3% Female, 42.7%
Race ratio	Black or African American, 3.8% Unknown, 3.7% Hispanic or Latino, 13.9% Asian, 5.1% White, 73.3% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.2%	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%
LGBT Percentage	6%	6%

Differences between specialty sales representative and inside sales associate duties and responsibilities

Specialty sales representative example responsibilities.

Utilize CRM system and other applications to manage all sales within the renewal stages.
Collaborate with management, marketing, and training departments to achieve the common goals of Merck.
Manage allocated resources and accountable for pharmaceutical samples in accordance with FDA and PDMA guidelines; responsible for expense management.
Manage tough relationships with key reimbursement decision-makers in hospitals, renal and oncology clinics throughout territory.
Manage the development, productivity and utilization of local, regional and national speakers for hyperlipidemia and hypertension.
Perform several educational sales presentations to large audiences on appropriate pain management for patients.

Inside sales associate example responsibilities.

Manage individual sales activities by developing highly effective, communications focuse relationship with multiple sales channels.
Provide awareness to customers of the benefits of moving to a cloud platform for intra/customer facing web applications.
Develop a standardize, customize CRM system to track sales and marketing ROI that link into operational and financial ERP systems.
Calculate roofing amounts/square footage etc.
Maintain cleanliness and organization of stockroom shelves.
Conduct effective outbound telemarketing calls to potential and existing clients.

Specialty sales representative vs inside sales associate skills

Common specialty sales representative skills

Patients, 14%
Product Knowledge, 9%
Territory Management, 7%
Neurology, 6%
Work Ethic, 6%
Medical Sales, 5%

Common inside sales associate skills

Inside Sales, 13%
Sales Associates, 7%
Strong Customer Service, 6%
Sales Process, 5%
Customer Satisfaction, 5%
Sales Floor, 5%

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Specialty Sales Representative
Specialty Sales Representative vs Inside Sales Associate

Updated January 8, 2025

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