Is Work From Home an Option for a Sales Position?

Recent trends are encouraging for sales professionals willing to work from home. More opportunities exist for remote work, including remote sales positions. Because of the Covid-19 pandemic, most businesses offer flexible work times, including remote opportunities. It is irrelevant where the sales force is based when businesses aim for domestic and foreign customers.

Is It Possible to Work in Sales Remotely?

Yes! A sales job is an out-of-office activity to build and maintain client relationships. Professionals use email and phone conversations to conduct sales, and this task can be done virtually anywhere.

Salespeople are often driven by their own goals, especially when paid on commission. A sales manager usually would not be concerned as long as the remote sales team makes every effort to close a contract.

For remote employment, it is no longer necessary to organise meetings in an office conference room because some businesses have sales teams working together to reach goals. Modern technology makes this simple even if coworkers are spread across the globe. Online apps, like the following, are some of the most effective productivity tools:

1. Calendly for scheduling

2. LinkedIn Sales Navigator for lead generation

3. Salesforce for customer relationship management software

4. Slack for instant messaging

5. Toggl for time tracking

6. Zoom for video conferencing

Sales Roles That Can Be Done Remotely

The number of work-from-home home sales positions has expanded due to technological advancements and a more positive feeling toward remote employment. Here are some examples of jobs that can be performed remotely.

1. Sales manager

A sales manager is responsible for setting up sales territory, objectives, and training programmes for salespeople. They also plan, oversee, and coordinate the delivery of products or services to customers. These experts examine sales data to calculate the company's potential and inventory needs.

2. Telephone sales representative

Telephone sales professionals, often known as telemarketers, call prospective consumers using a sales script to pitch goods and services. These professionals are in charge of responding to inquiries about shipping and pricing and possess a thorough understanding of the work done by their company.

3. Advertising sales agents

Publishers profit from the sale of advertisements regardless of the distribution method—local, regional, national, international, or even online. An advertising sales agent must acquire new customers and maintain solid connections with companies seeking to connect with their customers. Since you can make all necessary presentations using video conferencing software, remote work is relatively common.

4. Manager of affiliate marketing

Online retailers frequently work with affiliates—or well-known personalities on social media—to promote their products and services by sharing information with a large audience. Affiliate marketing managers' responsibilities include finding and hiring the right partners, monitoring their performance, and resolving any issues that may come up.

Qualifications Needed to Land A Remote Sales Position

For remote sales employment, you'll need the same skills, experience, and credentials as for an office job. 

Skills

For these roles, you'll need both practical and technical skills. Employers look for certain qualities in a remote sales worker, such as:

1. Excellent time management and organisation

2. The capacity to build trusting relationships with customers

3. Good written and verbal communication abilities

4. Quick learner, able to respond to queries from potential customers

5. Tenacity to follow up when required

6. Self-motivation

7. Tech savvy, especially with apps such as Slack, Zoom, and any customer relationship management tools the organisation may use

Experience

The amount of experience you need for remote sales opportunities will vary. You can pursue an entry-level job that doesn't require much work experience, such as a sales position in advertising, customer service, or travel. You can look for remote employment as a sales engineer, a securities sales agent, or a sales manager if you have sales expertise.

Sales Strategies to Follow When Working from Home 

Working from home has probably been a tough transition for a salesperson. Here are some tips on how a salesperson can make work-from-home less challenging.

1. Dedicated workspace

Having a dedicated office at home is crucial. You'll be able to avoid distractions by doing this. Additionally, it will allow you to maintain a separation between your personal and professional lives, boosting productivity and preventing burnout.

2. Set a schedule

As a remote salesperson, having a clear schedule can often mean the difference between failure and record-breaking productivity. Decide on a reasonable schedule, then follow it. Before your day starts, plan for when you'll start, take breaks, and finish.

3. Technology in order

Most salespeople spend a lot of time on the phone. Hence, confirming that your call setup is suitable for your requirements is crucial. Though most modern phone plans offer limitless domestic minutes, some do not support international calling. Check your plan to avoid being saddled with a hefty bill!

You presumably regularly utilise lead generation, email automation, electronic signature software, and CRM systems as part of your sales tech stack. However, since you're working from home, you'll also need to get (and learn how to use) video conferencing software.

4. Prioritise communication

You no longer share an office with coworkers as a remote salesperson. So you can't just ask a question by going down the hall. Hence, using chat applications and video conferencing software requires more effort. You should regularly call your customers and coworkers.

Increased emphasis on regular communication will guarantee that everyone on your team is informed of business developments and can assist one another as needed. Those accustomed to regularly engaging with coworkers may not enjoy the isolation many distant jobs entail.

The Bottom Line

Working virtually from anywhere is a massive benefit to sales. You can hold in-person meetings with clients in your home office or at a nearby hotspot. Technology can make virtual conferences and meetings a breeze if you live too far away to meet customers or potential customers in person.

With ongoing technological advancements, it's getting more straightforward and easier every day to conduct virtual meetings, communicate with others via video and messaging apps, and make purchases from any location.

If you are looking forward to beginning your sales career, we at Juno School of Business invite you to begin the journey with us. In an eight-week interactive online session, we will teach you all you need to know to begin a successful sales profession (and get hired). Start your application now!