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Looking for cover letter ideas? See our sample Inside Sales Manager Cover Letter.

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Inside Sales Manager Duties and Responsibilities

A variety of tasks must be completed by Inside Sales Managers to ensure that a company’s sales department runs smoothly and effectively. After analyzing several job listings, we found the following duties and responsibilities to be among those that are often mentioned in relation to this position.

Manage Inside Sales Team One of the main responsibilities of an Inside Sales Manager is to oversee the inside sales staff. This includes hiring, training, motivating and providing ongoing professional development opportunities for these employees.

Set and Monitor Sales Goals Inside Sales Managers presents weekly, monthly and/or quarterly sales goals for the inside sales team. They monitor actual sales and sales leads, keep track of sales and generate reports that cover sales forecasting, goals and results.

Assess Sales Practices to Create Improvement It is up to Inside Sales Managers to measure the performance of the inside sales staff and determine if existing practices and processes are generating adequate sales. They will suggest improvements to sales processes as needed, implement improvements and monitor the impact of these changes over a determined period of time.

Maintain Client Relationships For retention purposes, Inside Sales Managers will openly communicate and build relationships with clients and customers. They rely on customer feedback to ensure that the inside sales department is operating successfully and use this feedback to make improvements if needed.

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Inside Sales Manager Skills

The strongest skills that Inside Sales Managers should possess include written and verbal communication, listening, customer service and organizational skills. Inside Sales Managers should be team-building and resourceful problem-solvers who can motivate and coach sales employees, generate change and work with a diverse group of people. Strong analytical, time management and leadership skills are also essential to this position. Along with these abilities, it is imperative that Inside Sales Managers be capable of the following:

  • Hiring and training inside sales staff.
  • Evaluating sales processes and procedures.
  • Creating sales department budgets.
  • Developing sales reports.
  • Generating new sales and retaining existing customers.

Inside Sales Manager Tools of the Trade: To complete all necessary job tasks, Inside Sales Managers often rely on various tools and systems. If you wish to become an Inside Sales Manager, you should be knowledgeable about the following: Market analysis tools – various online and software tools exist that can help Inside Sales Managers determine demographics, customer behavior, market trends and more. Spreadsheets – sales data such as forecasting, goals and actual sales figures are often displayed in spreadsheet so it is important for Inside Sales Managers to have a firm grasp of spreadsheet software. Project management – Inside Sales Managers should be familiar with project management processes, such as budgeting, scheduling and change management.

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Inside Sales Manager Education and Training

In many cases, employers require that job candidates for an Inside Sales Manager position hold a bachelor’s degree in business, marketing or management. Voluntary professional certifications can help Inside Sales Managers demonstrate their mastery of sales management concepts; these include the Accredited Inside Sales Manager (AISM) and Certified Inside Sales Professional (CISP) credentials offered by the American Association of Inside Sales Professionals (AA-ISP).

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Inside Sales Manager Salary

The BLS reports that the average median salary for all sales managers, including Inside Sales Managers, is $117,960. Those in the lowest percentile of the pay range earn $55,790, while those at the upper end of this spectrum realize a salary exceeding $200,000 per year. The highest-paid Inside Sales Managers in the U.S. work in New York and are paid a mean annual wage of $196,770. The next highest wage is seen by sales managers in Delaware ($178,450), followed by Virginia ($167,280).

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Inside Sales Manager Resources

To help you learn more about a career as an Inside Sales Manager, we have assembled additional resources below. The following links to books, blogs and professional associations will give you deeper insight into life as an Inside Sales Manager.

American Association of Inside Sales Professionals (AA-ISP) – This worldwide organization provides Inside Sales Managers and staff with conferences, webinars, white papers, a mentor program, networking opportunities and more. From keeping current with trends in the field to discovering professional growth practices, AA-ISP gives you all you need to know about being an Inside Sales Manager.

The Sales Management Association – A global organization offering Inside Sales Managers and other sales managers with a wide range of resources. You’ll find relevant articles, webcasts, live conferences and networking that supports the growth of sales professionals.

Josiane Feigon – The LinkedIn page of this author and inside sales professional provides over 80 articles about sales trends, coaching and motivational strategies, sales organization growth and much more.

Insidesales.com – You’ll find podcasts and blog entries covering best practices, current trends, technology and success stories for Inside Sales Managers.

Inside Sales Acceleration Blog – In this blog, you’ll get professional insight and advice on a wide range of inside sales topics, from customer service strategies to inside sales training tips.

Inside Sales Management: Secrets to Growing Salespeople and Sales by Mark Wilensky – Beginning and veteran Inside Sales Manager will find value in this book, which provides examples, role-playing exercises and more to help those in this profession understand and take on the challenges of this career.

Smart Sales Manager: The Ultimate Playbook for Building and Running a High-Performance Inside Sales Team by Josiane Chriqui Feigon – From hiring and motivating your sales staff to making sales to tough clients, this book covers everything you need to know to be a successful Inside Sales Manager. Provides management strategies for all types of situations.