Even as inside sales grows in popularity, outside sales remains a cornerstone of many organizations’ strategies, particularly in B2B and enterprise environments. Representatives using this approach build relationships, generate leads, and close deals in the field, often leveraging modern tools like Rox to streamline their workflows.
Learn what it takes to succeed as an outside sales representative and how the model contributes to overall business growth.
What Is an Outside Sales Representative?
Outside sales representatives meet with prospects and existing customers in person, rather than engaging digitally like inside sales teams. The model works best for long, complex sales cycles where trust and personal relationships are critical. In high-value deals, buyers often expect tailored, face-to-face engagement to evaluate solutions and build confidence.
Digital-first sales models have grown in popularity, reflecting changes in buyer behavior. Today, the decision to adopt outside sales depends on the deal economics and specific needs of each organization.
Outside Sales Representative Job Description
An outside sales representative manages relationships and drives revenue through in-person engagement. Key responsibilities include:
Prospecting: Reps actively source new business within a designated territory, using field visits, cold calls, and event networking.
Conducting in-person presentations: Depending on the solution, reps deliver personalized demonstrations, effectively communicating technical components and answering questions.
Developing deals: Outside sales deal cycles progress through in-person negotiations rather than digital correspondence. Reps oversee the full cycle, from discovery meetings to contract negotiations.
Nurturing accounts: The outside sales model does not typically end with acquisition. Reps are responsible for ongoing in-field account management, including regular site visits, performance reviews, and contract renewal negotiations.
What Does an Outside Sales Representative Do?
A typical outside sales workflow consists of seven phases.
1. Territory Planning
Sales leaders define geographic boundaries and prioritize accounts within them. They assign outside sales representatives to territories primarily based on workload balance, location proximity, and account fit.
2. Prospecting and Qualifying
Outside sales is a model that relies heavily on outbound outreach. Reps visit prospects in person rather than waiting for inbound leads (though they may also handle qualified inbound leads within their territory). Reps systematically qualify accounts and prioritize them accordingly — many teams lean on AI-driven, agentic sales platforms like Rox to automate research and outreach.
3. Discovery
After identifying and filtering leads, reps schedule discovery meetings with key decision-makers. Discovery is about asking targeted questions to uncover pain points, understand context, and communicate the potential value of solutions.
4. Onsite Presenting
If discovery establishes a real need, reps deliver tailored presentations onsite. The objective is solution alignment, demonstrating how the product or service addresses the buyer’s challenges.
5. Negotiating
Outside sales cycles often involve complex, in-person negotiations. Reps prepare terms, discuss concessions, and establish fallback positions, guiding prospects toward agreement while balancing stakeholders’ interests.
6. Closing
Outside sales representatives work closely with multiple internal and external stakeholders, including procurement and legal teams, to finalize agreements and establish clear next steps.
7. Ongoing Account Management
Following a successful acquisition, outside sales representatives nurture accounts through regular engagement. Outside sales typically achieves lower churn than inside sales, but requires continuous effort to maintain relationships.
Outside Sales Reps vs. Inside Sales Reps: Key Differences
Outside and inside sales each play a distinct role in driving revenue, and the model an organization chooses depends on factors such as deal complexity, client needs, and sales cycle length.
Outside and inside sales representatives differ in their focus and workflow. Outside sales reps conduct sales cycles in person, traveling within assigned territories to conduct face-to-face presentations and manage negotiations directly with decision-makers. The emphasis is on building trust, tailoring solutions to client needs, and maintaining long-term relationships.
Inside sales representatives, by contrast, operate primarily through digital channels such as phone, email, and video conferencing. They often concentrate on qualifying inbound leads and guiding prospects through the sales process remotely. While they may occasionally meet clients in person, their approach relies heavily on technology and data to drive results.
Here’s an overview of the differences.
Factor
Outside sales reps
Inside sales reps
Location
Primarily field-based, meeting clients face-to-face.
Primarily office or home-based, conducting sales engagements digitally.
Sales cycle length
Handles longer, more complex sales cycles with fewer, higher-value deals (often enterprise accounts).
Handles short sales cycles with a higher volume of smaller, or more standardized, deals.
Overhead requirements
Higher overhead, encompassing travel and meeting expenses.
Lower overhead, with costs primarily tied to digital infrastructure.
Deal size
Focus on larger, high-value contracts that justify higher costs of the sales cycle.
Focus on smaller, transactional contracts that benefit from efficiency and scale.
Performance metrics
Measured primarily by revenue contribution and relationship growth within large accounts.
Measured primarily by opportunity creation and throughput across higher volumes of smaller deals.
Compensation structure
Often a higher base salary with notable commission and bonus potential, reflecting high-value account management responsibilities.
Generally a lower base salary, but with a greater degree of flexibility.
Salary and Compensation for Outside Sales Representatives
Outside sales reps earn competitive pay that varies by experience, industry, and employer. On average, base salaries sit at around $88,000, with lower-paid reps earning about $46,000 and top performers exceeding $150,000. Specialized or technical knowledge and sector focus can significantly boost compensation. Like most positions, location also plays a role. For example, compensation in Charlotte, NC, averages $97,000, compared with $80,000 in San Antonio, TX.
Several factors influence total earnings:
Commission structure: Most outside reps earn a base salary plus commissions, often structured as a 60:40 base-to-incentive ratio. Commission rates generally range from 5-20%, adding thousands of dollars to total income.
Bonuses and incentives: In addition to commission, many companies offer lump-sum bonuses if reps meet or exceed targets, along with non-cash perks such as paid vacations or event tickets.
Benefits: Standard employee benefits include health insurance and retirement contributions, with additional perks like company phones, travel expense accounts, and mileage allowances.
Outside Sales Reps Experience and Skills
To succeed in outside sales, reps require a blend of interpersonal skills and field experience. Here’s what they need to be effective:
Communication skills: Outside sales reps excel at tailoring their message to fit different audiences. Whether conducting a boardroom presentation or talking with clients over a casual lunch, the ability of reps to articulate value clearly and persuasively drives engagement and trust.
Independence: Because outside reps often manage their own schedules and travel, they must be self-directed and resourceful.
Industry knowledge: A successful rep develops a strong grasp of their product, the competitive landscape, and common industry challenges. This expertise helps them position solutions effectively and establishes their credibility as a trusted advisor rather than just a salesperson. Rox enhances existing knowledge by recording past interactions and surfacing insights in real time.
Negotiation ability: Negotiation requires balancing customer needs with business objectives. Experienced reps can handle objections and close deals while preserving trust and ensuring long-term value.
Relationship building: Beyond the first sale, outside reps invest in maintaining strong client relationships. They check in regularly, anticipate needs, and identify opportunities for growth, transforming initial deals into lasting partnerships.
How Rox Empowers Outside Sales Reps to Stay Ahead
Rox is purpose-built to give outside sales reps the edge they need in competitive markets. As an AI-driven revenue operating system, it provides intelligent swarms that handle time-consuming tasks and keep deals moving forward.
Rox guides reps through every step of the sales workflow, from prospecting to regular check-ins. Rox equips reps with the knowledge and support they need to personalize outreach, negotiate effectively, and stay focused on revenue-driving activities.
Watch a demo today to see how Rox transforms the way outside sales reps work.
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