The most successful inside sales professionals think and act differently than your average salesperson.

What sets them apart?

They have discovered the traits that guarantee selling success and work tirelessly to cultivate those traits in themselves.

In the course of working with Inside Sales Managers from top-performing companies, I have asked them what traits they believe make inside sales professionals great. Here is a compilation of their top responses:

7 Traits of Great Inside Sales Pros…

1. They are fantastic conversationalists and storytellers.

Storytelling not only drives home the more entertaining, real-life examples that help prospects connect the dots on how a product or service could impact their own unique situation, but it also serves to build stronger connections. It helps get past the often transactional nature of a sales conversation.

2. They have excellent phone voices and vary their pace, tone, and volume.

They take the time to rehearse and practice what they want to say and how they want to say it. They make their words sound more interesting by changing their tone and inflection. Using vocal highlights and inserting some purposeful pauses helps the speaker sound enthusiastic and confident while maintaining clarity in their voice and delivery.

3. They are entertaining to talk to.

They make you smile and/or laugh in the first couple of minutes. They know we buy from sales professionals we like. If they sounded like a robot or just pitched a mile a minute without building rapport, they would diminish their ability to succeed. Top inside salespeople tend to be upbeat and radiate a sense of humor, fun, and general positivity. These qualities shine through when speaking with prospects and customers.

4. They are highly organized.

They prepare to win by planning for purposeful calls. Sales professionals who achieve the best numbers quarter after quarter all have one thing in common: focus. They understand what they need to do to be successful and set goals for themselves to achieve that success. They act with purpose in their day-to-day activities and apply laser focus to all aspects of their work.

5. They have no fear of the phone.

Many sales professionals today rely on email as their primary means of communication with prospective buyers. The best ones do not. They know the odds will not be in their favor if they default to email. That’s what average salespeople do. Great inside sales professionals pick up the phone first every time. Doing this not only demonstrates they are real people instead of spam bots, but it also dramatically increases their chances of a successful connection.

6. They are savvy users of technology — without losing the human element.

Most inside sales teams already have a CRM in place. The real advantage comes from how effectively it is used. Top inside sales professionals know how to access call recordings within the CRM, review notes tied to each conversation, and track follow-up activity at a glance.

AI-powered call transcriptions and summaries are becoming more common and can be helpful for recall and coaching. However, the best sales professionals do not rely on AI to do their thinking for them. After each call, they still take the time to document their own insights — why the opportunity is winnable, how the customer is positioned, key objections, and clear next steps — so the CRM reflects both activity and strategy.

7. They combine preparation tools like AI with strong sales instincts.

Today’s top inside sales professionals are resourceful. They use tools such as ChatGPT or Gemini to prepare for calls — researching industries, roles, and common challenges — so they can ask better questions and have more informed conversations.

What sets them apart is not the tool itself, but how they use it. They rely on AI to sharpen their preparation, then trust their instincts, listening skills, and judgment during the live conversation. They understand that technology enhances great selling — it does not replace it.

As you read this list, did any or all of these traits ring true for you or your inside sales team? They may already be ingrained in your DNA, or perhaps a little extra training, stick-to-itiveness, and creativity are required to truly become the best inside sales professional you can be.

Assess what it is you do that makes you effective in inside sales, and continue to hone your craft in areas where you can improve.

Ultimately, the mission in any sales role is helping people do something differently, better, and more efficiently — while positioning yourself as an advisor who truly understands their business.

For independent office products dealers, that mission is also about proving every day that personalized service, smart guidance, and proactive communication can outperform any website or national chain.

Good selling out there!