Remote Sales Jobs 2026: SDR, AE & Sales Leadership

Remote sales positions have exploded in popularity, offering sales professionals the opportunity to build their careers from anywhere while maintaining high earning potential. Whether you’re starting as an SDR or aiming for a VP of Sales role, this guide covers everything you need to know about landing and succeeding in remote sales positions.

Understanding Remote Sales Role Types

The sales career path offers diverse opportunities at every level, each with distinct responsibilities and compensation structures.

Sales Development Representative (SDR)

Sales Development Representatives are typically the entry point into B2B sales, focusing on the top of the sales funnel. SDRs spend their days prospecting, qualifying leads, and booking meetings for Account Executives.

Key Responsibilities:

• Cold calling and cold emailing prospects
• Qualifying inbound leads from marketing campaigns
• Researching target accounts and decision-makers
• Booking qualified meetings for the closing team
• Maintaining CRM hygiene and activity metrics
• Meeting daily/weekly activity benchmarks (calls, emails, meetings set)

Typical Compensation: Remote SDR roles typically offer base salaries ranging from $45,000 to $65,000, with on-target earnings (OTE) between $60,000 and $90,000. High performers can exceed their quota and earn significantly more through accelerators.

Skills Required:

• Strong communication and active listening
• Resilience and ability to handle rejection
• Time management and self-discipline
• Basic understanding of sales methodology (BANT, MEDDIC)
• Proficiency with CRM systems and sales engagement platforms

Business Development Representative (BDR)

BDRs are similar to SDRs but often focus more on outbound prospecting into net-new accounts rather than working inbound leads. Some organizations use these terms interchangeably, while others distinguish based on lead source.

Key Differences from SDR:

• Heavier emphasis on cold outbound prospecting
• More account-based selling approach
• Often targets larger enterprise accounts
• Requires deeper research and personalization
• May have higher compensation due to complexity

Typical Compensation: BDR roles often pay $50,000 to $70,000 base with OTE ranging from $70,000 to $100,000, reflecting the additional complexity of breaking into new accounts.

Account Executive (AE)

Account Executives are the closers who take qualified opportunities from SDRs/BDRs and navigate the sales process from discovery through contract signature. This is where sales careers typically become significantly more lucrative.

Key Responsibilities:

• Running discovery calls to understand prospect pain points
• Delivering product demonstrations and presentations
• Building business cases and ROI justifications
• Negotiating terms and pricing
• Coordinating with internal teams (pre-sales, legal, finance)
• Managing a pipeline of opportunities through the full sales cycle
• Meeting quarterly/annual quota expectations

Typical Compensation: Remote AE positions vary widely based on deal size and sales cycle. SMB AEs might earn $60,000-$80,000 base with $120,000-$160,000 OTE, while Enterprise AEs can command $90,000-$130,000 base with $180,000-$300,000+ OTE.

Skills Required:

• Consultative selling and needs analysis
• Product knowledge and technical understanding
• Negotiation and objection handling
• Pipeline management and forecasting
• Presentation and demonstration skills
• Understanding of procurement and buying processes

Account Manager (AM) / Customer Success Manager (CSM)

Account Managers focus on expanding and retaining existing customer relationships rather than acquiring new logos. In SaaS companies, this role often blends with Customer Success.

Key Responsibilities:

• Ensuring customer satisfaction and product adoption
• Identifying expansion and upsell opportunities
• Conducting quarterly business reviews
• Preventing churn and managing renewals
• Cross-selling and upselling additional products
• Serving as the primary post-sale relationship owner

Typical Compensation: Remote AM/CSM roles typically offer $55,000-$85,000 base with OTE of $80,000-$130,000, depending on whether expansion revenue is part of the quota.

Sales Manager / Team Lead

Sales Managers transition from individual contribution to leading a team of SDRs, BDRs, or AEs. This role requires developing others while maintaining team performance metrics.

Key Responsibilities:

• Hiring and onboarding new sales team members
• Coaching and developing sales representatives
• Call shadowing and deal review sessions
• Setting team quotas and managing forecasts
• Implementing sales processes and best practices
• Reporting on team performance to leadership
• Handling escalations and problem accounts

Typical Compensation: Remote Sales Manager positions typically offer $80,000-$120,000 base with OTE ranging from $120,000-$200,000, often tied to team quota attainment.

Director of Sales / VP of Sales

Sales leadership roles are responsible for overall sales strategy, process, and organizational performance. These positions blend strategic thinking with execution oversight.

Key Responsibilities:

• Developing and executing sales strategy
• Building and scaling sales teams
• Establishing sales processes and methodologies
• Setting revenue targets and go-to-market strategy
• Collaborating with marketing, product, and executive teams
• Analyzing metrics and optimizing conversion rates
• Managing sales tools and technology stack

Typical Compensation: Remote Director of Sales roles range from $120,000-$180,000 base with OTE of $200,000-$350,000. VP of Sales positions at well-funded startups or established companies can exceed $200,000 base with OTE of $400,000-$800,000+, often including equity.

The Remote Sales Interview Process

Remote sales interviews are designed to assess your selling skills, cultural fit, and ability to work independently. Expect a rigorous process that evaluates both your technical abilities and self-management capabilities.

Stage 1: Initial Screening (30 minutes)

The first conversation is typically with a recruiter or sales leader who wants to understand your background, motivation, and basic qualifications.

What to Expect:

• Questions about your sales experience and track record
• Discussion of quota attainment and performance metrics
• Salary expectations and compensation structure
• Basic cultural fit questions
• Overview of the role and company

How to Prepare: Know your numbers cold. Be ready to discuss your quota, attainment percentage, average deal size, sales cycle length, win rate, and activity metrics. If you exceeded quota, quantify by how much. If you missed, be honest and explain what you learned.

Stage 2: Role Play / Mock Sales Call (30-60 minutes)

This is the most critical part of sales interviews. You’ll typically conduct a mock discovery call, product demo, or objection handling scenario with a sales leader or future peer.

Common Scenarios:

• Discovery call with a prospect (interviewer plays the buyer)
• Product demonstration based on discovered needs
• Handling pricing objections or competitive concerns
• Cold call simulation
• Negotiation scenario

Best Practices:

• Ask for context beforehand (what product, who’s the buyer, what’s the scenario)
• Follow a structured framework (SPIN, MEDDIC, or similar)
• Ask thoughtful questions before pitching
• Listen actively and take notes
• Summarize what you heard before presenting solutions
• Handle objections confidently without being pushy
• Always ask for next steps or close for the meeting

Remote-Specific Considerations:

• Test your technology beforehand
• Ensure proper lighting and professional background
• Minimize distractions and notifications
• Demonstrate comfort with screen sharing
• Use virtual whiteboarding if appropriate
• Maintain energy and engagement through the screen

Stage 3: Hiring Manager Interview (45-60 minutes)

This deeper conversation with your potential manager explores your approach to sales, work style, and career goals.

Common Questions:

• “Walk me through your sales process from prospecting to close.”
• “Tell me about a deal you lost and what you learned.”
• “How do you manage your pipeline and prioritize opportunities?”
• “What’s your approach to handling rejection and staying motivated?”
• “How do you stay productive and accountable when working remotely?”
• “What sales methodologies have you used, and what’s your favorite?”
• “Tell me about a time you had to overcome a significant objection.”

What They’re Assessing:

• Sales methodology and process discipline
• Ability to self-manage and work independently
• Coachability and growth mindset
• Alignment with company values
• Motivation and career trajectory

Stage 4: Panel or Peer Interviews (30-45 minutes each)

Many companies include conversations with cross-functional partners (marketing, customer success, product) or potential teammates to assess cultural fit and collaboration skills.

Topics Covered:

• How you work with other departments
• Your approach to team collaboration
• Conflict resolution and communication style
• Specific technical or industry knowledge
• Questions about the company or role you have

Stage 5: Executive or Final Round (30-60 minutes)

The final conversation, often with a VP, CRO, or even CEO at smaller companies, focuses on strategic thinking and organizational fit.

What to Expect:

• Higher-level discussion about sales strategy
• Your understanding of the market and competition
• Long-term career goals and ambitions
• Final compensation and logistics discussions
• Questions about company vision and direction

Demonstrating Sales Skills Remotely

Proving you can sell remotely requires showcasing both traditional sales abilities and digital-native skills.

Building Your Remote Sales Portfolio

Unlike many professions, sales portfolios focus on metrics and outcomes rather than work samples. However, you can differentiate yourself by preparing:

Performance Documentation:

• Quota attainment records (spreadsheet or screenshots)
• Leaderboard rankings or awards
• Email sequences or cadences you’ve built
• Prospecting scripts or talk tracks you’ve developed
• Before/after metrics from process improvements you implemented

Video Samples: Consider creating a 2-3 minute video introduction demonstrating your communication skills and sales presence on camera. This can set you apart for remote roles where video presence matters.

Mastering the Remote Discovery Call

Discovery calls are the foundation of consultative selling, and doing them well remotely requires specific skills.

Video Presence Best Practices:

• Always use video unless the prospect declines
• Position your camera at eye level
• Maintain eye contact by looking at the camera, not the screen
• Use hand gestures naturally (keep them visible)
• Mirror the prospect’s energy level
• Eliminate background noise and distractions

Virtual Engagement Techniques:

• Use the prospect’s name regularly
• Take visible notes to show active listening
• Share your screen sparingly and purposefully
• Use virtual backgrounds professionally or show a clean office
• Record calls (with permission) for review and coaching
• Follow up with a summary email immediately after

Effective Remote Product Demonstrations

Demonstrating products remotely is now standard in B2B sales. Excellence here separates top performers from average reps.

Demonstration Framework:

1. Set the agenda and confirm time available
2. Recap discovery and pain points (bridge from previous call)
3. Show features relevant to their specific needs only
4. Pause regularly for questions and confirmation
5. Use prospect data or examples relevant to their industry
6. Handle objections as they arise
7. Summarize value and confirm next steps

Technical Excellence:

• Use dual monitors (one for presenting, one for notes/script)
• Have a demo environment that loads quickly
• Prepare custom scenarios relevant to the prospect
• Know keyboard shortcuts to move smoothly
• Have backup plans for technical failures
• Practice your demo flow until it feels conversational

Handling Remote Objections

Objections feel different over video than in person. You can’t rely on reading the room as easily, so verbal and communication skills become paramount.

Common Objections and Frameworks:

Price Objection:

• “I understand budget is a concern. Can you help me understand what you were expecting to invest in solving this problem?”
• Reframe around ROI and cost of inaction
• Break down to monthly or per-user costs
• Offer phased implementation or payment plans

Timing Objection (“Not right now”):

• “I appreciate you being upfront. Help me understand - is this about timing or is there something else we should address?”
• Establish a specific follow-up date with reason
• Create urgency through scarcity, deadlines, or cost of waiting
• Ask what needs to happen for timing to be right

Authority Objection (“I need to check with my team/boss”):

• “Absolutely, that makes sense. Would it be helpful if I joined that conversation to address any questions?”
• Identify who else is involved and their concerns
• Offer to prepare materials for them to share
• Request multi-threaded conversations earlier in the process

Competition Objection (“We’re looking at other options”):

• “That’s smart to evaluate options. What’s important to you in making this decision?”
• Understand evaluation criteria and decision process
• Differentiate on value, not just features
• Position your unique strengths against their stated priorities

Essential CRM and Sales Tools

Remote sales professionals must be proficient with digital tools that enable productivity, communication, and pipeline management.

Customer Relationship Management (CRM)

Salesforce: The industry standard enterprise CRM. Most mid-market and enterprise sales roles require Salesforce knowledge.

Key Skills:

• Creating and updating opportunities
• Logging activities and emails
• Running reports and dashboards
• Understanding sales stages and forecasting
• Managing contacts and account hierarchies

HubSpot: Popular among SMB and mid-market companies for its user-friendly interface and integrated marketing tools.

Pipedrive: Visual pipeline management favored by smaller teams and startups.

Sales Engagement Platforms

Outreach: Leading sales engagement platform for managing multi-channel sequences, email automation, and activity tracking.

Salesloft: Comprehensive sales engagement tool with calling, email, and social capabilities.

Apollo.io: Combined prospecting database and engagement platform popular with high-growth startups.

Key Capabilities:

• Building email sequences and cadences
• Tracking email opens and engagement
• Dialing from the platform with call recording
• A/B testing messaging
• Analyzing performance metrics

Communication and Collaboration Tools

Zoom / Google Meet: Video conferencing platforms essential for remote sales calls and demos.

Slack: Team communication for coordinating with colleagues, asking questions, and celebrating wins.

Gong / Chorus: Conversation intelligence platforms that record, transcribe, and analyze sales calls to improve performance.

Calendly / Chili Piper: Scheduling tools that eliminate back-and-forth and make booking meetings seamless.

Prospecting and Data Tools

LinkedIn Sales Navigator: Essential for B2B prospecting, researching decision-makers, and social selling.

ZoomInfo / Cognism: Contact databases providing phone numbers, email addresses, and company intelligence.

BuiltWith / Datanyze: Technology stack databases for finding companies using specific tools.

Productivity and Organization

Notion / Evernote: Note-taking and organization for tracking prospect research, meeting notes, and best practices.

Loom: Asynchronous video messaging for personalized follow-ups and product walkthroughs.

Grammarly / HemingwayApp: Writing tools to ensure professional, clear communication in emails.

Understanding OTE and Compensation Structures

On-Target Earnings (OTE) is the total compensation you’ll earn if you hit 100% of quota, combining base salary and variable commission.

Decoding Compensation Plans

Base Salary: The guaranteed amount you’ll receive regardless of performance. Higher bases offer more stability but usually mean lower commission upside.

Commission: Variable compensation earned by hitting targets. Commission structures vary significantly:

Types of Commission Plans:

1. Straight Commission Rate:

   • Earn a percentage of every deal (e.g., 10% of ACV)
   • Simple and predictable
   • Common in transactional sales

2. Tiered Commission:

   • Earn increasing rates as you progress toward quota
   • 0-50% quota: 5% commission rate
   • 51-100% quota: 8% commission rate
   • 101%+ quota: 12% commission rate (accelerator)
   • Incentivizes hitting and exceeding quota

3. Milestone-Based:

   • Earn commission in chunks when hitting percentage milestones
   • 25% of variable at 50% quota
   • 50% of variable at 100% quota
   • 150% of variable at 125% quota
   • Can create uneven income throughout the quarter

Additional Compensation Components:

Accelerators: Many plans include accelerators that pay higher commission rates once you exceed 100% quota. A rep at 120% quota might earn 150% of their variable compensation due to accelerators.

SPIFs (Sales Performance Incentive Funds): Short-term bonuses for specific activities or outcomes, like selling a particular product, closing deals in a target industry, or hitting monthly milestones.

Equity/Stock Options: Startups and growth companies often offer equity as part of compensation. Understand vesting schedules, strike prices, and valuation to assess true value.

Evaluating Offers

When comparing remote sales offers, look beyond the OTE number:

Questions to Ask:

• What percentage of reps hit quota last quarter/year?
• What’s the average attainment across the team?
• How long is the ramp period before I’m at full quota?
• Am I paid during ramp, and at what rate?
• When are commissions paid (monthly, quarterly, upon collection)?
• What happens to commission if a customer churns?
• Are there caps on earnings?
• What’s the quota relief policy if accounts churn mid-period?

Red Flags:

• Very few reps hitting quota (suggests unrealistic targets)
• Long payment delays (commissions paid 90+ days after close)
• Clawbacks on churned customers without reasonable limitations
• Unclear or overly complex commission calculations
• Frequent quota or commission plan changes

Green Flags:

• 60-70% of reps hitting quota (sweet spot)
• Accelerators and uncapped earnings
• Clear, documented commission plan
• Commissions paid monthly
• Reasonable ramp period (2-6 months depending on sales cycle)

Companies Hiring for Remote Sales Roles

The remote sales job market is robust across industries and company stages. Here’s where to focus your search:

Remote-First Sales Organizations

SaaS Companies: Software companies have led the remote sales movement, with many operating distributed teams globally.

Examples:

• GitLab (100% remote)
• Zapier (fully distributed)
• Automattic (WordPress parent company)
• Doist (productivity software)
• Close.com (sales CRM)
• Remote.com (HR/payroll platform)

Why They’re Great:

• Built remote-first cultures and processes
• Sophisticated async communication practices
• Established career paths for remote sellers
• Typically well-funded with competitive compensation

High-Growth Startups

Series A-C startups are aggressively hiring remote sales teams to scale quickly.

Where to Find Them:

• AngelList job board
• YCombinator job board
• Built In (regional tech communities)
• Tech company career pages directly

Advantages:

• Higher risk but significant upside through equity
• Opportunity to shape sales process and culture
• Faster career progression as the company scales
• Exposure to executive leadership

Considerations:

• Less established processes and support
• Quota and compensation may be less predictable
• Higher chance of company failure
• May require more self-direction

Enterprise Software Companies

Established players like Salesforce, Adobe, Microsoft, and Oracle offer remote sales positions with stability and structure.

Advantages:

• Established training programs and career paths
• Brand recognition helps with selling
• Better benefits and job security
• Structured territories and account assignments

Considerations:

• Slower career progression
• More bureaucracy and process
• Potentially lower base compensation but more stability
• Less equity upside

Industry-Specific Sales Roles

Don’t overlook non-tech industries embracing remote sales:

• Financial Services: Wealth management, insurance, fintech
• Healthcare: Medical devices, health tech, telemedicine
• Manufacturing: Industrial equipment, B2B supplies
• Education: EdTech, online learning platforms
• Real Estate: Commercial real estate, PropTech

Job Boards Specializing in Remote Sales

General Remote Boards:

• We Work Remotely
• Remote.co
• FlexJobs
• RemoteOK

Sales-Specific:

• RepVue (includes compensation data and company reviews)
• SalesJobs.com
• The Sales Job Board
• LinkedIn (filter by remote and sales function)

Networking Approaches:

• Join sales communities (SaaS Sales Community, Sales Success Community)
• Attend virtual sales conferences and webinars
• Connect with sales leaders at target companies on LinkedIn
• Participate in sales podcasts and online events
• Ask for referrals from current remote sales professionals

Preparing for Remote Sales Success

Landing the job is just the beginning. Setting yourself up for success requires preparation and the right mindset.

Essential Skills to Develop

Before You Interview:

• Master at least one CRM platform deeply
• Develop a personal sales methodology you can articulate
• Build confidence with video communication
• Practice asynchronous communication (email, Loom videos)
• Learn basic sales analytics and pipeline math

During Onboarding:

• Absorb product knowledge quickly through self-study
• Shadow top performers and take detailed notes
• Ask for feedback early and often
• Build relationships with cross-functional teams virtually
• Set up systems for time blocking and daily priorities

For Long-Term Success:

• Continuously improve your talk tracks through recording review
• Stay current on industry trends and competitive landscape
• Invest in sales training (books, courses, podcasts)
• Build a personal brand through content and networking
• Track your own metrics obsessively to identify improvement areas

Common Challenges and How to Overcome Them

Remote sales comes with unique challenges that differ from office-based roles.

Staying Motivated Without Office Energy

The Challenge: Missing the competitive energy of a bullpen sales floor and the immediate feedback from peers and managers.

Solutions:

• Join virtual coworking sessions with teammates
• Create a scoreboard or visual tracker for your goals
• Schedule regular check-ins with your manager
• Celebrate wins in Slack or team channels
• Find an accountability partner on the team
• Establish morning routines that “start your workday”
• Take breaks and separate work from personal space

Managing Rejection Remotely

The Challenge: Handling cold call rejection and lost deals without the immediate support of colleagues nearby.

Solutions:

• Reframe rejection as data collection, not personal failure
• Keep a “wins folder” of positive feedback and closed deals
• Set activity-based goals you control (calls, emails) vs. outcome goals
• Debrief lost deals systematically to extract lessons
• Practice mindfulness or brief breaks between difficult calls
• Connect with peers for mutual support and venting

Time Zone Coordination

The Challenge: Working with prospects and teams across multiple time zones while maintaining work-life balance.

Solutions:

• Set clear boundaries for your working hours
• Use scheduling tools to show availability in prospect time zones
• Block focus time for prospecting and admin work
• Communicate your schedule clearly to prospects and teammates
• Consider flexible hours to accommodate key prospect time zones
• Use asynchronous communication when real-time isn’t necessary

Building Relationships Virtually

The Challenge: Creating trust and rapport without in-person meetings or casual office interactions.

Solutions:

• Start meetings with genuine personal conversation
• Use video whenever possible to add human element
• Send personalized Loom videos instead of generic emails
• Remember personal details about prospects and reference them
• Share relevant content that adds value beyond your pitch
• Be authentic and vulnerable when appropriate
• Follow up consistently and keep commitments

Frequently Asked Questions

Next Steps: Launching Your Remote Sales Career

Breaking into remote sales requires preparation, persistence, and continuous improvement. The opportunity is significant—remote sales roles offer high earning potential, geographic flexibility, and clear performance metrics that reward results.

Start by identifying which sales role aligns with your experience level and career goals. SDR and BDR positions offer accessible entry points with clear paths to AE and leadership roles. Focus on companies with strong remote cultures, healthy quota attainment rates, and products you believe in.

Invest time in mastering the tools of the trade—CRM platforms, sales engagement software, and video communication. Your ability to demonstrate proficiency with these tools during interviews will set you apart from candidates still learning.

Most importantly, approach the interview process itself as a sales opportunity. You’re selling yourself as the solution to the company’s revenue growth needs. Research thoroughly, ask great questions, handle objections confidently, and always close for next steps.

The remote sales landscape continues to evolve, with more companies embracing distributed teams and proven playbooks for remote selling success. Whether you’re starting your sales career or transitioning from in-office to remote, the opportunity has never been better.

Additional Resources

Books:

• “Fanatical Prospecting” by Jeb Blount - Essential for SDR/BDR roles
• “The Challenger Sale” by Matthew Dixon - Modern consultative selling approach
• “SPIN Selling” by Neil Rackman - Classic discovery framework
• “Gap Selling” by Keenan - Problem-centric selling methodology
• “Remote, Inc.” by Robert Pozen - Succeeding in remote work environments

Podcasts:

• Sales Gravy with Jeb Blount
• 30 Minutes to President’s Club
• The SaaS Sales Podcast
• The Revenue Selling Show
• Remote Works (for remote work best practices)

Communities:

• Sales Success Community (Pavilion)
• SaaS Sales Community (online)
• Sales Hacker (content and community)
• Revenue Collective (for leaders)
• Remote Sales Professionals (LinkedIn group)

Job Boards:

• RepVue (sales-specific with company reviews)
• We Work Remotely
• LinkedIn (filter by remote + sales)
• AngelList (startups)
• Built In (regional tech hubs)

Your remote sales career starts with the first conversation. Approach each interview as practice, each rejection as feedback, and each offer as validation of your growing skills. The quota attainment rate for landing a great remote sales job? That’s 100% in your control.