What you need to work from home in sales: tools and setup
To work from home in sales, you need a reliable laptop, stable internet with decent upload speed, a headset with a microphone, a webcam with okay lighting, and a quiet spot where you can take calls without interruption. Most businesses then give you logins to their own software (video calls, a CRM, a calendar and team chat). Just as important are the non-tech pieces: a backup internet plan, childcare or cover for your call blocks, and a schedule people can rely on. Whether you’re in Australia or the US, the setup is almost identical. The tax rules are where it differs.
The hardware you actually need
You don’t need a fancy studio, just gear that won’t let you down mid-call.
Internet: check your upload speed, not just download
Sales calls are video calls, and video sends as much as it receives. Most people only look at download speed on their plan, but if your upload is weak, you’re the one who freezes on screen. Zoom’s own system requirements page lists these bandwidth recommendations for one-on-one video calls:
- High-quality video: 600kbps up and down
- 720p HD video: 1.2Mbps up and down
- 1080p HD video: 3.8Mbps up and 3.0Mbps down
Those are the recommendations for the call itself, so give yourself plenty of headroom if someone else in the house is streaming, gaming or on their own video call at the same time. Run a speed test at the times you’ll actually be on calls, and plug into the router with a cable if you can.
Laptop or computer
Any reasonably recent laptop that can run a video call, a browser full of tabs and a CRM at once without lagging will do. If yours struggles with one video call, sort that out before you apply.
Headset with a microphone
This is the one piece of gear I’d tell any setter or closer not to skip. Laptop speakers and mics pick up echo, kids, the dishwasher and the dog. A headset or wired earphones with a built-in mic makes you sound clearer and stops the other person hearing themselves back.
Webcam and lighting
Your laptop’s built-in camera is usually fine to start. Lighting matters more than the camera: face a window or a lamp rather than sitting with a bright window behind you. Set the camera at eye level (a stack of books works) and keep your background tidy or blurred.
A quiet space and a backup plan
You need a door you can close for call blocks, even if it’s the spare room or the corner of a bedroom. Then plan for the bad days:
- Internet drops: know how to turn your phone into a mobile hotspot, and check your phone plan’s data allowance before you need it.
- Power or laptop failure: have the business’s apps installed on your phone so you can at least join a call or message the lead.
- Noise you can’t control: a headset with a decent mic and a “call in progress” sign on the door go a long way.
Minimum vs nice-to-have: a quick checklist
| Item | Minimum to start | Nice to have later |
|---|---|---|
| Internet | A connection that meets Zoom’s recommended upload and download speeds for HD video, tested at your call times | Wired (ethernet) connection, a faster plan with more upload |
| Backup internet | Phone hotspot with enough data for a few calls | A separate mobile broadband device or second connection |
| Computer | A laptop that runs video calls and a browser smoothly | A second monitor for notes and the CRM |
| Audio | Headset or wired earphones with a mic | A noise-cancelling headset made for calls |
| Video | Built-in webcam, face a window or lamp | External webcam, a small light, a laptop stand |
| Space | A room you can close the door on during calls | A dedicated desk and supportive chair |
| Phone | A smartphone for hotspot, two-factor logins and team chat | A separate work number if the business requires it |
The software you’ll probably be given
Here’s the good news: you usually don’t buy the sales software. The business already runs it and gives you a login. You’ll likely see some mix of these:
- Video calls: Zoom or Google Meet for sales calls and team meetings.
- A CRM: the system that tracks every lead, note and call outcome. GoHighLevel, HubSpot and Close are common in online coaching and service businesses.
- A booking tool: Calendly or a calendar built into the CRM, so leads can book straight into your available slots.
- Team chat: usually Slack, sometimes WhatsApp or another messaging app, where you’ll get updates, lead notes and wins.
- A dialler: some setter roles use a phone dialler, often built into the CRM, for calling leads who filled in a form.
You don’t need to master these before you apply. You do need to learn new tools quickly and update the CRM after every call. If you’re still deciding which role suits you, our guide to remote closer vs appointment setter breaks down the day-to-day differences.
Want to see if remote sales could work for you? Book a free call with the She Sells team and talk through your setup and your schedule.
What the business provides vs what you buy
This varies a lot, and it mostly depends on whether you’re hired as an employee or engaged as a contractor. Many remote setter and closer roles are contractor arrangements, often commission-heavy or commission-only, and contractors generally bring their own equipment. Salaried employee roles in bigger companies are more likely to supply a laptop or headset. Always ask before you say yes.
| Usually provided by the business | Usually yours to sort out |
|---|---|
| Logins to the CRM, booking tool, team chat and dialler | Laptop or computer (unless it’s a salaried role that supplies one) |
| A business Zoom or Google Meet account, or access to theirs | Internet plan and backup hotspot |
| Leads, scripts or call frameworks, and training on their offer | Headset, webcam, lighting and desk |
| Sometimes a work phone number or dialler licence | A quiet space, childcare and your own schedule |
One warning worth knowing: the US Federal Trade Commission’s job scams guidance says honest employers “will never ask you to pay to get a job”, and warns about fake cheques where a new “employer” asks you to send part of the money back. If a role asks you to pay them to start, or sends you a cheque to buy equipment from their chosen supplier, walk away.
The non-tech things you need
Childcare or cover for your call blocks
You can’t run a focused sales call while a toddler climbs on you. You don’t need full-time care, but you do need reliably quiet windows. Many setters and closers build their availability around school hours, naptime, a partner’s hours or a few paid hours of care. We go deeper on this in working from home after having kids.
A schedule people can rely on
Businesses book leads into the hours you say you’re available. If you block out Tuesday to Thursday, 9:30am to 2:30pm, you need to actually be there. Protect those hours, and factor in time zones: AU setters and closers working with US businesses often get early morning slots.
Time for practice and follow-up
Budget time for CRM notes, follow-ups, team calls and role play too. Results take time to build, especially in commission-based roles, so give yourself a realistic runway rather than expecting a full calendar and steady pay in week one. My own first month in remote sales in 2020 brought in $440. That’s my result, not a typical one.
Can you claim your setup at tax time?
This is general information, not tax advice. Talk to a registered tax agent (AU) or a tax professional (US) about your situation.
Australia: the ATO fixed rate method
The ATO’s fixed rate method page sets the rate at 70 cents per work hour for the 2024-25 and 2025-26 income years. That rate covers home and mobile internet or data, phone usage, electricity and gas for heating, cooling and lighting, and stationery and computer consumables, so you can’t also claim those separately. Things like your laptop, desk and chair can be claimed separately as depreciating assets for their work-related use.
The record keeping is strict: you must keep a record of the actual hours you work from home for the whole income year (a timesheet, roster or diary; the ATO says an estimate won’t be accepted), plus at least one record for each type of running expense the rate covers, such as one quarterly electricity bill.
United States: the home office deduction
The IRS home office deduction is for self-employed people, such as independent contractors, not W-2 employees. The IRS’s simplified option page says taxpayers can no longer claim a deduction for use of a home office as an employee. If you’re a 1099 contractor and the space is used regularly and exclusively for your business, the simplified method allows $5 per square foot of the home used for business, up to a maximum of 300 square feet.
Getting ready to apply
Once your setup is sorted, the next step is the skill and the job itself. Read appointment setter jobs from home if you’re starting out, or how to become a remote sales closer if you want to go straight for closing. If you’d like structured training, She Sells has a team in Australia and the US, and you can see our programs or read the FAQ.
I started as a primary school teacher in a small town. You don’t need a perfect home office, just a reliable setup, protected hours and patience.
Want to see if remote sales could work for you? Book a free call with the She Sells team. No pressure, just an honest chat about whether it fits your life.
Frequently asked questions
What internet speed do I need for remote sales calls?
Zoom recommends 1.2Mbps up and down for 720p HD one-on-one video and 3.8Mbps up and 3.0Mbps down for 1080p. Those figures are for the call alone, so allow plenty of extra if others in your home are online at the same time, and test your speed at the times you’ll be on calls.
Can I work in remote sales with kids at home?
Yes, but you need protected call blocks. Most people build their availability around school hours, naps, a partner’s schedule or some paid childcare, because a sales call needs your full attention.
Can I claim my home office as a W-2 employee in the US?
No. The IRS says employees can no longer claim the home office deduction. It applies to self-employed people such as 1099 contractors who use part of their home regularly and exclusively for business.
What is the ATO working from home rate?
The ATO fixed rate is 70 cents per work hour for the 2024-25 and 2025-26 income years. You need a record of your actual hours worked from home for the whole year, not an estimate, plus at least one record for each running expense the rate covers.
Results vary. Nothing here is a promise of income. See our earnings disclaimer.
