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What are KPIs for sales? Sales KPIs definition and examples

Knowing the right sales KPIs allows you to set achievable goals and track your team’s productivity. Here’s your ultimate guide to KPIs for sales success.

Da Donny Kelwig, Contributing Writer

Ultimo aggiornamento June 8, 2023

Measuring sales success isn’t as simple as it sounds. There are many ways to assess sales numbers and customer growth, so the task can quickly become overwhelming. Before you know it, you have contradicting statements and you’re forced to start all over again.

This is where KPIs, or Key Performance Indicators, are essential. In this piece, we’ll discuss what KPIs are, which KPIs to use in certain situations, and how to implement KPIs in your sales team.

What are KPIs for sales?

Sales KPIs (Key Performance Indicators) are specific sales metrics used to evaluate team and product performance. They are directly connected to company-wide objectives and priorities. While KPIs can be invaluable in monitoring sales success and progress toward longer-term business goals, problems arise when organizations don’t know which KPIs to use.

Not every KPI formula is essential for every business—a funeral service company, for instance, probably shouldn’t measure success by customer retention, as they’re not really in the business of repeat service. So, ensure you choose KPIs that are relevant to your industry and business goals.

Sales KPI examples

Let’s dive into some KPI examples. The following examples are broken down into categories to help you find the right one for your particular need.

Unlocking a measurable sales pipeline

Learn how to establish a measurable sales pipeline that drives repeatable, predictable sales growth.

How to set KPIs for your sales team

Setting KPIs for your sales team is a two-step process:

  1. Select the best KPIs based on your business needs.
  2. Implement the KPIs in such a way that it becomes an essential part of the sales team culture.

Hopefully, after looking through our top 20 KPIs for sales success, you have some idea of which ones you’d like to measure. Now, let’s take a look at best practices for implementing your chosen KPIs.

Implementing KPIs for your team

Whenever you make any changes to how your sales team operates, clear communication is crucial. Especially when it comes to KPIs, it’s easy for sales reps to see the addition of new sales goals as a sign that they aren’t doing a good job. You’ll need to explain why you’re measuring the KPIs and convey that they’ll actually make their jobs easier by giving them all a common goal to work towards.

Here are a few best practices to remember:

  • Bring in the entire team: Don’t pass down the KPIs to your sales managers and expect them to integrate them right away. Take the time to bring everyone together and explain the goals of the specific KPIs you’re suggesting. You may find that you should shift focus from gathering new clients to retaining your current ones, for example. To be successful as a team, everyone must be on the same page.
  • Assess your KPIs: Like any new practice, a new KPI must be evaluated from time to time—you need to know if it’s making an impact. Set a goal and mark it on the calendar, then talk with the team to see what changes are happening and whether your strategy needs adjusting. You can also use sales analytics to measure performance.
  • Communicate across departments: Marketing and sales go hand in hand, so your marketing team needs to know when your sales team is switching tactics. If your marketing team is trying to entice new buyers and your sales team is focusing on upgrading current customers, it’ll create confusion and frustration—and you’ll end up paying the financial cost.

Set your KPIs with a strong CRM

When looking at any KPI for your company, you need a reliable, comprehensive CRM to house and track your data. Zendesk is here to help. With three different solutions to fit your needs, Zendesk brings easy-to-use software and simple integrations to your team’s fingertips.

  • Zendesk Sell is an all-inclusive platform built with your sales team in mind. With automated data capture and full access to customer accounts, capitalizing on leads is second nature. Zendesk also partners with hundreds of other services, including Mailchimp, to help streamline your pipeline.
  • Zendesk Suite is a complete customer service solution that scales with your business and provides your team with convenient ways to connect with customers. A ticketing system, messaging capabilities, a community forum, AI-powered bots, and more combine to create a stellar experience—no matter what products or services your company offers.
  • Zendesk Sunshine is an open and flexible CX platform that powers the Zendesk Suite and Zendesk Sell. It integrates, automates, and optimizes the entirety of your customer experience.

No matter what KPIs you need to hit in order to propel your company forward, Zendesk is ready to take the journey with you. Request a demo today.

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