What KPIs Should You Track for Your Sales Team?

Agnes Lan
Apr 29
7 min read

How Do You Measure the Success of a Sales Team

Measuring the success of your sales team starts with looking at clear, consistent numbers tied to activity and outcomes.

Sales is one of the few business functions where results are easy to quantify—how many deals close, how long they take, and how much revenue they bring in. Tracking these metrics gives you a way to understand both the individual and team-wide performance over time.

A strong measurement approach uses a mix of activity and outcome data. Activity-based indicators help you understand whether your team is putting in the work—calls made, emails sent, meetings booked. Outcome-based indicators show what that work is producing—deals closed, revenue earned, and targets hit. You need both types to get a full picture.

You can’t rely on gut instinct or past experience alone. Businesses that grow consistently usually build their sales function on measurable, repeatable activity. They don’t wait until targets are missed to find out what went wrong—they look at the numbers regularly and spot issues early.

Once your tracking system is in place, you can compare performance across time periods, teams, or individuals. This helps you identify top performers, pinpoint where others are falling short, and adjust coaching or strategy as needed.

Why It's Important to Track Performance of Your Sales Team

Tracking sales performance lets you understand what’s working and what’s not before problems affect your bottom line. Without reliable data, you won’t know whether your team is following the process, improving, or even making the right effort.

You also need this information to set realistic goals and improve your forecasts. A well-tracked sales process gives you visibility into how many opportunities are in the pipeline, where deals are getting stuck, and how much revenue you can expect in the months ahead.

Performance tracking supports better coaching. When you can see where someone is underperforming—low conversion rate, long time to close—you can give them practical, focused feedback. Without the data, coaching becomes vague and less useful.

Clear metrics also help create a fair environment for your team. You avoid unnecessary assumptions about effort or talent when you’re working from real numbers. It builds trust and helps team members understand what they need to focus on.

For business owners, tracking performance gives you the confidence to make bigger decisions. You can see when it’s time to hire, restructure, or change your go-to-market approach based on patterns and results—not just intuition.

What KPIs to Measure for Your Sales Team?

To manage and grow your sales team effectively, you need to track the right metrics. Key performance indicators (KPIs) give you the facts to support hiring, coaching, and planning decisions. They also help you see whether your strategy is on track or needs adjustment.

There’s no single number that tells the whole story. A good sales tracking system relies on a set of KPIs that together show you the full picture—from how your team works to what they achieve.

These indicators fall into two groups: activity metrics (what your team is doing) and outcome metrics (what their work is producing).

Below are the KPIs every business owner should understand and track.

Conversion Rate

Conversion rate tells you how many prospects turn into paying customers. This number shows how effective your team is at moving people through the sales process.

Low conversion rates suggest a few things—your team may be targeting the wrong leads, asking the wrong questions in discovery calls, or failing to present the offer clearly. On the other hand, a strong conversion rate confirms that your team is identifying the right prospects and running a consistent process that works.

Look at conversion rates by stage. For example, how many cold calls turn into meetings, and how many meetings turn into proposals or closed deals? This breakdown can help you identify where the real drop-offs are happening.

Activity Volume

Activity volume tracks how much work your sales team is doing day to day. That includes calls made, emails sent, meetings booked, or demos held.

You can’t close deals without first having enough activity. If the team’s calendar is empty, no amount of sales skill will make up the gap. Regularly tracking activity shows whether people are putting in the effort and following your process.

This metric also helps you manage performance expectations. If someone is falling behind on results, but they’re also not making enough calls or booking meetings, you’ll know where to start the conversation.

Average Deal Size

Average deal size tells you how much revenue the typical sale brings in. You should track this over time to understand whether your team is chasing the right opportunities.

If average deal size starts falling, it may mean reps are discounting too much or focusing on smaller, easier wins. If it’s increasing, your team may be doing a better job of qualifying leads or presenting value.

Use this number alongside activity and conversion rate to project future revenue more accurately.

Time to Close

Time to close is the average number of days it takes to move a deal from first contact to signature. This helps you plan your cash flow and see how efficient your sales process really is.

Long sales cycles can tie up your team’s time and delay revenue. In many cases, time to close increases when prospects aren’t a good fit or reps don’t control the process well.

Track this number by rep, by product, and by lead source. This gives you more control over timelines and helps you figure out where to focus process improvements.

Cost per Lead

Cost per lead measures how much you're spending to bring in each sales opportunity. This includes ad spend, content development, paid referrals, or marketing salaries.

If you're generating leads through both internal and external channels, this metric helps you decide which ones are worth the investment.

You don’t need the lowest cost per lead—you need the best return on that spend. That’s why it’s important to also track how many of those leads convert and what revenue they produce.

Target Attainment

Target attainment measures whether your reps are hitting their sales goals. It’s one of the clearest ways to see who is delivering results.

You can track this monthly, quarterly, or annually. Over time, it helps you spot consistent performers, identify people who may need support, and adjust your goals based on the market.

When everyone knows what the targets are and how progress is measured, it builds accountability and keeps the team focused.

Importance of Using CRMs Properly

A customer relationship management (CRM) system only works if your team uses it consistently and correctly. Many businesses invest in CRM software but don’t see results because their teams use it differently or ignore important parts of the process.

When used properly, a CRM gives you visibility into your sales pipeline, customer history, and current opportunities. It allows for better forecasting, smoother handoffs between team members, and stronger follow-ups with leads. It also gives you data that helps guide training and coaching conversations.

To make a CRM work, you need clear expectations. Define what data needs to be entered, when it needs to be updated, and how it will be used. You also need to follow up. Make CRM use part of regular performance reviews, team meetings, and coaching sessions.

If your team isn’t using the CRM well, it’s often a sign that your process isn’t clear or the system is too complex. Fixing that can save time, increase productivity, and make your sales tracking much more reliable.

Assessing Team Morale and Motivation

Your team’s attitude directly affects performance. If morale is low, even skilled salespeople may underperform. You need to understand what’s motivating each team member and what’s getting in the way.

Low motivation usually doesn’t come from laziness. It can come from burnout, unclear goals, poor leadership, or personal challenges. If someone stops trying, there’s almost always a reason behind it.

To assess morale, have regular one-on-one conversations. Ask questions, listen carefully, and pay attention to small changes in behaviour or communication. These meetings are your best tool for identifying issues before they affect performance.

You can also watch for signs like lack of preparation, missed follow-ups, or resistance to coaching. These are early warnings that something might be wrong. If you catch it early, you can usually fix it.

How to Improve Performance of Your Sales Team

Improving performance starts with knowing where the gaps are. If someone isn’t closing deals, figure out whether the issue is with their process, their activity levels, or their confidence.

Focus on what you can measure. Track calls, meetings, conversion rates, and deal timelines. These numbers tell you whether someone is struggling with volume or with skill. Once you know the root cause, you can offer the right support.

Training and coaching should be targeted, not general. Use recorded calls, role plays, or side-by-side shadowing to show people exactly where they can improve. This also builds accountability—if someone sees a clear path to getting better, they’re more likely to try.

For team-wide improvement, set consistent expectations, offer clear feedback, and follow up often. Keep the process tight, the tools simple, and the communication clear.

Should You Invest in Sales Training?

Sales training is worth it if you want your team to improve faster and sell more consistently. Without training, your team learns only through experience—which takes longer and leads to avoidable mistakes.

A strong training program helps your team understand what works and why. It builds confidence, improves process adoption, and shortens the ramp-up time for new hires. It also helps experienced reps stay sharp and adapt to changes in your business or market.

You don’t need a complicated or expensive training plan. What matters most is that it’s focused, relevant to your sales process, and includes real practice. The best training happens in small steps and includes coaching follow-ups.

If you’ve already invested in tools like a CRM or sales playbook, training helps you get the most out of them. It’s also one of the fastest ways to increase conversion rates and drive revenue growth.

See also: Is Sales Training Worth It?

Change Connect Can Help You Get Control of Your KPIs

If you’re not sure where your sales team stands—or what to fix first—Change Connect can help you build the clarity and structure you need. We work with business owners to set up the right KPIs, track them properly, and turn the numbers into action.

Whether your team needs better CRM use, improved training, or clearer performance goals, we’ll work with you to create a process that drives results. You’ll be able to spot problems earlier, coach your team more effectively, and make smarter growth decisions.