10 Best Sales Analytics Software Tools: Turning Data into Revenue
Zoominfo
JANUARY 24, 2025
Pipedrive Pipedrive is a sales CRM built to simplify pipeline management with its intuitive, visual interface.
How to Realign Sales Teams to Motivate a Remote Workforce
Sales and Marketing Management
MAY 31, 2020
Sales teams are a particularly unique case as their compensation is likely to be highly leveraged and more sensitive to changes in the marketplace. Adapt Compensation Plans to Reflect Reality. But they should not stop there; revenue forecasts on their own are not enough to provide an accurate picture of the potential future.
Motivation 
194
194 Join 283,000+
Insiders
Sign Up for our Newsletter
This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply.
200 Best Articles on Sales and Sales Leadership by Category
Understanding the Sales Force
APRIL 4, 2024
The 3 Most Important Questions about Sales Process and My Answers Sales Pipeline – Reality vs. What Your Salespeople Know and Think Key to Successfully Hiring Salespeople: Getting it Right Versus Getting it Over With How To Determine If Your Sales Process Is Effective Should You Restage Your Sales Pipeline?
Hiring 154
154 
The Ultimate Guide to Sales Performance Management
Cincom Smart Selling
APRIL 21, 2025
Sales performance management also measures how well sales teams plan, forecast, set target goals, and track results across regions. The tools help sales teams across planning, analyzing, decision-making, and incentive compensation. Organizations can improve operational efficiency and grow sales revenue.
Incentive 48
48 
Sales Leaders Got These Issues All Wrong
Understanding the Sales Force
APRIL 16, 2012
32% reported that their sales cycle is too long. 29% reported that they don’t convert enough leads to sales. 27% reported that their sales forecasts are not accurate enough. 21% want a better sales hiring process. 17% want their reps to better understand their compensation plan.
Hiring 193
193 
Sales Forecasting Accuracy: How to Put Your Data to Work
Xactly
OCTOBER 11, 2018
Sales data. Most companies have an abundance of it floating around—performance data, compensation data, financial data. When handled well, data can help ensure sales forecasting accuracy , but when handled exceptionally, data can drive alignment with sales and finance teams and even optimize your overall sales plan.
5 Tips for Designing Successful Sales Incentive Compensation Plans
Xactly
OCTOBER 18, 2018
Few leading indicators are more predictive of a company’s future sales performance than its incentive compensation plans. As former Reliance Electric CEO Chuck Ames once said according to General Electric CEO Jack Welch, “Show me a company’s various compensation plans, and I’ll show you how its employees behave.”. View Webinar.
Incentive 78
78 
Sales Compensation Plans Explained: The Ultimate Cheat Sheet (with Videos)
Xactly
DECEMBER 13, 2018
Commissions are the cost of doing business, but it’s easy to forget that sales compensation plans power your business. Choosing what sales compensation plans to implement, then, becomes an integral business strategy for sales and finance leaders. Get the Most out of Your Sales Compensations Plans.
Compensation 77
77 
True Story: Without a marketing plan, he planned to fail!
Pointclear
FEBRUARY 18, 2014
A sales plan is usually submitted by the sales manager. It has the year’s sales forecast, changes in compensation programs, quotas, travel goals by rep, business objectives for the team, and key factors for success. “What do you mean?” he asked, as he pushed his marketing plan toward me. Isn’t this it?”. “A
Margin 203
203 
Hiring for Sales Ops? The 5 Job Descriptions You Need
Hubspot Sales
JULY 11, 2019
Enter, the sales operations manager. Sales operations exists to help the team use technology effectively, implement training exercises, align sales and marketing, set territories, evaluate compensation plans, and more.
Hiring 141
141 
The Ultimate Guide to Choosing the Right AI Sales Assistant Software for Your Business
Vengreso
NOVEMBER 19, 2024
The advantages of AI-driven sales tools are manifold: Efficiency Boost: Automate tasks such as data entry , scheduling, and follow-ups, freeing up sales reps to engage with prospects. Predictive Analytics: Algorithms analyze historical data patterns to forecast future sales trends, making sales forecasting software an invaluable asset.
Software 115
115 
Bonus vs. Commission: What’s the Difference?
Xactly
DECEMBER 5, 2018
Sales compensation is a balancing act. First and foremost, you need to incent your sales team to close deals. Because of this, creating a strong sales incentive plan can be a difficult task. Many companies struggle to identify which compensation method is best. Your sales team must see the value in making a sale.
Commission 87
87 
20 Sales Planning Tools to Boost Sales Productivity and Close More Deals
Hubspot Sales
JULY 22, 2020
Anaplan provides several cloud-based planning tools for sales: territory and quota planning, incentive compensation planning, sales forecasting, configure price quote optimization, and trade promotion planning. It also allows you to segment and aggregate the data so you can uncover valuable insights. Pricing: $15/year.
Tools 131
131 
90% of Sales Leaders Do Planning Wrong. Here Are 5 Tips to Fix It.
Sales Hacker
DECEMBER 9, 2022
Defining territories based on historical definitions (“this is how I’ve always done it”) or sales forecasts. Understand how many sellers you need to hit quota to achieve your revenue goals and consider compensation impacts. Be open to exploring these assessments to improve the performance of your territories.
Lead Rank 120
120 
How to Build Your Sales Operations Team from Scratch
InsightSquared
MARCH 6, 2018
The resulting reports will set the metrics and KPIs for which sales will be held accountable. They’ll also drive your sales forecast and allow leadership to make data-driven, rather than gut-based, decisions. Your sales reps will inevitably need help with quoting, proposal generation, and getting orders processed.
Sales Operations 119
119 Sales Performance Management: Not Your Parent’s Compensation Calculator
OpenSymmetry
MARCH 25, 2015
Sales Performance Management (SPM) has truly evolved over the last 10+ years from the days of having an on-premise solution that primarily automated the compensation calculation process with basic reporting, to a new dynamic frontier with extended capabilities. Mark Ryberg is the Senior Director of Strategy Solutions at OpenSymmetry.
Compensation 40
40 
How to Get Your Sales Team to Actually Use CRM Software
Hubspot Sales
SEPTEMBER 8, 2020
Visualize sales forecasts and other metrics and analytics related to individual and team performance. Ask reps and sales teams to test different CRMs. Customizable so it can fit your company’s sales process. Provides high-level statistics like call activity, sales forecasts, deals in progress by stage, etc.
Software 136
136 
Can Sales Exist Without Quotas?
Hubspot Sales
OCTOBER 11, 2017
Yet in some organizations, less than half the sales team is attaining quota. Not only does this decrease morale, it also makes sales forecasting extremely difficult. Or are they actually holding sales organizations back? In my first sales role, I didn’t have a quota. So are quotas necessary for success?
Quota 109
109 
Sales Operations Demystified: What It Is, Why It Matters, and How To Do It Right
Sales Hacker
DECEMBER 21, 2017
Sales Operations vs Sales Enablement. Sales Ops Best Practices. Sales ops originally functioned as a small team of number crunchers who executed financial analyses, reporting, and sales forecasting. Implementation of Recommended Compensation and Incentives Program. Manage compensation. .
Sales Operations 107
107 
The Cost-Per-Lead Fallacy in Measuring B2B Lead Generation Investments (Pt 3 of 3)
Pointclear
MAY 3, 2012
Depending on a marketing resource’s role and level, parts of compensation can be tied to performance metrics like overall revenue and deeper-in-the-funnel outcomes. Sales Forecast Created. Marketing KPIs are moving from top-of-the-funnel expense metrics to deeper-in-the-funnel actionable indicators like pipeline deals.
Cost per Lead 162
162 
The Ultimate Guide to Sales Operations in 2019
Hubspot Sales
JUNE 28, 2019
Download Our Free Sales Conversion Rate Calculator and Guide. As you'll read below, sales operations includes everything from lead management, sales strategy, and territory structuring and alignment to process optimization, compensation plans, sales automation, training, and data analytics and reporting.
Sales Operations 110
110 
The Ultimate Guide to a Career in Sales
Hubspot Sales
JUNE 8, 2021
Once the SDR has determined the prospect is ready to be contacted by the sales team, they send the person over to a closing rep. Depending on the company, the compensation for an SDR can be a base salary, commission-based, or a combination of base plus commission. As such, the compensation for this role is higher than an AE position.
Hiring 134
134 
How to Manage a Sales Team: Strategies to Build and Lead High-Performing Teams
Allego
JANUARY 16, 2025
This involves defining your ideal candidate, using a variety of channels to find team members, utilizing assessments, and offering competitive compensation. Sales onboarding is the next step in the process. Recruiting and hiring candidates with the greatest potential is how team creation starts.
A Pessimistic Sales Forecast is not an Oxymoron
The Ultimate Sales Executive Resource
SEPTEMBER 1, 2006
If you have a culture of over achievement and an uncapped variable compensation structure, the motivation for under forecasting during the quota setting period is even bigger. A capped variable compensation structure is however not necessary the solution to this problem.
Forecasting 40
40 
How to Deal With Difficult People in Your Sales Org – According to the Sales Hacker Community
Sales Hacker
DECEMBER 3, 2020
Here’s a quick look at the three most common stressors salespeople face on a daily basis: Compensation structure. Sales professionals are expected to regularly achieve and surpass revenue targets with more pressure being placed on them as they prove themselves to be high performers. Curious if sales compensation stacks up?
Face-to-face 103
103 
6 Forecasting Strategies For More Accurate Sales [INFOGRAPHIC]
InsideSales.com
NOVEMBER 10, 2019
Can a more accurate sales forecasting process help in pulling in more revenue for businesses? RELATED: The Six Principles Of Sales Forecasting. In this article: How Sales Forecasting Affects A Business’ Decision-Making Process. The Importance of Sales Forecasting. What is sales forecasting?
Forecasting 61
61 
AI vs. ML and the Implications for Sales Commission
The Spiff Blog
AUGUST 17, 2023
The Benefits of AI for Compensation Management The evolution of AI is groundbreaking for finance professionals, due in large part to the unavoidable complexity of compensation management and other financial processes. Compensation management is an inherently inefficient process. Increase operational efficiency.
Commission 77
77 
5 Key Pillars of Effective Sales Performance Management
The Spiff Blog
SEPTEMBER 7, 2023
Although SPM strategy varies by company and industry, the most effective sales performance management strategies typically involve a combination of the same core pillars. These pillars include organizational alignment, robust reporting, ongoing professional development, incentive compensation, and sales enablement.
Incentive 83
83 5 Reasons Your Sales Reps Hate Their Jobs and What To Do About It
Openview
SEPTEMBER 28, 2017
companies spend over $900 billion on their sales forces – three times more than they spend on all advertising media. However, sales teams deliver only 50% of the revenue performance that their strategies and sales forecasts have promised. The Compensation Plan is Below Market.
Compensation 68
68 
How to get your sales team meet their sales quota every single time
Close.io
JANUARY 7, 2020
Your sales reps aren’t machines that can dial numbers for 12 hours every day and function on little sleep. If you identify poor sales performance, you need to re-evaluate your sales process and rethink your sales quota numbers. It’s important to remain realistic so that your sales reps and managers don’t get burnt out.
Quota 92
92 How to Use Capacity Planning to Increase Sales
Xactly
MAY 3, 2018
Increase visibility: SPM solutions provide an in-depth look at market coverage, performance, and associated compensation models to provide a true view of sales capacity. Whether you’re adding quantity or enabling your sales team, it’s crucial to have the visibility to make the best sales decisions.
Hiring 59
59 
6 Tips for Selling to the CFO in 2024
The Spiff Blog
DECEMBER 14, 2023
Consider the following example: Let’s say your company sells a revenue intelligence platform that specializes in data-driven sales forecasting. I understand your organization has struggled with data visibility and the accuracy of your sales forecasts. I can show you how Company X generated an additional $1.2 Great, right?
9 Sales Dashboard Examples That'll Help You Set Up Your Own
Hubspot Sales
MARCH 21, 2019
Sales dashboards provide an overview of your key performance indicators (KPIs) and show you how your sales team is tracking towards your goals and revenue targets. How to Create a Sales Dashboard. Determine which sales metrics you'll track. Identify how the dashboard will be used.
Examples 138
138 
Sales Leadership: Bringing a Sharp Focus to Your Sales Meetings
Your Sales Management Guru
JANUARY 21, 2013
If you are attempting to bring an increase focus on weekly sales and activity and exceeding your monthly sales goals, this idea will help you. We cover the strategies and tactics of successful sales management; recruiting, compensation, reporting and coaching and much, much more. For example $250,000. Ken@AcumenMgmt.com.
Smart Selling Visions: Up-Close with Top Revenue Leader K.V. Rao, CEO of @AvisoInc
SBI
MARCH 18, 2015
What problem/s are you solving for sales and/or marketing organizations? Aviso provides the leading predictive insights software designed to help sales teams optimize their performance and exceed their revenue goals. These static sales forecasts are unable to provide true insights into the business.
Up-Sell 50
50 
6 sales metrics that managers should watch on a daily basis (and 4 more worth keeping an eye on)
Nutshell
JANUARY 21, 2019
Further investigation into what’s causing these trends can help you capitalize on or get rid of certain sales tactics. You can also compare your sales productivity against how much you’re investing in your employees. Sales Forecast. Focusing too much on the short-term can leave a sales team in a very bad position.
Lead Rank 82
82 
Putting People at the Center of Sales Conversations with Andy Paul
Sales Hacker
APRIL 5, 2022
This episode of The Sales Hacker Podcast is brought to you by Outreach. Outreach allows you to commit to accurate sales forecasting, replace manual process with real time guidance, and unlock actionable customer intelligence that guides you and your team to win more often. The issue is not commission and compensation.
Conversion 102
102 The Best Sales Managers Don’t Chase Revenue: 6 Steps to Get Goal-Setting Right
Sales Hacker
DECEMBER 13, 2018
Before formalizing periodic game-plays for the sales team, revisit the company’s overall strategy and align your sales goals with that. Sales forecasting and planning should begin with data on current performance. Incentives (compensation, commission, benefits, perks). Audit your: Technology. Tech purchases.
Sales Operations vs. Sales Enablement: What You Need to Know
Xactly
APRIL 18, 2018
Primarily, sales ops focuses on analyzing historical trends such as how the number of booked calls relates to sales velocity and in-the-moment trends, such as the relationship between current quota attainment and quarterly sales forecasting. Or, keep reading for more sales plan ideas.
Top 10 Best Enterprise CRM solutions for 2021
Sales Hacker
FEBRUARY 12, 2021
Incentive compensation management. Sales forecasting. Multiple forecasts. Freddy AI scores contacts based on history and engagement and identifies priorities for the sales team. Sales forecasting. Unlimited sales pipeline (only in the Elite plan). Sales forecasting. Mobile app.
Enterprise 118
118 The Best Sales Managers Don’t Chase Revenue: 6 Steps to Get Goal-Setting Right
Sales Hacker
AUGUST 21, 2018
Before formalizing periodic game-plays for the sales team, revisit the company’s overall strategy and align your sales goals with that. Sales forecasting and planning should begin with data on current performance. Incentives (compensation, commission, benefits, perks). Audit your: Technology. Tech purchases.
Channel Sales for SaaS: What It Is, When it Works, and How to Build Your Own
Openview
MARCH 15, 2019
As you might expect, most of these are pretty obvious opposites of what we can expect from channel sales: Cons: There are higher costs associated with direct sales because your success depends on building and managing an in-house sales team. You don’t have to rely on external parties for revenue.
Channels 129
129 
If CRM is Only 25% of the Answer, What is the Question?
Jonathan Farrington
APRIL 22, 2013
Performance-related compensation. For example, often companies will invest thousands of pounds in CRM technology, sales training and performance-related compensation packages for their salespeople, yet forget about defining the sales process.
CRM 41
41 
The 13 Best Sales Management Books Every Sales Manager Should Read
Hubspot Sales
FEBRUARY 20, 2018
You’ll learn what to do when your salespeople miss their targets, how to present to your manager and other important stakeholders, how to create accurate sales forecasts, how to manage the expense budget, how to design a compensation plan, and more.
Sales Management 112
112 
Let's personalize your content