The scoreboard, and what is not on it. The hard targets, how often each is actually
looked at, and the quiet signals that never reach a dashboard.
Sales Productivity (Revenue per Rep)
The average revenue generated by each quota-carrying sales representative.
Target · Increase average revenue per quota-carrying rep by 10-15% year-over-year. If our average rep generated £500K last year, we'd expect to see that climb to £550K-£575K this year, driven by your strategic initiatives in enablement and process optimisation.
Overall Quota Attainment
The percentage of the sales team achieving 100% or more of their assigned revenue quota.
Target · Increase the percentage of reps achieving 100%+ of quota from 60% to 75%. If 60% of our reps hit their numbers last year, your work should push that closer to 75% by improving territory design, compensation alignment, and sales methodology adoption.
Pipeline Velocity & Conversion Rates
The speed at which deals move through the sales pipeline and the effectiveness of converting opportunities at each stage.
Target · Decrease the average sales cycle length by 5-10% for key product lines and improve stage-to-stage conversion rates by 2-3 percentage points. Reducing the average enterprise sales cycle from 180 days to 160 days, or improving the demo-to-proposal conversion rate from 40% to 43% across the board.
Cost of Sales (as % of Revenue)
The total cost associated with generating sales (e.g., commissions, enablement tools, operational overhead) as a percentage of total revenue.
Target · Optimise sales compensation and resource allocation to reduce commission expense as a percentage of revenue by 2-3% over 24 months. If our cost of sales is currently 25% of revenue, you'd be looking to bring that down to 22-23% through smarter investments and more efficient operations, without sacrificing growth.
Forecast Accuracy (Enterprise Level)
How closely our quarterly and annual revenue forecasts align with actual closed revenue across the entire business.
Target · Achieve and maintain enterprise forecast accuracy within a +/- 5% variance for quarterly revenue projections. If we forecast £50M for Q3, the actual closed revenue should fall between £47.5M and £52.5M. This requires a robust, data-driven forecasting process.
Strategic Influence & Board Confidence
How effectively you shape the overall GTM strategy and how confident the Board and Executive team are in our sales operational plans.
- You're regularly sought out for strategic input by the CEO and CRO. Your proposals for major GTM shifts are adopted. The Board consistently expresses confidence in our sales predictability and operational health during quarterly updates. You're seen as a trusted advisor, not just an operator.
Organisational Health & Talent Development
The effectiveness of your leadership in building a high-performing Sales Excellence organisation and fostering a culture of continuous improvement.
- High retention rates within your direct and indirect teams. Clear career paths and development opportunities for your people. Positive feedback in 360-degree reviews regarding your leadership, vision, and ability to empower your teams. Your team is seen as a talent incubator for the wider business.
Cross-Functional Alignment & Collaboration
Your ability to get Sales, Marketing, Product, and Customer Success working together seamlessly towards shared revenue goals.
- Joint GTM planning sessions run smoothly with clear outcomes. Fewer 'us vs. them' situations between departments. Marketing campaigns are tightly integrated with sales plays. Customer Success data is actively used to inform sales strategy. You're the one making sure everyone's pulling in the same direction.
Innovation in Sales Operations
Your track record of identifying and implementing new technologies, methodologies, or processes that give us a competitive edge.
- Successful adoption of new AI tools that genuinely boost productivity. Implementation of novel compensation structures that drive specific strategic behaviours. You're proactively bringing new ideas to the table, not just reacting to problems. We're seen as an industry leader in how we operate our sales function.