Salestrail Blog of Sales Excellence

Top sales performance KPIs for lead generation by cold calling

Written by Maria Sundström | 4/8/21 8:42 AM

When it comes to measuring sales performance, there are two main things to keep in mind, first the evident one, which is measuring sales results and secondly the not so evident one, which is tracking sales activities

Measuring sales results is easy, as this can be done by using a CRM and checking closed deals or even just by checking how much you have invoiced for a specific time period. However, if you only focus on the end result, you are not really driving sales and steering the sales team forward and will in fact always be late.

To drive sales performance you need to focus on input, instead of output as that will give you the best results in the end. Before you start measuring the performance of your sales reps, use reverse engineering. Start counting backwards from the end of the funnel to the beginning of the funnel, drilling into what is needed at each stage to reach your highest-level goal: revenue. Make sure the goals you set for your sales team are Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Realistic, and Timely (SMART).

To help you in this process we’ve listed a few KPIs that helps you in tracking sales call performance, which is a huge driver when it comes to success in outbound sales.

Top KPIs for lead generation by cold calling


Below you'll find some examples of what the graphs could look like and explanations as to why the metrics are important.

Why you should track amount of Pickups

Monitoring how many calls your sales people make, will help you understand the amount needed to reach your goal. Use reverse engineering - check how many calls your sales people did  when they reached the desired level of qualified leads., and use this data for setting a goal. Measuring how many call your sales people make will keep your calling level at the desired level  and create healthy competition between sales reps. 



Why you should track unique leads called by sales 

As for tracking pickups made by sales, monitoring how many companies or potential buyers your sales people speak to will help you determine the level needed to hit your goals. 

Why you should track time spent on the phone 

Tracking how much time your sales people spend on the phone will help you understand their maximum capacity and help you allocate just enough leads to keep them busy - without wearing the out. According to our statistics, calls are also longer on Fridays, which means that might be a good day to call prospects. Use insight on calls to improve performance

Why you should monitor call response rate

How many calls are answered/ unanswered will not only help you determine how many pickups your sales people need to do to reach the goal but it will also help you determine the quality of your pipeline. If the same person has been called multiple times, without picking up, its probably time to add new fresh leads and skip the old ones.




Why you should monitor best times to call

The end goal is selling your product or service and hence you need to reach as many prospects as possible. Therefor you'll want to put your calling efforts where they matter the most. Track which week day is best for calling and what time of day most people answer the phone. Keep in mind that there might be regional and industry specific differences. 

Why you should measure who is the top performer

Sales people who perform well wants recognition – They want others to see that they are good. In addition tracking who performs best will help you understand the reason behind their outstanding performance which will help you as a sales manager improve the performance of the people who are struggling. 

Why you should measure first and last call per day

It is a well known fact that you'll be seeing more of the behaviour you are measuring and rewarding. By keeping an eye on when the first and last calls happen, your salespeople will be more likely to start calling a little earlier and stop a little later. Also tracking when calls happen will help you understand what other tasks your salespeople are doing in addition to calling leads and help you plan resources accordingly. 

Why you should measure call outcomes.

As the end goal is selling your product or service you want to know how well your salespeople do on the phone. To be able to track call outcomes, you'll need to create a process that allows salespeople to enter data after the call, preferably they should pick from a set of predetermined values as that will make analysis easier. Also consider using call recording for understanding how well your salespeople do on the phone. 


Interested in trying  Salestrail for call recording and call performance monitoring?