More leads can still mean less qualified pipeline
Guy explains why rising lead volume can distract sales teams when too few prospects match the ideal customer profile.
Summary ·Watch at 09:35
Founder conversationBuilder <$5m
Analysis of $57B in Revenue: What's Driving Performance for the Most Successful Sales Teams in H1 2024
Why more leads can mean less qualified pipeline, and how top sellers qualify early and clean up pipeline by deal age
Guy Rubin · ebsta
Published September 6, 2024About this resource
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What you’ll learn
Guy explains why rising lead volume can distract sales teams when too few prospects match the ideal customer profile. Guy discusses consistent qualification and why top performers close unsuitable opportunities earlier in the sales process.
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Qualifying opportunities before they leave discovery
Guy discusses consistent qualification and why top performers close unsuitable opportunities earlier in the sales process.
Summary ·Watch at 10:32
What top sales performers do differently
Guy compares early disqualification, engagement with decision-makers, and the cost of carrying weak opportunities into later stages.
Summary ·Watch at 12:27
Using deal age to clean up the pipeline
Guy shares an example of win rates dropping after the expected close date and explains how that evidence helps teams move on from stale deals.
Summary ·Watch at 17:04
Pipeline analyzed
“Opportunities Revenue Of the world’s best performing companies $57.3 Billion 566 4.7 Million Hours of conversations 1.2m+”
Quota attainment benchmark
“Only a Quarter of Reps are Hitting Target reps missed quota 75% +9% -7% Win Rates +7% Deal Values +20% Sales Cycles Get the report to see graphs + a few bonuses”
ICP match and win rates
“Win Rates Increase 3.1x When Opportunities Match Icp +25% increase in total pipeline since the end of 2023 18% of 2024 pipeline matches the business’s ICP Average Pipeline Created % ICP Pipeline Created Get the report to see graphs + a few bonuses Maintain pipeline health with data-driven pipeline reviews Pipeline Created Average ($) 500k 0M 1.5M 1M 2.5M 2M 3M”
Effective qualification
“Qualifying Deals Effectively Increases Sales Velocity by 4.7x Adoption of a qualification methodology has increased by 19% since 2023 However, 68% of deals moved past the ‘qualification’ stage are not qualified effectively Top performers are 357% more likely to use a methodology Top Performer Low Performer Get the report to see graphs + a few bonuses Improve adoption by automating qualification”
Preventing deal slippage
“Win Rates Decline by 83% When Deals Slip When deals slip between 1-4 weeks since close date, win rates decline -34% When deals slip greater than one month since close date, win rates decline a further -67% Commercial Mid-Market Enterprise Get the report to see graphs + a few bonuses Prevent deals slipping with AI-enhanced pipeline visibility”
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Analysis of $57B in Revenue: What's Driving Performance for the Most Successful Sales Teams in H1 2024 - Slide Deck
Guy Rubin is the founder and CEO of Ebsta, the Revenue Intelligence Platform for Salesforce and Hubspot customers. Guy is passionate about helping B2B sales teams scale their revenue engine. Guy founded Ebsta in 2012 with an aim to score the worlds business relationships. Away from Ebsta, Guy is, married with 2 young children, an enthusiastic skier, an avid football fan, (even though he supports Tottenham Hotspur) and enjoys spending time with people that like him, want to change the world.
- Company revenue
- $1M
- Team size
- 39
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Sales-performance benchmark context
Slide text
SaaSOpen, September 2024 Analysis of $57B in Revenue: What's Driving Performance for the Most Successful Sales Teams in H1 2024 Guy Rubin Founder & CEO, ebsta
The speaker's company ARR rises every year
A bar chart titled Total ARR shows the speaker's company growing every year, from just under $3 million in FY2021 to above $4.5 million in the FY2024 forecast. It has no data labels.
Slide text
Our Revenue Growth
Pipeline analyzed has grown sharply since 2021
The chart plots pipeline analyzed for the 2024 benchmarks. The line climbs slowly from 2021 to 2022, jumps steeply into 2023, then keeps rising to well above $40 billion in 2024.
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2024 Benchmarks: Pipeline Analyzed
Ebsta's three AI products for revenue teams
The speaker's company describes itself as an AI-first revenue platform with three offerings. AI Guided Selling helps reps replicate best practices, GTM Insights helps RevOps and sales managers spot pipeline risk earlier, and AI Forecast works inside Salesforce and Hubspot.
Slide text
Ebsta is an AI-first Revenue Platform that Delivers: AI Forecast: Inside Salesforce/ Hubspot AI Guided Selling: Help sales reps replicate best practices GTM Insights: Help RevOps and sales managers identify risk in the pipeline earlier
Ebsta's three customer guarantees
The speaker's company lists three guarantees: improved rep quota attainment in the first 6 months, forecast accuracy of +/- 10%, and going live inside 30 days.
Slide text
Ebsta Guarantees to… Get you live inside 30 days Improve your rep quota attainment in the first 6 months Improve Forecast accuracy to +/- 10%
What the $57B analysis covers
Agenda for the 20-minute talk
The talk has three parts: what was analyzed (billions in revenue and more data points than before), the state of sales in H2 2024 (quota attainment, performance benchmarks, B2B trends), and traits of high performers in pipeline generation, deal management and objection handling.
Slide text
Over the next 20 minutes I’m going to show you What We Analyzed State of Sales in H2 2024 Traits of High Performers % of reps making quota Sales performance benchmarks B2B sales trends Pipeline generation Deal management Objection handling $billions in revenue More data points than ever before
The dataset behind the benchmarks
The four headline figures for the dataset are 4.7 Million opportunities, $57.3 Billion in revenue, 566 of the world's best performing companies, and 1.2m+ hours of conversations.
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Opportunities Revenue Of the world’s best performing companies $57.3 Billion 566 4.7 Million Hours of conversations 1.2m+
Where sales teams started 2024
Sales teams entered 2024 under pressure on nearly every measure. 69% of reps missed quota and 44% of deals slipped, win rates were down 18% and deal values down 21%, and sales cycles were 16% longer. Velocity delta is shown as 8.9x.
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Where We Started 2024 reps missed quota 69% Velocity delta 8.9x deals slipped 44% win rates -18% deal values -21% sales cycles +16%
Section 2 preview: sales performance benchmarks
Section 2 answers three questions: how many reps hit quota and how much pipeline slipped, what the benchmark for B2B sales performance is, and what the B2B SaaS sales trends are. It sets up the state-of-sales numbers that follow.
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How many reps hit quota, and how much pipeline slipped What is the benchmark for B2B sales performance B2B SaaS sales trends Let’s jump into Section 2 I’m going to show you
State of sales performance
State of sales in H2 2024 section header
This section header opens the part of the talk that reports how sales teams are performing overall in the second half of 2024, before the talk turns to what high performers do differently.
Slide text
State of Sales in H2 2024
More reps missed quota, but fewer deals slipped
Compared with 2023, quota attainment got worse while deal slippage improved. 75% of reps missed quota, up 9%, and 34% of deals slipped, down 26%. Rep velocity delta is 10.2x. The slide points to the full report for graphs.
Slide text
How are Sales Teams Performing Compared to 2023? rep velocity delta 10.2x reps missed quota 75% +9% deals slipped 34% -26% Get the report to see graphs + a few bonuses
Only a quarter of reps are hitting target
Three in four reps missed quota (75%, up 9%). Win rates fell 7% and sales cycles lengthened 20%, while deal values rose 7%. The slide points to the full report for graphs.
Slide text
Only a Quarter of Reps are Hitting Target reps missed quota 75% +9% -7% Win Rates +7% Deal Values +20% Sales Cycles Get the report to see graphs + a few bonuses
Pipeline creation is up and slippage is falling
Teams created 25% more pipeline, and the share of slipped deals fell to 34%, down 26%. Slippage was 46% in Q1 before dropping. Sales team sizes shrank 9% in Q1, then grew 18% in Q2.
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Pipeline Creation is Increasing Significantly deals slipped 34% -26% +25% Pipeline Created 46% of deals slipped in Q1, and then fell to 34%.... Sales team sizes shrunk by 9% in Q1, then grew 18% in Q2… Get the report to see graphs + a few bonuses
Quotas rise while sales velocity falls
Targets are moving the wrong way relative to output: quota targets rose 37% while sales velocity dropped 15%. Revenue is also concentrated, with 16% of reps contributing 83% of revenue. Rep velocity delta is 10.2x.
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Quota Targets are Growing Despite Sales Velocity Slowing rep velocity delta 10.2x +37% Quota Target -15% Sales Velocity 16% of reps contributed 83% of revenue Get the report to see graphs + a few bonuses
Study the 25% of reps who exceed quota
Only 25% of reps exceeded quota, and the slide asks how to replicate their success.
Slide text
“Those Who Cannot Remember The Past are Condemned to Repeat It” Reps exceeded quota 25% How can we replicate their success? Get the report to see graphs + a few bonuses
Section 3 preview: what high performers do
Section 3 covers three topics: trends behind high quality pipeline, high performance deal management, and how to improve rep quota attainment. It moves the talk from describing the problem to showing what top performers do differently.
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Trends behind high quality pipeline High performance deal management How to improve rep quota attainment Let’s jump into Section 3 I’m going to show you
What high-performing reps do differently
What we can learn from high-performing reps
This section header introduces the core of the talk, a comparison of top and low performers across pipeline quality, qualification, discovery, stakeholder engagement, objections and deal slippage.
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What Can We Learn From the Success of High-Performing Reps?
Matching your ICP lifts win rates 3.1x
Opportunities that match the ideal customer profile win 3.1x more often, yet only 18% of 2024 pipeline matches the business's ICP. Total pipeline is up 25% since the end of 2023. The suggested action is data-driven pipeline reviews to keep pipeline healthy.
Slide text
Win Rates Increase 3.1x When Opportunities Match Icp +25% increase in total pipeline since the end of 2023 18% of 2024 pipeline matches the business’s ICP Average Pipeline Created % ICP Pipeline Created Get the report to see graphs + a few bonuses Maintain pipeline health with data-driven pipeline reviews Pipeline Created Average ($) 500k 0M 1.5M 1M 2.5M 2M 3M
Effective qualification raises velocity 4.7x
Top performers adopt a qualification methodology far more than low performers, and the chart shows both groups rising over six quarters with top performers well ahead. Adoption is up 19% since 2023, yet 68% of deals moved past qualification are not qualified effectively.
Slide text
Qualifying Deals Effectively Increases Sales Velocity by 4.7x Adoption of a qualification methodology has increased by 19% since 2023 However, 68% of deals moved past the ‘qualification’ stage are not qualified effectively Top performers are 357% more likely to use a methodology Top Performer Low Performer Get the report to see graphs + a few bonuses Improve adoption by automating qualification
Weak discovery pushes losses to late stages
Top performers lose deals early, at Discovery and Qualification, while low performers lose them late. Top performers are 263% more likely to close an opportunity at those stages, and 33% of low performers' deals are lost at proposal and negotiation. Late losses cost more time.
Slide text
Insufficient Discovery Leads to Poor Value Alignment and Pipeline Health Top performers are 263% more likely to close an opportunity at “Discovery” or “Qualification” stages Low performers are quick to progress deals to the latter stages, but spend longer losing a deal due to insufficient qualification 33% of low performer’s deals lost at proposal + negotiation stages Top Performer Low Performer Closed Lost Timing Proportion Closed Lost (%) Get the report to see graphs + a few bonuses Reveal unhealthy pipeline with AI-enhanced pipeline visibility
Lost deals trace to ICP fit and threading
Most deals are closed lost for lack of momentum and no decision maker, often from poor ICP fit and weak multi-threading. Top performers are 250% more likely to have the C suite engaged early and 77% more likely to create pipeline matching their ICP.
Slide text
Buyers are More aware When Making Investment Decisions Majority of deals are being closed lost because a lack of momentum and lack of a decision maker, often caused by poor ICP fit, and poor multi-threading Top performers are 250% more likely to have the C suite engaged early Top performers are 77% more likely to create pipeline that matches their ICP Competitor Functionality Decision Maker Momentum Timing Budget Get the report to see graphs + a few bonuses Spot deal risk early with AI-enhanced pipeline visibility
Engaging the CXO early lifts velocity 9.2x
Top performers involve senior stakeholders earlier. Their heatmap shows C-suite, VP and Director engagement building from qualification onward, while low performers engage them mostly at negotiation. Win rates are 42% lower when the C suite engages late, and buying groups grew 37% in mid-market and 23% in commercial.
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Engaging The Cxo Early In Stage Increases Velocity By 9.2x Win rates are 42% lower when the C suite are engaged late The number of relationships involved in the buying process has grown since 2023 (Enterprise remains the same): Mid-market = +37% Commercial = +23% Win rates are +14% the senior finance persona is engaged by the mid-stage Get the report to see graphs + a few bonuses Improve multi-threading by scoring relationship strength
Resolve objections by mid-stage to move faster
Satisfying objections by the mid stage improves velocity 3.4x. ROI and value objections are up 127% since 2023 and functionality objections up 111%. Top performers are 109% more likely to satisfy objections by mid-stage, and win rates fall 64% when ROI is discussed late.
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Satisfying Objections by The Mid Stage Improves Velocity By 3.4x Objections concerning ROI and value have increased by 127% since 2023 Buyers are increasingly aware of what functionality (AI included) they require, as objections have risen by 111% since 2023 Top performers are 109% more likely to satisfy objections by the mid stage of the sales cycle Win rates decrease -64% when ROI is discussed late stage Price Timing ROI/Value AI/Features Integrations Get the report to see graphs + a few bonuses Improve with coaching AI recommendations from calls
Every slipped deal cuts your win rate
Win rates decline 83% when deals slip. A slip of 1-4 weeks past close date cuts win rates 34%, and slipping more than a month cuts them a further 67%. The bar chart shows win rates falling steadily as slippage grows, across commercial, mid-market and enterprise.
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Win Rates Decline by 83% When Deals Slip When deals slip between 1-4 weeks since close date, win rates decline -34% When deals slip greater than one month since close date, win rates decline a further -67% Commercial Mid-Market Enterprise Get the report to see graphs + a few bonuses Prevent deals slipping with AI-enhanced pipeline visibility
Sales-team takeaways
Five ways to improve rep quota attainment
The talk closes on five actions: understand the ICP driving the greatest velocity, qualify ruthlessly, anticipate objections with effective discovery, build genuine relationships with the CXO early, and reinforce winning behaviors with AI workflows and data automation.
Slide text
Understand the ICP driving the greatest velocity and prioritize focus Ruthless qualification to maintain high-quality pipeline Anticipate objections with effective discovery Build genuine relationships with CXO early Reinforce winning behaviors with AI workflows & data automation How to Improve Rep Quota Attainment
Thank you and how to get the report
The speaker thanks the audience and invites them to scan a QR code for the full H1 report, or to connect via LinkedIn or email. He also points to the speaker's company site to see how it guarantees to improve rep quota attainment.
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SaaSOpen, September 2024 Thank you! https://bit.ly/2024h1update www.linkedin.com/in/rubinguy/ [redacted email] Guy Rubin Founder & CEO, ebsta Get the H1 Report See how Ebsta guarantees to improve rep quota attainment at www.ebsta.com