Salesforce

JANUARY 6, 2025

For decades, organizations of all sizes have struggled to effectively manage sales commission. Look up any organization with a sales team on a reputable employer review site and youll likely find at least one review, if not several, citing late, inaccurate, confusing, or constantly changing commission pay as a major criticism.

Commission 52

Commission Territory E-commerce Sales 52

Sales Hacker

AUGUST 26, 2021

That’s how my friend Stacey describes the way sales compensation plans have changed over the last 15 years of her SaaS career. Why do sales compensation plans have to be so complex? Sales compensation was set up to ensure that reps are suitably rewarded for their performance. get paid commissions at 8%.

Commission 118

Commission Quota Sales Finance 118

A Sales Guy

JULY 16, 2012

Community member Jeff Abbott commented on a recent post about how he’d like to better understand how quotas are set and by whom. The first thing you need to know about quotas is there are a lot of different ways to set them. Let’s start with the rules: Quota MUST align with the business objectives.

Quota 113

Quota Territory Commission Drivers/motivators 113

Veloxy

MAY 25, 2021

If there’s one universal truth that resonates throughout every single company, it’s that cash is king for your sales team. Inside and outside sales reps are not only paid on commission, hefty bonuses and kickbacks also motivate them to work even harder. Unfortunately for sales managers , cash incentives are never bottomless.

Drivers/motivators 299

Drivers/motivators Extrinsic Intrinsic Non-Profits 299

Partners in Excellence

JANUARY 27, 2015

I’ve been at the periphery of a number of discussions about commissions and sales. Usually there’s one camp evangelizing the evils of commission (There’s one CEO making a lot of noise on this issue in LinkedIn, though I suspect he has not given up his own executive bonus/incentive compensation plan.).

Commission 122

Commission Customers Drivers/motivators Sales 122

A Sales Guy

JULY 24, 2012

Ok, I’m coming back to the quota discussion. My last post about quota focused on the importance of quota aligning with business objectives and business strategy. RULE 1: Quota MUST BE perceived as attainable. When quotas are not perceived as achievable, sales people just give up and don’t even try.

Quota 113

Quota Commission Territory Government 113

Veloxy

FEBRUARY 28, 2022

While you can manually add multiple stops ahead of time using Google Maps, there are missing route planning features that are key to helping field salespeople hit quota and exceed customer expectations. What is a Field Sales Route Planner? That means hitting the road, accumulating miles, and chasing greater commissions.

Territory 221

Territory Gambling Quota Commission 221

SaaStr

MARCH 29, 2025

Dear SaaStr: What Are The Best Ways to Transition From The Founder-Led Sales Stage? Transitioning from founder-led sales to a commissioned sales team is one of the most criticaland trickysteps in scaling a SaaS business. You Never Get to Leave Sales. This is non-negotiableeven if you hate sales. Be specific.

Commission 70

Commission Objection handling Quota Sales 70

Tibor Shanto

JULY 7, 2021

Want to split a room of salespeople, just ask if “sales is a numbers game or not?” Full disclosure, I came from the sales is a numbers game camp. But there is no escaping the fact that while sale may not be a numbers game, your numbers have to add up. The debate has raged on for years with few converts. Behind The Numbers.

Objectives and Key Results 301

Objectives and Key Results Quota Gaming Commission 301

Hubspot

MARCH 27, 2019

In the film, Alec Baldwin's straight-talking sales manager arrives at a small business to motivate the sales team. For sales managers, "Glengarry Glen Ross" is a cautionary tale. Here's everything you need to know about setting successful sales quotas. Sales Quota. Different types of sales quotas.

Quota 100

Quota Territory Commission Sales 100

Salesforce

OCTOBER 9, 2024

The sales commission process plays an important role in motivating sales teams and therefore drives top line revenue growth — arguably the most important metric organizations track. There are many benefits to implementing sales commission software, but we’re going to focus on the four most important. Learn more 1.

Commission 98

Commission Process Territory E-commerce 98

Hubspot

APRIL 24, 2019

Compensation is an important factor in attracting and retaining employees, especially in sales. Imagine if almost half of your sales team left the company because of a poorly designed compensation plan. Luckily, I've compiled some resources for you to determine the best sales commission structure for your sales team or yourself.

Commission 101

Commission Territory Quota Real Estate 101

Hubspot

SEPTEMBER 6, 2024

By using HubSpot’s AI chatbot builder, we enabled our prospects to get answers to their questions 24/7/365, regardless of sales rep availability. Why Use AI Sales Closing Techniques With AI backing up our sales department, missed opportunities became a thing of the past — which is critical considering that sales is a numbers game.

Closing 80

Closing Contract Technique Sales 80

Partners in Excellence

APRIL 24, 2023

When I read my feeds or listen to a lot of “experts,” the focus is always on hitting our quotas, maxing our commissions, achieving our goals. Listening to sales executives, the focus is, constantly, making your numbers. The post Can We Be Helpful And Still Make Our Quotas?

Quota 127

Quota Commission Pipeline Pitch 127

Salesforce

SEPTEMBER 28, 2023

Sales great Zig Ziglar once wrote, “If you aim at nothing, you will hit it every time.” ” That’s the struggle of every team without clear sales targets: no clarity, no progress, no growth. See how it works What are sales targets? Why are sales targets important? But will they?

Quota 116

Quota Territory Pipeline Sales 116

Sales Hacker

MARCH 10, 2021

As a sales leader, you want your sales reps to be the best they can be. However, if 100% of your sales reps are hitting their quota every single quarter, it may not be cause for celebration. You don’t want reps to hit 100% – aim for 60% of reps hitting quota. Key principles when designing your quota.

Quota 119

Quota Territory Profit margin Growth 119

SaaStr

JANUARY 18, 2021

Q: Should we deduct partner referral fees from our sales people’s commission? Not only do you probably have to pay your sales reps on the full dollar amount closed, but you probably end up paying them and your partner in essence double fees to close a deal. One to the partner, and one to your own sales team.

Commission 101

Commission Closing Referrals Quota 101

Membrain

MARCH 24, 2021

As sales professionals, it’s easy to think about our jobs in terms of numbers: Quotas, forecasts, and commissions leading the way. It’s easy to forget the human side of things, and when you operate in a complex b2b world, it’s even easier to get caught up in technical details.

Commission 163

Commission Quota B2B Sales 163

SaaStr

JANUARY 13, 2023

Dear SaaStr: How Do You Handle Commissions if the Customer Auto-Upgrades for More Seats? There’s no perfect answer here, but what most startups do is comp the sales rep for any additional revenue in the 3–12 months following the sale. You have to align incentives, and sales reps have to make an honest wage.

Commission 107

Commission Customers Quota Follow-up 107

Sales Pop!

AUGUST 2, 2023

Some businesses struggle to manage a sales team. Sales operations aren’t for everyone. In this piece, we’ll explore what sales outsourcing is and if it’s right for your business. What Is Sales Outsourcing? The goal of sales outsourcing is to improve efficiency while reducing costs. Why Do Companies Outsource?

Represent 231

Represent Lead generation Sales Commission 231

Veloxy

MARCH 16, 2022

Why Field Sales is still number one for earning and growth! Did you know that more than 50% of college graduates will start their career in sales? While graduates with business majors have even higher sales placements post graduation, the aforementioned covers all majors. Sales is truly one of the best jobs for recent graduates.

Pharmaceutical 223

Pharmaceutical Commission Inside sales Sales 223

SaaStr

JULY 22, 2020

I’m not ashamed to admit that when I set up our first SaaS sales comp plan, I had no idea what I was doing. But I did all the sales myself, and stupidly, had no sales comp plan at all ??. Then, as we first scaled up a sales team, we ended up literally copying Salesforce’s comp plan. Relatively High Quota.

Commission 145

Commission Quota Inside sales Sales 145

SaaStr

MAY 6, 2023

Dear SaaStr: As a salesperson, if you sell a multi-year SaaS deal, does the whole amount count towards your current year quota? First, what you pay on vs. quota retirement can vary. On commissions / pay-out: For start-ups where cash matters, I strongly suggest compensating the reps mainly on cash brought in.

Quota 110

Quota Commission Sell Contract 110

Sales Hacker

SEPTEMBER 4, 2020

Only 48% of SDRs consistently reach their targets according to TOPO’s 2019 Sales Development Benchmark Report, 48%… that’s it. That means if you’re an SDR, there’s a 52% chance you’ll hit the phones hard, send tons of emails, and not even reach 90% quota. So why is quota attainment so bad for so many SDRs? Let’s dive in.

Quota 131

Quota Meeting Cold Call Commission 131

Sales Gravy

APRIL 17, 2025

You crushed your quota. Commission check hits the account. Heres the truth: Top sales pros dont just sell like professionalsthey manage their money like professionals. Heres the truth: Top sales pros dont just sell like professionalsthey manage their money like professionals. You crushed your quota. Fancy dinner.

Finance 54

Finance Commission Cold Call Quota 54

SaaStr

SEPTEMBER 9, 2022

Back in the day, premium comp for some software sales execs made simple and easy sense. Traditional software had 90% gross margins, and the classic enterprise sales reps, the best ones, could close a million or more dollars a year. Either higher quotas, lower attainment, or for a while, even more venture capital.

Commission 137

Commission Quota Sales Closing 137

Openview

MAY 30, 2018

We’ve all heard Tom Cruise’s famous line from Jerry Maguire, but showing your sales team members the money is often a complicated equation. In this guide, you’ll find tips for designing sales compensation packages that yield results and actually scale. Salary or Bonus-Heavy Compensation: Which Model is Best?

Objectives and Key Results 162

Objectives and Key Results Commission Appointment Lead generation 162

Veloxy

DECEMBER 28, 2023

The world of sales is vast, and if you’re a sales professional, you’ve likely been exposed to both inside and outside sales roles. However, if you’re considering a transition to outside sales or simply want to elevate your field selling game, you’re in the right place.

Outside Sales 242

Outside Sales Cold Call Represent Objectives and Key Results 242

Cerebral Selling

JUNE 28, 2022

” For context, we technically could, but in SaaS sales, annual payments make a big difference to the bottom line so reps are encouraged (if not incentivized) to position the larger single payment. We have all the terms ironed out. The only thing is, they’re asking if they can pay quarterly instead of annually.

Negotiate 243

Negotiate Commission Quota Price 243

A Sales Guy

JULY 23, 2014

Note: This blog post is an excerpt from my new book: “Creating High Performance Sales Compensation Plans”. Some pay commission based on sales, while others only pay on margin; still others blend both with incentives and special bonus plans. Are your sales goals orders- or bookings-based? Understanding Cost of Sales.

Commission 120

Commission Quota Cold Call Sales 120

Partners in Excellence

JANUARY 23, 2015

Sales people, we have a PR problem, … it’s Real,…… and we probably deserve it, … and we need to do something about it. I just read this post by Brian de Haaff, CEO of Aha, This CEO Will Never Hire A Sales Person. My initial reaction was, “This guy is clueless about professional sales.”

Commission 121

Commission Profit margin Quota Sales 121

SaaStr

MAY 23, 2023

So leading growth stage VC Iconiq has published its latest and very detailed Definitive Guide to Sales Compensation here. Corners were cut in the boom times of 2021, but we are back to sane sales models. Renewals, if they are done by sales, are paid out at about 40% of an initial commission. CSMs Are Pushing Up to 20%.

Commission 117

Commission Closing SQL Quota 117

Salesforce

NOVEMBER 14, 2024

Sales organizations set lofty goals to drive revenue and generate growth for their business. But setting achievable but ambitious goals is only possible when sales leaders know exactly what their teams are capable of doing. Enter sales capacity planning. What you’ll learn: What is sales capacity planning?

Growth 52

Growth Quota Territory E-commerce 52

Engage Selling

MARCH 21, 2019

Financial compensation doesn’t have to be the only approach to commission. There’s another, perhaps more valuable approach which can further motivate your sales team to produce results. It’s time. Think about it. How often, in today’s world, do your sellers get real, … Read More »

Commission 86

Commission Drivers/motivators Sales Clients 86

Hubspot

OCTOBER 16, 2017

Sales compensation is one of the trickiest aspects of the sales organization to get right. How to create a good sales comp plan. Sales comp plan types. Commission only. Base plus commission. Base plus commission. Absolute commission plan. Relative commission plan. When to pay commission.

Commission 101

Commission Quota X-functional Non-Profits 101

Hubspot

SEPTEMBER 9, 2024

During my time as a sales rep, building a lead list was one of my first activities when I took on a new sales role, territory, or industry vertical. Many organizations may closely meet your company’s ideal customer profile (ICP) criteria and warrant sales reps to proactively reach out to them. Sales Qualified Leads (SQLs).

Territory 83

Territory Cold Call SQL Campaign 83

Partners in Excellence

MAY 15, 2017

Recently read a provocative post declaring “Sales Quotas A Thing Of The Past!” ” For the most part, the article was a tutorial on pipeline metrics and a diatribe against much of the quota setting process. Much of the way sales quotas and goals are set is wrong. Sales is no different.

Quota 77

Quota Manufacturing Assembly Line Sales 77