Sales Is a Numbers Game... Or Not?

“A numbers game … is a way of using figures to support an argument, often in a way that is dishonest or has no real meaning.”

from the Farlex Dictionary of Idioms

(Link to video)

I love to google. Searching for ‘Sales is a numbers game’ delivers over 23,000 results. By my unofficial count (of the first three pages), 95% of the authors agree, and they see sales as a numbers game.

At this point, I will stop researching and reading what other authors think; instead, focus on why I think sales is a numbers game.

·       Not every opportunity converts. A salesperson needs to calculate their own personal minimum number of opportunities necessary in the pipeline, based on a realistic conversion rate and the target contract volume. Simple math, yet rarely done.

·       Ten calls for one live conversation? Whatever the number is, consider the time and effort it takes to have a conversation with a potential customer.

·       Last day of the month vs. the first day of the following month. For the customer, it is just one day, for the salesperson, this means a world of difference.

·       2% at 99%, 4% at 100% of goal. A revenue difference of a few dollars makes a big difference in the bonus payout.

·       The ultimate quantitative goal? The quota a salesperson carries! One number that makes or breaks everything.

·       CRM: This tool, if set up right, provides both the salesperson and the company the numbers they need. I wish more salespeople would take advantage of it. Knowing your personal conversion time, win ratio, average deal size, and so much more is an excellent counterbalance to the self-perception of greatness many performers have.

So, I do think it is a numbers game. Not in a dishonest or meaningless way, but rather as a structure that supports the human touch of the sales process. 

And all of it comes to life and is successfully applied when real sales leadership is in place.