The sales model has changed. Sales representatives no longer rely on traditional cold-calling to close deals. Today, customers expect a faster and more personalized experience. As a result, sales teams are more data-driven, technology-driven, and collaborative. Setting high-impact sales goals and investing in AI-powered technology is critical for modern sales teams.
In this article, we’ll explore the types of sales goals and how to set them effectively. We’ll also explore AI-powered technology that can help sales teams drive goals forward.
6 types of sales goals
Sales goals are targets that a company sets for the number of products or services it will sell during a specific period. The right sales goals can help companies grow annual revenue and increase market share.
Companies can leverage different types of goals to maximize sales performance and meet key performance indicators (KPIs). Here are six common types of sales goals.
- Team goals: People often think about sales as a solitary profession, but a survey by Salesforce found that 81% of sales representatives say team selling helps them close deals. Setting specific sales metrics for teams can encourage collaboration and accountability.
- Individual goals: Setting specific goals for each sales representative provides individuals with a roadmap for success.
- Incentivized goals: These goals are targets tied to a specific reward. Incentives can be financial (e.g., a promotion, commission plan, or annual bonus) or non-monetary (e.g., additional vacation time or company-sponsored trips).
- Waterfall goals: Companies use waterfall goals to break down large sales targets. Waterfall goals build on each other to reach the final target. For example, if a company wants to increase revenue by 20%, sales teams would set a goal of increasing revenue by 5% in the first quarter, an additional 5% in the second quarter, and so on.
- Activity goals: These goals correspond to specific actions. For example, a salesperson may aim to book ten product demos a week or attend two professional development events per month. Activity goals can help sales representatives meet their overall targets.
- Stretch goals: Companies may set targets that are difficult to achieve, known as stretch goals. When used correctly, stretch goals can help motivate a team to outperform expectations.
How to set sales goals
Sales goals can provide a clear objective, help employees track their progress, and motivate a sales team to meet targets. But setting appropriate sales goals is essential. Companies should use the SMART framework to set and share goals. SMART sales goals include the following:
- Specific: Goals should be descriptive and clearly defined. Example: Increase average deal size by 5%.
- Measurable: Targets must be quantifiable so that companies can evaluate progress. Even qualitative goals—such as improving customer satisfaction—should be tied to metrics. Example: Improve Customer Satisfaction Scores (CSAT) by 15% on post-purchase surveys.
- Achievable: Goals need to be attainable. Unrealistic goals can lead to frustration, lower motivation, and higher employee turnover. Example: Increase the sales conversion rate by 5% among junior sales representatives by providing training and implementing a mentorship program.
- Relevant: Sales objectives should align with the organization’s larger business goals. Sales teams should begin by understanding long-term targets and establishing smaller goals to accomplish them. Example: Increase weekly sales calls made by each sales rep by 10% to help drive new customer acquisition.
- Time-bound: Sales representatives should have a time frame to complete a goal. Example: Increase sales revenue by 20% by the next quarter.
How to monitor sales goals
Monitoring the progress of sales goals is essential for effective sales management. It can increase transparency, identify areas for improvement, and help keep team members on track. Here are four tips to help sales leaders achieve their goals:
Create a system of support
Imagine giving someone a clump of clay and asking them to make a coffee mug. It would be impossible without training in ceramics, guidance from professionals, or the right tools.
Setting goals for your sales team without a well-defined sales operation structure is similar. Sales organizations should set benchmarks and implement a sales performance tracking system. Teams also should hold regular meetings to check progress and identify areas needing attention. And companies should use training and mentorship programs to help representatives reach their sales targets.
Invest in the right tools
Today, sales reps only spend 28% of their time selling. Employees dedicate most of their time to researching prospects, planning for meetings, generating proposals, and managing customer support.
Companies should invest in tools that streamline administrative tasks, speed up the sales process, and help sales representatives track their performance.
Prepare for failure
Unexpected macroeconomic factors or shifting industry trends may make it difficult for companies to achieve their goals. Sales organizations should ensure that structures and systems are agile. If a team fails to reach its monthly sales goals, companies should take time to reflect on the process.
Reward and recognize employees
Employee recognition is critical. Whether companies offer financial or non-monetary rewards, sales teams should set aside time to acknowledge employee efforts. By celebrating small wins throughout the sales cycle, companies can increase motivation and boost morale—even during challenging times.
5 AI tools to empower your sales team
The use of AI across functions is rising. A survey by Deloitte found that 79% of employees now use three or more types of AI-powered tools at work, compared to 62% in 2021. For sales teams, AI-powered tools can automate routine tasks and provide insights to help drive sales strategy. Here are five tools to get you started.
1. Supernormal
Supernormal is an AI-powered platform that writes your sales meeting notes. With Supernormal, sales representatives exceed their quotas by 15-25%.
Top features:
- Record audio and video: Record sales calls with prospects and customers and receive transcripts right after your meeting.
- Generate meeting notes: Supernormal generates notes and follow-up items, including outlining customer goals, pain points, budget, timelines, and next steps.
- CRM Integration: Supernormal will automatically upload meeting notes and update customer information within your preferred CRM system.
Pros:
- Customize the format of your meeting notes with over ten templates.
- Supernormal is compatible with Zoom, Google Meet, and Microsoft Teams.
- Calendar integrations ensure Supernormal automatically joins every meeting.
Pricing: Free. The Pro plan is $24 per month for five seats. Additional seats are $6 per month.
2. Grammarly
Image source: Grammarly
Grammarly is an AI-powered writing assistant designed to help sales teams refine their writing.
Top features:
- Grammar Checker: Grammarly checks writing for grammar, punctuation, and spelling errors and provides real-time suggestions.
- Snippets Library: Companies can reduce writing time and keep sales representatives on brand with a library of pre-written messages.
- Browser extension and mobile support: Sales representatives can use Grammarly while creating presentations, writing emails, or even sending a text message to a prospect.
Pros:
- Grammarly will identify a user’s tone of voice and provide suggestions to improve communication.
- The tool can detect plagiarism and offer suggestions for citations.
- Users receive weekly insights into how they communicate.
Cons:
- Some Grammarly suggestions can change the meaning of a sentence. Users should review all suggestions.
Pricing: Free. The Premium plan is $30 per month. The Business Plan is $25 per month per member.
3. SugarCRM
Image description: SugarCRM
SugarCRM, also known as Sugar Sell, is a sales automation platform powered by AI.
Top features:
- Autopilot: Sales teams can automate processes and create email templates to speed up administrative tasks.
- SugarPredict: Sugar will gather insights and industry news from various external sources to help sales representatives keep up with the competition.
- Renewal Console: Companies can automate the renewal process or empower sales representatives with all the information they need to reduce customer churn.
Pros:
- Integrations with G Suite and Office 365 make it easy to use SugarCRM straight from your email inbox.
- Sales reps can visualize and communicate the customer sales journey with customizable maps.
Cons:
- The tool has limited reporting capabilities compared to other platforms.
Pricing: Plans started at $49 per user per month. Plans require a minimum of three users. All plans are billed annually.
4. Crayon.co
Image description: Crayon.co
Crayon.co is a competitive intelligence SaaS platform that helps sales teams stay on top of industry trends.
Top features:
- Analysis Engine: The platform tracks external data and news about competitors and provides insights.
- Battlecards: Crayon automatically updates customer battlecards with the most relevant information for sales representatives.
- Integrations: Users can expand functionality with integrations with Salesforce, HubSpot, Seismic, Highspot, and Slack.
Pros:
- Users can track unlimited competitors.
- Users can set up email digests to receive daily information about competitor news and industry changes.
- Plans come with unlimited users.
Cons:
- Users cannot customize battlecards.
- Sales representatives will only be able to see that battlecards were updated. Crayon.co does not highlight new information.
Pricing: Not available.
5. Spiff
Image description: Spiff
Spiff is an AI-powered SaaS platform that helps sales organizations run their commission programs.
Top features:
- Personalized Plan Assignments: Each sales representative can access a customized dashboard for their individual goals and progress.
- Commission Predictor: Sales reps can predict their commission based on their current pipeline.
- Mobile app: Sales reps can track their progress while on the go.
Pros:
- The platform increases visibility and transparency for all stakeholders.
- Spiff makes it easier for finance and payroll teams to calculate commissions.
Cons:
- There are limited reporting features. For example, sales representatives cannot compare their performance year-over-year.
- The mobile application has less information than the web version.
Pricing: Not available
Fast-track your sales goals with Supernormal
Setting effective sales goals can motivate your team and drive performance, but meeting those goals requires the right tools. That’s where we come in.
Supernormal helps you stay on top of the conversation—whether you’re attending internal team meetings or making external client calls. With Supernormal, sales teams can access critical information in seconds and drive sales goals forward.
Start for free today to see how Supernormal can help supercharge your sales team.