Sales Hit Rate

Share:

A sales hit rate is a metric that counts the number of sales divided by the number of prospects. While a prospect can be defined in different ways, the general idea is to quantify the number of product visitors who have converted into customers.

Sales hit rates are often used to:

  • Measure an individual rep’s performance
  • Help calculate sales forecasts
  • Define productivity-per-rep and quotas
  • Understand part of a business’s financial model

Calculating a hit rate can be a simple ratio. 

Number of Sales / Number of Prospects * 100 = Hit Rate

It’s important to note that there is no magic number for a good sales hit rate. In eCommerce we often hear of “1% conversion rates” or other common notable figures. This is not applicable to individual sales reps as they all have different methods, styles, and approaches to prospecting. 

For example: a sales rep may choose to prospect a high volume of leads and only close a small number of deals. Others may be very selective of the qualified leads they pursue and only talk to a handful of prospects. The 2 reps might close the same number of deals, but would have drastically different hit rates.

More on Hit Rate Meaning

To understand hit rate meaning a bit more, we’ve got to consider the metrics beyond just raw conversion rates. 

A high hit rate usually means a sales rep is great at turning paying prospects into paying customers. 

But a low hit rate doesn’t necessarily mean the opposite. In fact, it may simply be a case of a sales rep who spends more time in the top of the funnel. They might be raising awareness or qualifying leads. And this approach could turn into a strong long-term sales strategy. 

The hit rate meaning can also change based on the industry or the sales model a sales rep is using. 

For example: in enterprise sales, deal sizes are larger and the sales journey is longer. A rep might focus on fewer prospects but take a personalized approach. A hit rate of 20% would be awesome here. In a more transactional industry, like SaaS, a rep might reach out to a higher volume of leads and get a hit rate of 10%. Both can be signs of excellent sales strategies. 

In the end, tracking and analyzing hit rates over time will help sales teams: 

  • Identify patterns in customer behavior
  • Highlight effective strategies used by high-performing reps
  • Figure out which sales reps could use coaching, and which should be coaches 

When you understand the hit rate meaning on a deeper level, you can use it to better drive performance. From there, you can align your sales tactics with your growth objectives, and aim for more wins.

What is a Hit Rate
Source: Vainu

Sales Hit Rate Examples:

questionmark

Sales Hit Rate

This is really subjective. A good hit rate will change based on the industry, the sales rep, and the sales process. You also have to factor in your sales team’s definition of a prospect.