Sales Statistics: 20 Proven Stats that Will Change Your Approach

Change Your Sales Process Tactically Through These Sales Statistics

As an analytical person, I’m always looking for data to confirm assumptions.

Understanding these sales statistics can help you make critical decisions, but ultimately you are going to need to test what works for you.

Whether you’re trying to sell via e-mail, calls, or social media, there tends to be an awful lot of guesswork involved.

Trying to get someone’s attention, especially in a “cold calling” situation, is a tall order with a relatively low success rate.

But believe it or not, there are a few tricks to it that can dramatically improve your success rate.

We’re going to break down some fresh sales statistics for you and explain how you can use them to become a more successful seller this 2021 and in the coming years.

Now, I might be biased, but one of the best things you can do to improve your own sales statistics is to implement lead generation software that helps with your sales prospecting. This is exactly why we exist. 

LeadFuze is a software solution that helps you build lists of accurate leads automatically while integrating with sales outreach tools to allow you to contact those freshly verified leads.

1 Most e-mails are opened at the end of the workday

In accordance with the findings of GetResponse’s research, subscribers are most able to notice your email at 10 a.m., when they have just arrived at their workplace, or at 1 pm, while they are starting to catch up on their messages after lunchtime.

Furthermore, 23 percent of all mail views occur within the first hour of receiving the message. After 24 hours, the likelihood of an email being opened reduces to less than one percent!

2 Tuesday e-mails have the highest open rate

You’re probably going to be sending out e-mails just about every day of the week, so this may not be hugely important. But Experian data reviewed by Customer.io shows that there’s something about Tuesday that gets people to open their e-mails. Maybe they’re making up for being so sluggish on Monday. You can use this information to double up your e-mail marketing on Tuesday, or perhaps to send the extra-important stuff that day.

3 45 % of people decide whether or not to open an e-mail based solely on the subject line

According to invesp, 47% of email users read emails only based on their subject lines, and that 69% of email recipients report emails as spam based purely on their subject lines. 

Emails without a subject line have a response rate that is 8 percent higher than emails with a subject line.

However, emails with customized subject lines are 22 percent more likely to be read than emails without a subject line. 

4 E-mails with long titles are e-mails that stay unopened

Have you already heard the expression “you must spend time creating your headline like you do when writing the content?” Well, the same goes when it comes to developing subject lines.

A well-crafted subject line should not be the first thing that comes to mind while writing an email. Instead, it should be a process that takes time. In addition, you should consult research and sales statistics to assist you in making decisions.

Retention Science discovered that subject lines containing 6 to 10 words have the largest open rate, making 8 words an optimum quantity for a subject line, according to their research.

Having the right keywords in your subject line is crucial

If subject lines are not properly considered, it can result in a number of problems, including drop-in open rates, a drop in conversion rates, and the possibility of being labeled as spam.

You should be aware of the terms that perform poorly in subject lines in order to prevent this situation.

The term “newsletter” alone may trigger an 18% reduction in open rates, while subject lines that include the word “you” can cause a 5% decrease in email open rates, according to Optin Monster.

6 57% of e-mail recipients will mark a message as spam, even if they know the sender

It’s cold but true. E-mail is easy to ignore, and “spam” is just e-mail shorthand for “not interested in this right now.” Clients report messages as spam even when they are familiar with the sender. They’ll even blacklist spam emails sent by senders who have the authorization to deliver them.

Someone might voluntarily subscribe to your brand’s emails and nevertheless send your material to the spam bin.

According to Quick Sprout, 57% of individuals think that receiving an excessive number of emails or receiving unrelated communications prompts them to flag the content as spam.

7 Only 2% of cold calls result in an appointment

According to Leap Job’s research, just 2% of cold calls lead to a meeting, while the Ovation Sales Group discovered that it takes the typical salesperson six and a half hours to schedule one appointment.

According to LinkedIn research, fewer than 2% of cold calls end in a meeting, while Baylor University research revealed that just one appointment or recommendation was arranged for every 209 phone calls. 

8 The average sales rep spends 25 hours a month leaving a voicemail

On average, each sales representative receives 70 voicemail messages each day, each of which takes around 60 seconds to complete. That’s 30 seconds for greetings alone and 30 seconds for leaving a voicemail. This translates to around 25 hours on average per sale every month in which representatives simply leave a voicemail.

If you take a look at a team of 50 sales representatives, they spend around 1,250 hours each month simply leaving voicemails. That is almost 15% of each sales representative’s time spent merely leaving voicemails.

9 Most of your voicemails go unreturned

According to RingLead, 80% of calls go to voicemail, and 90% of first-time voicemails go unanswered. There are ways to maximize voicemail returns, but one of the ways to make your voicemails more efficient is simply to shorten them. The Sales Hunter says the optimal voicemail length is between 8 and 14 seconds.

10 The best hours to make calls or leave voicemails are at the beginning and end of the workday…

According to studies at the confluence of business activities and behavioral psychology, planning when making business calls can result in considerably more touchpoints and qualified leads. Indeed, placing your calls at the optimal moment roughly doubles your odds of connecting with the caller.

Late in the day, between 4 pm and 6 pm, and early in the morning, between 8 am and 10 am, are the ideal hours to make business calls. Midday, between 11 a.m. and 3 p.m., is the worst time.

The 4-5 pm period is unquestionably the winner, more than tripling the contact rate of mid-day calls. Between 5 and 6 p.m., the 5-6 p.m. block had a roughly 70% higher success rate than mid-day calls. Calls made between 8 a.m. and 10 a.m. are approximately 50% more effective than calls made during the day.

Furthermore, the 4-5 p.m. block was significantly more effective at converting calls into qualified leads. Calls made during this time period perform much better than those made during other time periods, outperforming the 11 am to noon hour by 109 percent.

11 …but not Monday morning or Friday evening

The beginning and end of the workweek are not the most productive times on the schedule. Early Monday, people have too much to catch up with, and late Friday, they have too much else they want to get to. The last thing anyone wants to deal with at these times is a sales call. Respect that, and slide those into other parts of other days.

12 The average sale requires 5 follow-up calls

So let’s say you actually have someone’s attention. You’ve met with them, you’ve given them your best pitch, and they seem mildly interested. You follow up with them and don’t really get much further. This is where about 44% of salespeople give up and move on. Don’t be one of those people because about 80% of successful sales came after 5 or more follow-up calls.

13 86% of how you communicate on the phone isn’t about what you say

Only 14% of your phone communication has to do with the words you use. The remaining 86% is how you say it. With no way to communicate through gestures, smiles, or other non-verbal means, the tone of your voice has everything to do with what you’re getting across to people.

14 Sales reps who use social selling are 73% more likely to hit their sales goals than those who don’t

73% of salesmen that incorporate social selling into their sales process outperformed their colleagues and achieved quota 23% more frequently.

15LinkedIn is the Second Best Social Networking Site for Marketers

LinkedIn is the second-most prominent social networking site amongst B2B marketers, after only Facebook.

LinkedIn is used by four out of every five B2b companies, compared to Facebook, which is used by 91 percent of B2B marketers. This puts it ahead of Twitter, Instagram which is utilized by 67% and 66%, respectively, of B2b companies.

It doesn’t just have to be just a way to contact people, though – sales reps can use LinkedIn to search for leads and research a company for a better insight into their needs.

16 71% of B2B buyers don’t talk to salespeople without doing independent research first

As per a study conducted by Acquity Group, 94 percent of buyers conduct frequent internet research before making a purchase. Not only do they conduct their own research, but the majority would prefer not to speak with a sales representative at all. Indeed, 71% stated that they desired to conduct their own study and purchases.

Curiously, several respondents modified their response to indicate they would be willing to speak with a sales representative “if the necessity arose.” As it turns out, the need for independence is particularly strong at the early stages of purchasing. While the ultimate provision of customized assistance is desirable, it is not required.

This makes social selling an absolute must. Maintaining a social presence doesn’t just pay dividends in terms of direct contact – in many cases, it’s about putting information out there to be found independently. In many cases, their first impression of your business isn’t from your first call.

17 B2B Marketers have better luck using Twitter on weekdays

The greatest constant interaction on Twitter, as per SproutSocial and Hootsuite, occurs on weekdays — Monday to Friday. More precisely, Tuesdays and Wednesdays are regarded as the ideal days to publish on Twitter since they generate a greater CTR than other weekdays.

Interestingly, weekends are by far the worst days for tweeting, as interaction rates plummet substantially, with Saturday being the ultimate worst.

18 83% of Instagram Users found new products through the platform

With more than half of the global population accessing social media, sites such as Facebook, Instagram, or Twitter are an obvious location to target the right prospective customers.

Do you believe that individuals on social media only connect with businesses they are familiar with? Well,  83% of Instagram users state that the platform helps them find new products.

19 There will be billions of active social media users in 2021: Improve your social presence

According to the most recent social media figures, there will be 3.78 billion active social media users globally in 2021 – and this number will continue to rise over the following several years (Statista, 2020). As it stands, this corresponds to around 48% of the world’s current population.

Most companies now have people or entire teams on board to handle social media. In other words, it’s unlikely to fall to individual sales reps. However, it’s important to know how you can leverage the social media presence you do have.

If your organization is making a strong push to improve its social media presence or running a special sort of promotion through it, be aware of that. It’s possible your buyers may be familiar with the campaign without even making the connection to you.

20 84% of B2B buyers start their decision with a referral

It’s simple. One of the best ways to convince someone that your organization does quality work is an independent vote of confidence from a trusted friend or adviser. This is a total team effort, as it requires great customer service well after the sale is finalized. Still, it also highlights the importance of social selling and maintaining an image of quality even while not actively engaged with a potential buyer.

Ready for More Sales Statistics?

For sales veterans, sales statistics may be uncomfortable to read through, but they reflect the cold hard truths that sales teams come across every day in their work.

Cold calling has been a pillar of the sales industry for many years. It’s just as important today as it was at the time of its inception. It’s truly an art form; learning how to cold call like a pro takes time and knowledge. The following are some helpful tips to get you on the right track to being an effective caller.

1Nearly 100% of customer interactions happen on the phone. — Salesforce

There is nothing like a real-life human connection. Email is wonderful, but it doesn’t begin to compare to the power of a phone call.

23 out of 4 managers will take action from a cold call or email alone. — DiscoverOrg

Give your prospects the information that they need to make an informed decision. Once you have successfully created value, your prospects will want to follow through by moving on to the next step of the process.

385% of potential customers are not satisfied with their experience over the phone. — Salesforce

First impressions are lasting impressions. Be prepared for every possible outcome that may take place on the call before the call even starts. This will ensure that your call is productive and will give off a sense of professionalism to your prospects and customers.

4The average voicemail response rate was approximately 5% — InsideSales

No one likes listening to their voicemails. Save yourself (and your customers) valuable time by getting them on the phone. This ensures that you will be able to address their questions and concerns in real-time.

515% of the time sales reps spend at work is leaving voicemails. — Ringlead

Considering that you’ve just learned that the vast majority of people will not respond to your voicemails, you can start spending that 15% of your time doing more productive things. Does this mean that you should never leave a voicemail? No, sometimes it’s necessary. It does mean that if there’s a way that you can automate your voicemail messages, it’s to your advantage to do so.

6Sales reps make about 52 calls each day. — The Bridge Group

That’s a lot of phone calls, so it helps to make them as efficient as possible. You can use sales software to help to automate this process.

7Leads are 100x more likely to answer the phone if you call within 5 minutes of them submitting a web form. — InsideSales

Tracking the web activity of your leads will enable you to strike while the iron is hot.

8Approximately 40% of sales reps don’t feel prepared for their calls. — Lattice Engine

Everyone likes the feeling of being prepared before a call. Have all of the information that you could potentially need right in front of you to give you a sense of confidence. Whether you are the one initiating the call or whether you are on the receiving end of the call, it pays to be ready.

992% of salespeople quit after they are told “no” four times by prospect; however, 80% of prospects say “no” four times before they say “yes.” — MTD Sales Training

What does this mean for you? It means that you must get very comfortable with hearing the word ‘no’ and with the feeling of rejection. Think of it this way: the more no’s you hear, the closer you are to a yes.

10It will take at least 5 additional calls to close 8 out of every 10 deals. — Scripted

Hopefully, by now, you’re feeling better about the follow-up process.

11It takes an average of 8 calls to get in touch with a prospect following the initial contact. — Telenet and Ovation Sales Group

That’s even more follow-up calls to add to what we’ve already discussed. Before you can close a deal, you have to be able to get in touch with the prospect that you’re going to make a deal with. Sounds pretty simple, right?

12Nearly half of all salespeople give up after the first follow-up call. — Scripted

Those who are willing to be the most persistent will reap the greatest rewards.

This is because many people don’t know how to send an effective cold email.

On top of that, many people don’t know how to craft a convincing subject line, which could be considered the most important part of the email.

Email can be a much more powerful tool than it currently is for you if you pay close attention to these sales statistics and make sure that your email is done right.

13 Email is 40 times more effective at reaching new customers than social media giants combined. — McKinsey

This one might surprise you, but email still reigns supreme, even over social media giants like Facebook and Twitter. Your new clients are only an email away; don’t miss out on the opportunity to reach them.

14Marketing through the use of email has twice the Return On Investment of cold calls. — MarketingSherpa

Considering how difficult many people find cold calling to be, these sales statistics should actually be a huge relief. Knowing that email is twice as powerful as cold calling sets you up for success. It’s important to note that email can also eat up a huge chunk of your time if you’re not doing it right. Make the most out of the time you’re spending sending emails by using templates and personalized messages.

15 More than one-third of email recipients use the subject line alone to determine if they will open the email. — Convince and Convert

First impressions are everything, and the subject line of your email is your introduction to your potential customer. Let them know right away that you have something valuable and worth their attention.

16 Almost half of the prospects contacted via email will mark it as spam. — Convince and Convert

You may be sending emails from a legitimate source, but there’s still a chance that people may think that it’s spam based on the email address. Be sure to have an email address that’s professional and lets people know that they are safe to open the message.

17 35% of your prospects will access their emails on their phone. — Convince and Convert

In other words, keep your emails succinct and easy to read. You can save yourself time by having short templates available and ready to use.

18 Use your recipient’s name in the subject line, and they will be more likely to open your email. — Retention Science

This is a quick and simple step you can add to make your email that much more likely to be read. Adding the recipient’s name to the subject line helps to build rapport and trust.

19 Using dry language in your subject line means the recipient is less likely to open the email. — Adestra, 2013

While facts are important, they can also be a bit dry to read through. You can warm up your subject line by giving your readers something practical yet relatable to click on.

20 The best time to email prospects is during regular business hours. — GetResponse

That’s more than enough time to make contact with your prospects. It’s also handy to note that these sale statistics apply regardless of where you are in the world because people are the most active during regular business hours, local time.

21 Increasing client retention by as little as 5% can boost profits by as much as 95%. — Bain & Company

You will improve client retention by focusing on perpetually improving your value and by staying in regular contact with your clients.

22 50% of websites get only 15 seconds of attention. — MarketingProfs

That’s right; you have about 15 seconds to get the attention of potential customers. That isn’t much time at all, so your website will really have to stand out from the rest. Ask those around you who are in a relatable field to provide you with some honest feedback on how you can improve your site.

Ask yourself a few key questions, such as: Is my site user-friendly and easy to navigate? Are users able to find what they are looking for quickly and easily? Is my site visually appealing? Make use of these sales statistics to step up your game.

23 8 out of 10 potential clients can be reached via social media. — Sergey Gusarov

We live in the age of social media; it would serve you well to maximize your use of it when attempting to get in contact with your prospects. If you’ve tried calling and emailing but have not been successful, sending a short message via social media might get you some results. It’s not uncommon for some businesses to operate strictly from their social media platforms, so don’t miss out on this opportunity.

Conclusion

If you’re like us, you also know that increasing revenue can come from improvements on the support side of things (here’s some great data on support metrics and how that can improve your retention) as well as the product and operations departments. Everyone is on one “revenue” team.

The data doesn’t lie. 

Rather than treating these sales statistics as hard and fast rules for every situation, allow them to stimulate you to think of solving problems in different and creative ways. And remember, data and information are only as good as the decisions and actions you take as a result of it.

Which of these sales statistics were you most surprised by?

Any of these sales statistics changing your process?

Connect with me on LinkedIn and let me know!