Sales Hacker

AUGUST 26, 2021

It started with a simple approach: Here’s your quota? get paid commissions at 8%. Post your quota attainment ? get paid at 12% commissions. Complexity aside, a lot of reps have had at least one experience wherein their overall commissions didn’t match with all related criteria promised as part of the plan.

Commission 122

Commission Quota Sales Finance 122

Sales Gravy

MARCH 18, 2025

Improved Onboarding Speed Companies that mix early pipeline-building with supported team selling often see new hires reach quota faster sometimes shaving weeks or months off the usual ramp-up. Shared Commissions Make sure new reps see a direct benefit. Shared Commissions Make sure new reps see a direct benefit.

Cold Call 85

Cold Call Commission Appointment Pipeline 85

SaaStr

MARCH 29, 2025

Transitioning from founder-led sales to a commissioned sales team is one of the most criticaland trickysteps in scaling a SaaS business. And Get Them Both Hitting a Basic, Sustainable Quota. Commission is Only Paid if Earned, After All. Offer a competitive base salary and a commission structure that rewards performance.

Commission 81

Commission Objection handling Quota Sales 81

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 118

Commission Customers Drivers/motivators Sales 118

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

Understanding the Sales Force

FEBRUARY 14, 2025

The report says, “87% reported that their sales teams were having difficulty meeting or exceeding quota.” It also reinforces a culture of mediocrity because when not hitting quota is normal and expected, more people don’t hit quota because their jobs are clearly not in jeopardy.

Quota 88

Quota Commission Sales Represent 88

Tibor Shanto

JULY 7, 2021

It was a straight unbroken line, the quota is a number, as are ROIs, commissions, and almost everything else. This may also explain why nearly half of B2B sellers fail to deliver quota. (And It is not unusual for a rep to proudly share their conversion numbers, only to discover why they are missing quota.

Objectives and Key Results 301

Objectives and Key Results Quota Gaming Commission 301

Hubspot

MARCH 27, 2019

Motivating your sales team isn't about taking the coffee from their lips, it's about setting realistic quotas tailored to each rep, the type of product or service they're selling, and the market they're selling to. Here's everything you need to know about setting successful sales quotas. Sales Quota. Activity Quota.

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

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. One imagines a sword of Damocles hanging over seller’s heads with the constant threat of making quota. The post Can We Be Helpful And Still Make Our Quotas?

Quota 127

Quota Commission Pipeline Pitch 127

Hubspot

APRIL 24, 2019

If your sales organization is struggling to strike a balance between company requirements and the compensation needs of employees, it's likely time to reevaluate your compensation plan and commission structure. 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

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 114

Quota Commission Sell Contract 114

SaaStr

JANUARY 13, 2023

Dear SaaStr: How Do You Handle Commissions if the Customer Auto-Upgrades for More Seats? If the upsells are super easy, and the reps don’t have to do much, rather than take away the commission … think about increasing the quotas. The post Dear SaaStr: How Do You Handle Commissions if the Customer Auto-Upgrades for More Seats?

Commission 110

Commission Customers Quota Follow-up 110

SaaStr

JANUARY 18, 2021

Q: Should we deduct partner referral fees from our sales people’s commission? If I have to pay a partner say 20% of a deal, and they do a lot of the work — why do I also have to pay my own sales rep a full commission? So yes, at least for a while, with many partners you may in essence need to pay a double commission.

Commission 106

Commission Closing Referrals Quota 106

Sales Hacker

MARCH 10, 2021

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. A healthy sales organization should aim for about 60% of reps hitting their quota. If it shoots up to 80–85%, it’s time to re-evaluate quotas.

Quota 127

Quota Territory Profit margin Growth 127

Sales Hacker

SEPTEMBER 4, 2020

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? SDR performance is rewarded with commissions, trophies, accolades, and a lot of visibility inside the organization.

Quota 134

Quota Meeting Cold Call Commission 134

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. That means hitting the road, accumulating miles, and chasing greater commissions. Using a Field Sales Route Planner to Crush Quota.

Territory 221

Territory Gambling Quota Commission 221

Veloxy

MAY 25, 2021

Inside and outside sales reps are not only paid on commission, hefty bonuses and kickbacks also motivate them to work even harder. When it comes to activity based rewards, your reps would definitely love to unwind after pushing hard to hit their quotas. I mean, c’mon, you’ve seen all the movies right? 7: Motivate with Office Upgrades.

Drivers/motivators 299

Drivers/motivators Extrinsic Intrinsic Non-Profits 299

Salesforce

SEPTEMBER 28, 2023

These targets are used to guide the quota-setting, territory mapping , and sales team strategies. These include things like quota attainment for a sales team and the numbers of deals in reps’ pipelines. With sales targets in place, your team can create quotas to strive for and specific strategies for hitting those quotas.

Quota 116

Quota Territory Pipeline Sales 116

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 164

Commission Quota B2B Sales 164

Cerebral Selling

JUNE 28, 2022

All too often, when our quotas and commissions are on the line near the final buzzer, we psych ourselves out and think that everything a customer asks for in the heat of a negotiation is critical. The reality is, it won’t be!

Negotiate 243

Negotiate Commission Quota Price 243

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

SaaStr

JULY 22, 2020

Commission that is a Relatively Low % of the Dea l. Relatively High Quota. You don’t make a lot on each deal, and with a high quota, it’s a big nut to hit. If they make too much, the quota was too low. E.g., no commission at all each month/quarter until you clear a hurdle.

Commission 145

Commission Quota Inside sales Sales 145

Hubspot

SEPTEMBER 6, 2024

To meet your quota (and stay sane), it’s important to leverage AI tools and techniques that can unlock the following benefits. Armed with the right solutions, you can increase efficacy, improve efficiency, and exceed your quota — and yes, enjoy those commission accelerators, too. 5 Ways to Use AI to Close More Sales 1.

Closing 80

Closing Contract Technique Sales 80

Sales Pop!

AUGUST 24, 2024

And as a result, for our nourishment, quota achievement and commissions, we really needed them as well. And at this point in the 2024 selling year, many of us seek to make up for earlier disappointments and lost commissions by making a big splash while there’s still time. 31 and your end-of-year quota performance.

Commission 130

Commission Quota Clients Up-sell 130

SaaStr

SEPTEMBER 9, 2022

But the math got tougher as we moved to $400k-$600k quotas, and it got tougher again as OTE expectations went up. SaaS companies and fintechs and pseudo-SaaS companies could end up paying out more than the entire year’s margin in the commission check. Either higher quotas, lower attainment, or for a while, even more venture capital.

Commission 138

Commission Quota Sales Closing 138

Membrain

FEBRUARY 26, 2023

When you look at these things we use to describe “salesmanship,” none of it is meaningful to the buyers – the people we have to engage to meet our quotas, achieve our goals, and earn our commissions. Amazingly, the more we do this, the more easily we achieve our goals of hitting quotas, beating competition, earning our commission.

Commission 127

Commission Quota Negotiate Pitch 127

SaaStr

JUNE 26, 2019

It’s simplest probably to tie the commission payments to the quotas. If reps have monthly quotas, pay them monthly. If they have quarterly quotas, pay them quarterly. you’ll end up likely with both a fair amount of complexity in sales commissions and likely quarterly quotas. View original question on quora.

Commission 70

Commission Quota Contact Sales 70

Veloxy

MARCH 16, 2022

While money shouldn’t necessarily drive your life, earning commissions and other incentives based on performance is extremely fulfilling and it helps you climb the ladder faster. However, being recognized and rewarded for achievements should be, and high commissions or a higher paying job is the primary focus for this sense of fulfillment.

Pharmaceutical 223

Pharmaceutical Commission Inside sales Sales 223

Hubspot

SEPTEMBER 9, 2024

Well, sales lead lists are key to hitting your productivity number, which usually goes a long way to hitting your quota number. And this, of course, is key to a satisfying commission number. All sales professionals are told repeatedly that sales is a numbers game.

Territory 83

Territory Cold Call SQL Campaign 83

A Sales Guy

JULY 23, 2014

Some pay commission based on sales, while others only pay on margin; still others blend both with incentives and special bonus plans. Once you have determined an acceptable CoS range, you can fine-tune the commission plan. Balanced: Compensation is based on margin, revenue and a third component, such as quota attainment.

Commission 120

Commission Quota Cold Call Sales 120

SaaStr

MAY 23, 2023

Renewals, if they are done by sales, are paid out at about 40% of an initial commission. A complex topic here of when it makes sense to have sales involved in renewals, but helpful to see they get about 40% of the commission of a new deal. #3. 82% of SaaS Startups Use Sales Accelerators, Mainly Based on Exceeding Base Quota.

Commission 121

Commission Closing SQL Quota 121

Tibor Shanto

JANUARY 25, 2022

There are several ways to slice this, but it needs to be surfaced in coaching and quota discussions more often. Those who have been commissioned on margin, generally become better sellers. The driving question being how do I take a territory from a 20% margin base, to 25%? You should be upgrading your base as often as your phone.

Commission 157

Commission Territory Negotiate Quota 157

SaaStr

JULY 31, 2024

In the early days, when Cash is King, pay the sales reps a full commission on all cash paid up-front. This is relatively uncommon, apprarently < 10% of startups pay a 100% commission on Y2/Y3+ prepaid cash: How Much to Compensate SaaS Sales Teams for New Sales, Renewals and Expansions But at this time, cash was king.

Commission 114

Commission Contract Quota Customers 114

Hubspot

OCTOBER 16, 2017

Commission only. Base plus commission. Absolute commission plan. Relative commission plan. Straight line commission plan. When to pay commission. Quota and OTE. Setting quota. Yet without commission, reps are usually less motivated to go above and beyond. Commission only.

Commission 101

Commission Quota X-functional Non-Profits 101

PandaDoc

APRIL 26, 2023

However, since sales activities have been notoriously hard to measure in terms of performance, many business owners have adopted various commission structures to keep their sales reps motivated. Properly structured commissions, that’s how! How does the commission structure work? Five typical sales commission structures 1.

Commission 52

Commission Territory Quota Drivers/motivators 52

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. But is the answer throwing these out?

Quota 71

Quota Manufacturing Assembly Line Sales 71