SEVENTH EDITION

2025 State of Sales | Small to Mid-Size Businesses

Sales insights from 4,480 small to mid-size businesses on how well their sales organizations are functioning.

Watch the recording: State of Sales Webinar, hosted by Sales Xceleration President, Maura Kautsky!

Our data reveals that SMBs are lacking in the four sales pillars:

  • Sales Strategy,
  • Sales Methodology,
  • Sales Analysis, and
  • Sales Organization.

By focusing on these areas, small to mid-size businesses can more effectively position themselves for sales growth in 2025.

The State of Sales: Crafting High-Performing Sales Organizations

In today’s competitive business world, a high-performing sales team is essential. Learn the four pillars that separate thriving teams from the rest.

Who Took the Sales Agility Assessment?

SMALL TO MID-SIZE BUSINESSES

Ranging from $1M to $300M Revenue

ONE PERSON PER COMPANY

We use the results of one person per company (CEO, President, or COO)

TYPES OF COMPANIES

88% B2B and 12% B2C

NUMBER OF ASSESSMENTS

We analyzed 4,480 Sales Agility Assessments of SMBs

LOCATIONS

United States, Canada, and the United Kingdom

NUMBER OF QUESTIONS

54 questions, all must be answered to include data insights

Understanding and Addressing the Scores of the Four Categories

For many small to mid-sized businesses, 2024 brought challenges to their sales organizations—a pattern we often see during election years. The outcome? A staggering overall 79% poor rating. To better understand these shortcomings, we broke down the four key areas of sales along with insights on changes from last year to this year. Click on the dots below to uncover the four categories.

Sales Strategy

Sales Playbook, Value Proposition, Ideal Client Profile, Buyer Persona, Competitors, KPIs & Tracking

Jump to Section

Sales Methodology

Sales Process, Artificial Intelligence (AI), CRM Usage, Forecasting, Territories, Coverage

Jump to Section

Sales Analysis

Team & Individual Sales Goals, Quotas, Metrics & Reporting​

Jump to Section

Sales Organization

Roles & Responsibilities, Hiring, Onboarding, Training & Coaching, Compensation & Incentives, Team & Individual Sales Meetings​

Jump to Section

2025 Key Trends

The Changing Sales Landscape

Customers are researching extensively before making purchasing decisions

Cold calling and mass email campaigns are increasingly ignored

Automated insights and personalized experiences are key to staying ahead

Informed Buyers 80%
Traditional Methods 71%
AI is a Competitive Advantage 85%

The Hidden Disconnect Sabotaging Sales Growth

Our data shows CEOs and Sales Leaders are not aligned in how well the sales team is performing, leading to:

  • missed targets,
  • poor strategy execution, and
  • stalled growth.

Deeper Dive into the Four Pillars

Sales Success Starts with a Strategy

Yet, 85% of companies lack a clear sales strategy, which can leave them struggling to drive consistent growth. A well-defined sales strategy:

  • Aligns the sales team with business objectives
  • Defines the organization’s value proposition
  • Provides a roadmap / playbook for repeatable success

Without one, businesses struggle to stay ahead of competitors and miss out on valuable sales opportunities.

Sales Strategy Key Insights

Sales Playbook, Value Proposition, Ideal Client Profile, Buyer Persona, Competitors, KPIs & Tracking

97% of Companies Do Not Have a Sales Playbook

❌ Companies report lacking a comprehensive guide to unify their team’s sales methodology and go-to-market approach.

This gap creates inconsistency, inefficiencies, and missed opportunities in the sales process.

Without a unified strategy, how can your team perform at its best?

Sales Gaps Holding Teams Back: Clarity, Competitors, and Communication

  • Ideal Client Profile: 84% do not have clarity on who they sell to
  • Competitor Insights: 72% do not lack clarity on their competitors or how to sell against them
  • Value Proposition: 85% lack a clear value proposition and have not effectively communicated it
  • Sales Process: 92% of sales teams lack a documented process, leading to confusion and uncertainty

Sales Methodology Key Insights

Sales Process, Artificial Intelligence (AI), CRM Usage, Forecasting, Territories, Coverage

AI in Sales: Charting New Opportunities

AI-driven insights offer a way forward, helping sales teams optimize resources and make smarter, faster decisions.

Good News:

72% of companies have started to use an AI tool

Bad News:

85% have not found a way to leverage AI to be a Force Multiplier to support sales growth

Call Recording & Notetaking

Allows sales reps to focus on active listening and building relationships and recaps the key points to focus on in the next step of the sales process.

Lead Generation

Tools designed to identify high-potential leads, streamline outreach efforts, and effectively build a robust and qualified sales pipeline.

Personalized Messaging

Personalization messages can increase revenue by an average of 25%. This resonates more with prospects as it conveys you understand their needs and how to solve them.

Sales Analysis Key Insights

Team & Individual Sales Goals, Quotas, Metrics & Reporting​

78% of Sales Teams Are Flying Blind! 🚨

They do not have sales metrics clearly defined and understood by the entire sales team. 64% of leadership do not have real-time insight into current sales performance.

Without these guidelines, teams risk losing focus and missing key opportunities. Metrics aren’t just numbers; they’re the foundation for accountability and growth.

Sales Organization Key Insights

Roles & Responsibilities, Hiring, Onboarding, Training & Coaching, Compensation & Incentives, Team & Individual Sales Meetings​

Weekly Meetings Drive Sales Team Success

68% of sales teams do not have weekly one-on-one meetings with their sales leader, meaning only 32% teams do it.

Weekly meetings allow sales teams to:

  • Dive deeper into individual goals and pipeline review
  • Identify and remove barriers to success
  • Set clear performance expectations
  • Provide personalized coaching

This is Not Consulting As Usual

Our highly experienced Certified Sales Leaders specialize in crafting proven sales growth plan tailored to your company’s unique needs. Discover the proven process they use to assess how to support an organization: 

Let us handle your sales challenges, while you focus on running your business. Partner with us to achieve your sales goals with confidence.

Leverage Our Data to Propel Your Sales Organization

Download our eBooks to review more fundamentals companies need to address to grow sales

7th Edition: 2025 State of Sales

The Truth About Sales Performance in 2025

We’ve uncovered what’s working – and what’s not.

The topics covered above are just a glimpse into what puts a company on the path to sales success. It is essential to:

  • develop the right processes,
  • implement the right tools, and
  • have proper measurements and tracking in place.
eBook: 6th Edition: 2024 State of Sales

2024 State of Sales eBook

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2023 State of Sales eBook

2023 State of Sales eBook

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2022 State of Sales

2022 State of Sales eBook

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*Data compiled from client results from 4,480+ completed SAA 4.0s pre-engagement from 12/1/2018 – 12/31/24. ©Sales Xceleration.

The Truth About Sales Performance in 2025

We’ve uncovered what’s working – and what’s not. If you are facing sales challenges, download our eBook to learn tangible steps for improvement.

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