Want to boost your sales team’s performance by up to 50%? Benchmarking against industry standards can reveal where your team is excelling – and where they’re falling short. Using tools like Objective Management Group (OMG), you can pinpoint gaps, improve training, and make smarter hiring decisions. Here’s what you need to know:
- Why Benchmarking Matters: Identify growth areas, sharpen training efforts, and reduce hiring risks.
- What OMG Offers: Tools that assess 21 core sales competencies, predict performance, and compare your team to over 2 million salespeople.
- Key Metrics: Track win rates, sales cycle duration, and pipeline velocity to measure success.
- Steps to Start: Collect sales data, choose relevant benchmarks, and evaluate team skills using OMG’s framework.
- Big Results: Focused coaching can lead to a 30–50% sales increase in 1–2 years.
Ready to unlock your team’s potential? Start with OMG’s sales assessments to uncover actionable insights and drive consistent growth.
Key Elements of OMG‘s Benchmarking System
To understand OMG’s benchmarking system, you need to look at its evaluation framework. This system revolves around core competencies and performance metrics, each designed to deliver a clear picture of sales effectiveness. Let’s break down the key elements driving this methodology.
OMG’s 21 Sales Competencies
At the center of OMG’s system are its 21 Sales Core Competencies, which evaluate three critical areas: Tactical Selling, Sales DNA, and Will to Sell. These competencies aren’t just theoretical – they’re built to measure real-world sales performance. Each one generates a Sales Percentile score, comparing your team to peers across various sales roles, from inside sales and account management to national accounts and channel sales.
“In my experience, most companies have KPIs in their sales organizations but the real issue is usually whether or not the KPIs they trot out actually drive revenue. In most cases, they do not.” – Dave Kurlan
This system ensures that no matter the role, the evaluation is sharp, relevant, and aligned with what actually matters in sales.
Top Sales Team Performance Metrics
OMG focuses on predictive metrics that look forward, rather than relying on historical data. Here’s how they measure performance:
- Pipeline Velocity Metrics
These metrics reveal how efficiently leads move through your sales funnel. By comparing your team’s performance to OMG’s massive database of over 75,000 annual assessments, you gain clarity on where your process stands. - Role-Specific Performance Indicators
Every role in the sales organization – whether it’s a rep, manager, or support team member – has tailored criteria. This ensures the metrics are relevant and actionable for each position. - Sales Environment Alignment
Performance metrics are adjusted to fit different sales environments, whether you’re running an inside sales team, managing territory-based reps, or overseeing channel sales. This customization ensures you’re measuring apples to apples.
Steps to Start Sales Team Assessment
Kick off your sales team assessment by gathering critical data and identifying the right benchmarks to evaluate performance effectively.
Collecting the Right Data
Pull essential sales and organizational data from your CRM and HR systems. Focus on these key areas:
- Sales Performance Metrics
Track these indicators to measure results:- Win rates
- Average sales cycle duration
- Pipeline velocity
- Revenue generated per rep
- Customer acquisition costs
- Team Structure Details
Outline your sales team’s organization:- Number of reps by role and territory
- Reporting hierarchy
- Experience levels across the team
- Historical Performance
Gather at least 12 months of historical data to create a baseline for comparison.
Once you’ve collected this data, you’re ready to move on to benchmarking.
Selecting Benchmark Groups
Leverage data from OMG’s benchmarking resources to find comparison groups that reflect your sales environment. Focus on two key factors:
- Industry Fit
Ensure alignment by considering:- Business type (B2B, B2C, or a mix)
- Sales cycle length
- Average deal size
- Company Size Match
Look for benchmarks that align with your company’s scale:- Revenue range
- Number of sales reps
- Geographic reach (regional, national, or global)
Choose benchmarks that mirror your business model and sales dynamics for the most meaningful insights.
Finding Performance Gaps and Growth Areas
Measuring Against Industry Standards
To uncover where your sales team stands, use OMG’s data from a pool of 2.25 million salespeople. Compare your team’s win rates and sales cycle metrics against industry benchmarks. This gives you a clear picture of areas where your team might be lagging and where untapped growth potential lies.
Once you’ve established the overall benchmarks, zoom in on specific skills for a more focused improvement strategy.
Sales Skills Assessment
Evaluate individual team members using OMG’s 21-key competency framework. This structured approach ensures you’re not just guessing but making decisions backed by data.
Assess key competencies for each team member:
| Competency Area | Key Assessment Points |
|---|---|
| Consultative Selling | Identifying problems, crafting solutions, articulating value |
| Negotiation Skills | Comfort with pricing conversations, handling objections, defending value |
| Process Compliance | Managing pipelines, using CRM effectively, consistent follow-ups |
Team-Wide Skill Mapping
Take it a step further by creating a skills map for your entire team. This helps you:
- Spot collective strengths to amplify.
- Pinpoint shared weaknesses that need immediate attention.
- Benchmark your team’s overall skill set against industry leaders.
When analyzing the results, focus on closing gaps in critical areas like prospecting, qualifying leads, and relationship building. Prioritize skills that directly drive revenue, show the biggest disparity from industry benchmarks, and align with your sales methodology. This targeted approach ensures your efforts deliver maximum impact where it matters most.
Steps to Improve Sales Results
Sales Training by Role
To sharpen your team’s skills, start by using OMG assessments to pinpoint gaps in their sales competencies. Why? Because even a modest 10% improvement in these areas can lead to a staggering 33% boost in sales. Once you’ve identified the gaps, tailor training programs to address the most critical needs for each role.
Here’s where to focus:
| Role | Priority Competencies | Training Focus |
|---|---|---|
| Sales Reps | Closing, Qualifying, Value Selling | Individual skill-building, role-playing scenarios |
| Sales Managers | Coaching, Consultative Selling | Leadership skills, team management strategies |
| Account Executives | Decision Maker Access, Relationship Building | Strategic account planning, executive-level communication |
Why does this matter? Sales managers who spend at least 50% of their time coaching their teams see game-changing results:
- 28% higher sales percentile scores
- 13% improvement in qualifying leads
- 24% better closing rates
In short, investing in role-specific training pays off – big time.
Regular Performance Reviews
Training alone isn’t enough. To make those gains stick, you need a system to track and reinforce progress. Regular performance reviews are your secret weapon, especially when you consider that 90% of salespeople report burnout and 54% are actively looking for new jobs. Effective performance management doesn’t just improve results – it keeps your team engaged and loyal.
Here’s how to do it right:
-
Establish Clear Metrics: Build a dashboard that tracks individual and team performance against OMG benchmarks. Include both leading indicators (like prospecting activity) and lagging indicators (like closed deals) to get a full view of effectiveness.
-
Schedule Regular Check-ins: Don’t wait for annual reviews. Quarterly assessments keep the momentum going and let you address challenges before they snowball. Michael Maximoff, founder of Belkins, puts it perfectly:
“Approach it as ‘Hey, here’s the platform for your growth. Here’s the plan for your growth, and this is what we want you to do for you to be successful. These are the tools we’re giving you and how we’re helping you.’”
-
Document Progress: Keep detailed records of each rep’s growth. Focused training can deliver up to a 51% improvement in targeted competencies within a year. Use this data to fine-tune your training, recognize achievements, and tackle new challenges as they arise.
Performance reviews shouldn’t feel like a chore. Think of them as collaborative conversations. When managers prioritize coaching and development, the ripple effects are undeniable: an 18% boost in overall sales competencies can translate into a 59% revenue increase.
Now, ask yourself:
- Are you dedicating enough time to coaching and training?
- Do your performance reviews set your team up for success or just check a box?
- How can you turn these strategies into immediate action for your sales team?
Here’s the bottom line: Training without follow-through is like planting seeds and never watering them. If you want your sales to grow, you need to nurture the process every step of the way.
Conclusion: Using Benchmarks to Build Consistent Sales Growth
The numbers don’t lie: companies using OMG’s benchmarking tools often see sales jump by 30–50% in just one to two years with focused training and coaching. Some even double their sales. How? OMG’s system dives deep, analyzing 180 findings and 21 core competencies to uncover where your team excels – and where they fall short.
Let’s look at the industry data:
- Only 12% of salespeople excel at consultative selling.
- Just 30% are strong in value-based selling.
- Only 54% effectively handle sales objections.
These gaps are where targeted coaching makes all the difference. Sales managers who dedicate at least half their time to coaching – and do it well – see their teams outperform others by 49%.
The process starts with a detailed OMG evaluation to pinpoint your team’s specific challenges. From there, you get tailored training and ongoing performance tracking – designed to fix weaknesses and drive long-term growth. This isn’t a quick fix; it’s a system for building consistent, predictable success.
With over 75,000 assessments conducted annually, OMG provides a data-backed roadmap that shows where you stand today and how to dominate tomorrow.
Your sales team’s potential isn’t just theoretical. With OMG’s benchmarking system and coaching, you can turn that potential into measurable, repeatable growth.
FAQs
How can I use OMG’s 21 Sales Core Competencies to boost my sales team’s performance?
To take your sales team’s performance to the next level, start by assessing them against OMG’s 21 Sales Core Competencies. This comparison – using industry benchmarks and your company’s specific data – lets you pinpoint their strengths and uncover areas that need improvement.
Armed with this information, you’ll have a clear roadmap. You can tackle skill gaps head-on, sharpen their selling effectiveness, and align your team with the standards of top performers. From there, it’s all about targeted coaching and tailored strategies to boost results and fuel consistent growth.
You can purchase OMG Assessments with preferred client pricing directly at Predictable Profits, a premier partner of OMG. Fill out the form found on this page. Predictable Profits CEO was referred to as “the busiest sales coach in the US” by The International Business Times.
How can I align my sales team’s performance with OMG’s industry benchmarks?
To bring your sales team up to Objective Management Group (OMG) industry benchmarks, start by using OMG’s assessment tools to get a clear picture of your team’s strengths and weaknesses. These tools dig deep into critical areas like sales skills, pipeline management, and overall performance.
Once you have the data, stack your team’s metrics against OMG’s benchmarks. Look for gaps in key areas – closing rates, prospecting success, or consultative selling. Pinpoint where your team is falling short and prioritize those areas for improvement.
From there, build a focused plan. Maybe it’s targeted training to sharpen specific skills, one-on-one coaching to address individual needs, or refining processes to eliminate bottlenecks. The goal is to close those gaps with precision.
Keep the momentum going by regularly tracking progress. Use OMG’s tools to measure results and ensure your team stays on course. This approach doesn’t just improve performance – it sets your team up to consistently hit higher standards, driving stronger sales and sustainable growth.
You can purchase OMG Assessments with preferred client pricing directly at Predictable Profits, a premier partner of OMG. Fill out the form found on this page. Predictable Profits CEO was referred to as “the busiest sales coach in the US” by The International Business Times.
How do regular performance reviews and customized training support long-term sales growth using OMG’s methodology?
Regular performance reviews and personalized training are key to OMG’s approach for achieving lasting sales growth. By regularly assessing both individual and team performance against industry benchmarks, businesses can pinpoint strengths, uncover weaknesses, and identify areas that need attention.
From there, tailored training programs step in to close those gaps. These programs provide sales teams with the specific tools and strategies they need to perform at a higher level. The result? Sharper individual skills, a more cohesive team, and alignment with top-tier standards that drive consistent growth and better sales results over the long haul.
You can purchase OMG Assessments with preferred client pricing directly at Predictable Profits, a premier partner of OMG. Fill out the form found on this page. Predictable Profits CEO was referred to as “the busiest sales coach in the US” by The International Business Times.
