Here is a very comprehensive study found in a web search today on the cost of sales calls.
A study of more than 23,000 businesses was conducted and prepared by Cahners Research. The study is about the cost of direct sales calls and inside sales efforts in business-to-business selling. It is comprehensive and linked as a sixteen page PDF document. Nice job, researchers.
It reinforces the need for greater understanding of what is going on in your sales team.
For example, it states that the average salesperson spends almost 3/4 of his or her active selling time with existing customers. Less than 20% of sales efforts are being spent on new prospective customers.
Amazingly, most CEOs and company presidents have no process in place or way to objectively measure how little time their sales team members are out there prospecting for new business opportunities. There is also little known about what is being said in articulating (or not) the value of their products or services.
Other amazing facts are found in the study. This is a good one to forward on to any company head who is interested in improving sales / marketshare.
