Inside sales measures everything, your reps need to see the ones that matter!
I talk to a lot of sales leaders, and the pattern is painfully familiar Weekly reports that take three hours to build… with 47 KPIs jammed in. Salespeople spending more time explaining their numbers than actually improving them.
When’s the last time a rep looked at your performance dashboard and said,
“Oh wow—now I know exactly what to do next!”
Crickets?
Exactly.
Most sales metrics are measurable… but not meaningful.
They show what happened, but they don’t guide what should happen next.
So let’s change that.
Here are three metrics that track performance and actively help your inside sales team sell more.
1. Talk-to-Connect Ratio
Why it matters: It tells you what’s actually working at the top of the funnel.
Most sales orgs track calls made or emails sent and yes we all know, volume matters. Volume without connection is just digital noise.
Talk-to-connect ratio measures how often reps turn outreach into real conversations.
Not voicemails. Not “out of office.” Not ghosted emails.
Talk-to-connect = meaningful interaction / total outreach.
So what does the ratio actually tell you?
- If all they’re doing is dialing and no one’s picking up? Time to look at your lists—or your message.
- Numbers suddenly tank? Don’t blame the rep—check your data quality first.
- Great ratio but no deals moving? You’ve got a qualification problem, not a call problem.
2. Average Time Between Touches
Why it matters: It shows you how consistent your reps really are.
We all know sales is about consistency in follow-up. But how long is “too long” between touches?
This metric tracks the average time gap between one outreach and the next for each rep and each deal.
What does this metric reveal that you’d otherwise miss?
- The rep who follows up once… and vanishes.
- The one who blitzes in 48 hours, then drops off the planet.
- That “sure-thing” deal may not be dead, the rep’s cadence is off.
You’re not looking to point fingers and say reps are lazy, you know they’re busy. But sales is about timing. If you’re not following up with rhythm, you’re leaving money on the table.
This metric helps you coach consistency and uncover workflow gaps before they kill momentum.
(Also? It’s a polite way to call out when “I followed up!” really means “I sent one email last month.”)
3. Pipeline Velocity by Stage
Why it matters: It tells you where deals actually get stuck.
If you only look at total pipeline value, you’re missing the story.
Velocity tells you how fast deals move through each stage of the pipeline.
Think of it as your pipeline’s metabolism.
Let’s say:
- Discovery → Demo = 2 days
- Demo → Proposal = 11 days
- Proposal → Closed = 4 days
Velocity isn’t about pushing something forward before the prospect is ready, it’s about pinpointing what is happening.
- Stage 2’s dragging? Dig into how long it takes to prep a proposal.
- Deals dying late? Maybe your pricing leaves buyers stalling.
- Everything’s moving but nothing’s closing? Time to coach commitment early.
Velocity gives you leverage to know what is working and what’s not. Instead of “close more!” you can say “Let’s shave 3 days off Stage 3 this quarter.”
Now you’re coaching based on data with actual impact.
A Quick Rant: No, You Don’t Need 27 KPIs
Can we stop pretending that more data = more clarity?
If your reps are staring at dashboards they don’t understand, they’re distracted not being drive by the data.
.Here’s what I tell clients:
Pick 3–5 core metrics. That’s it.
And make sure every single one passes this test:
✅ Is it visible?
✅ Is it coachable?
✅ Is it something the rep can influence this week?
If the answer’s no; ditch it or move it to a manager-only report.
Time to Rethink the Dashboard
Now’s the part where I ask you to look in the mirror.
Open your sales dashboard, grab a pen and answer this:
- Which metrics make your reps better, not just busier?
- Which ones are they actually using… without you bugging them?
- Which one would you fight to keep if I made you delete the rest?
If you can’t answer those questions, it’s time to simplify.
Start with the three we talked about:
- Talk-to-Connect Ratio
- Average Time Between Touches
- Pipeline Velocity by Stage
They’re not magic. They’re not trendy. They’re just… useful.
You don’t need more metrics.
Ditch the clutter.
Get focused.
Help your team sell smarter tomorrow than they did today.