Resource roundup: 9 tools that get sales results without the guesswork

Sales teams face nonstop pressure to hit targets, track performance, and respond to changing customer behavior. Metrics are everywhere, but using them well takes the right approach—and the right tools.

This roundup collects materials from The KPI Institute designed to help managers and teams get better at measuring, understanding, and improving sales performance. While some of these resources were created in earlier years, their content remains directly useful for today’s performance work. Expect practical examples, clear KPIs, and frameworks that still apply across industries.

1. KPIs for Sales Performance: This infographic outlines key metrics across the sales function. It highlights how sales KPIs support broader strategy and provides examples for tracking outcomes at multiple levels. Part of The KPI Institute’s cross-functional KPI series.
2. KPIs for Sales Cycle: Focuses on the process behind every sale—from lead generation to close. This resource groups KPIs based on sales cycle stages and helps with tracking both time and conversion at each point. Also part of the cross-functional KPI series.
3. KPIs for Sales Force: Covers metrics used to evaluate individual and team performance across sales roles. Includes examples related to activity levels, pipeline contribution, and revenue impact. One of several functional KPI infographics developed for targeted use in departments.
4. KPI of the Month: % Sales Conversion Rate: This infographic breaks down one of the most discussed KPIs in sales: conversion rate. It covers what the number really tells you, how to calculate it, and how to use it in context. Built for anyone who needs more than just a surface-level metric.
5. Top 25 Sales KPIs – 2016 Extended Edition: This report lists the most popular sales KPIs as used by professionals worldwide between 2009 and 2015. It includes two pages of documentation per KPI, plus articles on setup and selection. A reliable reference for refreshing your KPI framework or comparing current metrics to established ones.
6. The Sales and Customer Service KPI Dictionary: Covers over 220 KPIs across sales and customer service. Built for teams setting up measurement systems or fine-tuning existing ones. Includes formulas, category groupings, and terminology definitions that hold up across roles and industries.
7. Leveraging Data for Improving Sales and Marketing by Understanding the Customers: This article outlines how to use customer data to improve targeting, messaging, and performance. Focused on practical steps for translating insights into better sales and marketing alignment.
8. How Innovation Helps the Growth of Digital Sales: Explores how new tools and ideas are changing digital sales environments. The piece connects real shifts in buyer behavior with new ways of working in sales.
9. 5 Ways You Can Boost the Sales Value of Your Green Business: Gives practical tactics for making sustainable products more compelling to buyers. This article looks at sales messaging, pricing, and customer expectations tied to green business models.

These resources give sales teams structure, not just ideas. Whether you’re rebuilding your KPI system or trying to improve daily decisions, they offer real support for getting better outcomes from your efforts!