Deals, size, win rate, and cycle. Easy to say. Hard to master.
The problem with results-only thinking
Most sales teams are managed through results; revenue, growth, margin.
But results are a consequence, not a cause.
You can celebrate hitting target this quarter… and still be heading toward a wall.
Because results show you the past. Velocity shows you the future.
Sales Velocity measures how fast your commercial system turns opportunities into revenue.
It’s the difference between a team that’s lucky and a team that’s truly performing.
Why Velocity beats Results
Results are static. Velocity is dynamic.
Results tell you “what happened.”
Velocity tells you “how it’s happening.” It reveals the forces at play before results appear, the quantity, quality, and rhythm of your sales engine.
Results create pressure. Velocity creates progress.
When leaders chase results, they often push for end-of-quarter miracles.
Velocity helps you see leverage points instead: where small changes (in deals, size, win rate, or cycle) multiply performance without burning out your team.
Results are symptoms. Velocity is diagnosis.
If you miss the target, is it because you lack deals, win rate, or deal size?
Velocity breaks down the problem and gives you a structured way to act.
The Four Levers (and their hidden traps)
- Deals (Quantity) – More activity ≠ More performance. Overfilling your pipeline often hides poor qualification.
- Deal Size (Value) – Chasing big deals inflates the ego but slows cycles.
- Win Rate (Quality) – Too high? You might be playing it too safe.
- Sales Cycle (Speed) – Cutting it too short can destroy trust and margin.
Every lever influences the others. Mastery comes from balance, not brute force.
The shift that changes everything
Velocity transforms the conversation from “How much did we sell?” to “How well are we selling?”
It connects effort, skill, and system.
Once you start measuring velocity, you’ll never see sales performance the same way again.
Learning for Performance 