Are Sales Professionals Moving Away from Selling as Their Main Activity?

47% of Sales Professionals Don't Cite Selling as Their Main Activity

Sales professionals are a diverse group, working in various industries and fulfilling different roles. However, a recent statistic from Pipedrive, a customer relationship management platform, reveals that only 53% of sales professionals report spending most of their workday on selling. This means that nearly half of sales professionals do not cite selling as their main activity.

What are these sales professionals doing instead? It depends on their individual roles. Some may spend their time on administrative tasks, while others may be focused on building relationships with prospects and leads. Additionally, sales professionals in certain industries may have different responsibilities than those in others.

While not all sales professionals need to spend the majority of their time actively selling, understanding how to optimize their time is crucial for achieving sales goals. Sales managers can work with their team members to ensure that everyone is focused on activities that will have the biggest impact on the company’s bottom line.

By optimizing the sales process, sales organizations can streamline tasks that can be automated or delegated. This can increase productivity and free up time for sales professionals to focus on activities that directly contribute to achieving sales goals.

The diversity of the sales profession means that not all sales professionals spend most of their time actively selling. However, understanding how sales professionals spend their time is crucial for achieving sales goals and optimizing productivity. By working with sales professionals to ensure they are focused on the most impactful activities, sales organizations can increase their chances of success.

More 2022 Stats

55% of B2B buyers search for information on social media.

77% of respondents said that their company provides at least a quarter of their leads

Even with a return to in-person lifestyles, only 20% of B2B buyers say they hope to return to in-person sales.

67% of customers prefer self-service over speaking to a company representative

48% of salespeople never even make a single follow up attempt.

The best time to make sales calls is within 1 hour of receiving their initial inquiry

72 percent of business leaders said that sales tool integrations are essential to retaining business and beating the competition.

Top Performers’ Discovery Calls 76% Longer and Presentation Meetings 55% Longer than Average Performers

55% of sales reps say budget is the most common reason a promising deal falls through

B2B customers use 10 different channels during their decision-making process

More Sales Trends Stats

A study by GetAccept revealed that sales reps experienced a 40% improvement in win rates when using online proposal software.

66% of sales professionals say leads generated from customer referrals are the highest quality leads they work.

Even with a return to in-person lifestyles, only 20% of B2B buyers say they hope to return to in-person sales.

According to HubSpot, the length of a sales cycle decreased by an average of 15% when virtual sales tools were used.

71% of salespeople said they were conducting more than half their sales virtually.

56% of sales professionals get leads from existing customer referrals.

21% Higher Job Satisfaction for Salespeople Spending More Than 4 Hours a Day on Sales Activities

66% of sales reps say they’re drowning in tools

57% of C-level buyers prefer to be contacted via phone.

2% is the average success rate for cold calling

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