Most sales people hate metrics, and the security industry is no exception. I understand the disdain for these measurements: they’re usually based on guesses from the 1980s, most managers only use them when it’s too late, they usually require useless reporting, and commissions aren’t paid on metrics. Why would anyone appreciate these things?
However, there is a great advantage to utilizing metrics. Not every successful sales person knows their metrics, but every sales person that knows their metrics is successful. Every now and then you get a superstar who was born to sell, but the other 98% of the time you need to instill a habit of measuring key performance indicators that lead to success.
Unfortunately, the science of setting and utilizing metrics is one of the most misused practices in the world of security sales. Why do metrics matter? If they’re the right metrics, they can help you modify your activity, predict gaps in your performance, isolate peak performance, and help keep you sane during a slow month of bookings. Use empirical data and a scientific approach to establishing the right metrics, and then coach your team every week against the metrics – good and bad.
