Best practices for leading sales in a SaaS company

Leading sales in a SaaS company is about more than closing deals. It’s about building a repeatable, scalable motion that drives long-term growth and retention.

1. Start with ICP and use cases
   Be explicit about who you sell to and which problems you solve. Sales velocity improves when reps focus on a narrow ICP with clear, repeatable use cases.
2. Align sales with product and CS
   SaaS growth is not closed at signature. Tight collaboration with Product and Customer Success drives adoption, expansion, and net revenue retention.
3. Manage by pipeline quality, not just volume
   A clean pipeline with clear probabilities beats inflated numbers. Forecast accuracy builds trust with the board and helps the team aim higher.
4. Incentivize long-term value
   Design quotas and bonuses around ARR quality, retention, and expansion—not just new logos.
5. Build a scalable sales motion
   Document playbooks, standardize processes, and invest in RevOps early. What works at 5 reps must still work at 25.
6. Lead with transparency and pace
   Be clear on targets, honest on gaps, and fast in decision-making. Strong sales leadership is about focus, not noise.