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White Paper • 1 min read

2020 State of SMB Sales

In this whitepaper, we take a look at what has changed for SMB sales teams in recent years, the main issues facing SMB sales teams, and the role of technology at small and mid-sized companies.

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There are both challenges and benefits to a sales role at a small or mid-sized business (SMB). Working in sales at a smaller company usually means you have few resources to support sales efforts, deal with administrative work, and provide professional guidance. On the flip side, there are usually fewer layers of bureaucracy so it is easier to get things done. SMB sales professionals may appreciate greater flexibility to delight customers or to respond to changing market demands.

This study examines trends in selling among SMBs and endeavors to answer important questions. What has changed for SMB sales teams in recent years? What are the main issues facing SMB sales teams? What is the role of technology at small and mid-sized companies? We have also included a special section exploring the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Key findings:

  1. SMB sales cycles are changing


    94% say customers have changed in the past five years and 76% report this change in customer behavior is substantial.

  2. Modern SMB sales professionals deal with a range of challenges


    90% report sales reps at SMBs face challenges. Top challenges include contacts that don’t respond to phone calls, unpleasant customers, and complicated systems for tracking sales.

  3. Good technology enables strong sales relationships


    96% of SMBs have adopted technology to improve the sales cycle and 94% agree good technology is great for customer relationships

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