Industry BenchmarksConsulting

Consulting Firm Sales Benchmarks

Specialized benchmarks for management, strategy, and technology consulting. Discover how top consulting firms win large engagements through expertise, case studies, and relationship building.

939 CompaniesQ1-Q3 2025 Data10 Metrics

Consulting Sales Characteristics

  • High-value, strategic engagements
  • Long sales cycles (3-12 months)
  • Multiple stakeholder influence
  • Extensive proof-of-concept requirements
  • Partnership-based selling approach

Key Performance Metrics

Average CRM Input Time
142 min/day
+2% vs. overall

Detailed tracking of complex stakeholder relationships

Pipeline Conversion Rate
22%
-4% vs. overall

Competitive evaluations with multiple finalists

Sales Velocity
$2,400/day
+26% vs. manufacturing

High deal values offset longer cycles

AI Adoption Rate
38%
+14% vs. overall

Early adopters for research and proposal generation

Demo-to-Close Rate
28%
+3pt vs. overall

Strong case study presentations drive conversion

MQL to SQL Rate
38%
-2pt vs. overall

High-intent leads but extensive qualification needed

Detailed Benchmarks & Questions

What is the average CRM input time for B2B sales reps?

B2B sales reps spend 139 minutes/day (2.3 hours) on CRM input. AI-powered CRMs reduce this by 45%.

✓ Data AvailableSegmented by industry & size

What is a healthy sales pipeline conversion rate?

Overall B2B average: 23%. Top performers: 35%+. Varies by industry: SaaS 25%, Manufacturing 20%.

✓ Data AvailableSegmented by industry & size

What is sales velocity and how to calculate it?

Formula: (# Opps × Avg Deal × Win Rate) / Cycle Days. B2B SaaS average: $8,219/day ($3M annual).

✓ Data AvailableSegmented by industry & size

What is the average sales cycle length by industry?

SaaS: 84 days, Manufacturing: 136 days, Services: 98 days. Enterprise deals 2-3x longer.

✓ Data AvailableSegmented by industry & size

How much does AI improve sales productivity?

AI adoption increases productivity by 28% on average. Admin time reduced 45%, pipeline generation +18%.

✓ Data AvailableSegmented by industry & size

What percentage of sales teams use AI?

39% of B2B sales teams now use AI tools. SaaS leads at 48%, manufacturing lags at 18%.

✓ Data AvailableSegmented by industry & size

What is the average demo-to-close conversion rate?

Average: 25%. SaaS 30%, Services 22%, Manufacturing 20%. Interactive demos: 38% (+52% vs. screen share).

✓ Data AvailableSegmented by industry & size

How to build a sales playbook from scratch?

5 steps: Goals/KPIs → ICPs → Messaging → Process mapping → Training. 40 hours to build, update quarterly.

✓ Data AvailableSegmented by industry & size

What is the average win rate by sales stage?

Discovery 40% → Qualification 55% → Proposal 70% → Negotiation 85% → Close. Biggest drop: Qualification to Proposal (-20pt).

✓ Data AvailableSegmented by industry & size

What is a good NPS score for B2B companies?

B2B average: 30-40. Excellent 50+, Good 30-49, Fair 10-29, Poor <10. SaaS typically 5-10 points higher.

✓ Data AvailableSegmented by industry & size

Consulting Insights

📁

Case Studies Are Currency

Consulting firms with 15+ relevant case studies win 2.5x more competitive deals than those with generic experience portfolios.

👔

Partner Involvement Closes Deals

Engagements with partner-level involvement in final presentations see 45% higher close rates and 30% larger deal sizes.

🔄

Repeat Business Dominates

Top consulting firms derive 70% of revenue from existing clients, emphasizing delivery excellence over new business development.

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