Sales leaders want results, not another dashboard full of “insights” nobody uses. If you’re here, you need to set up performance metrics in Setsail for your sales team—so you can actually coach them, not just drown in reports. This guide is for managers and ops folks who want clear, practical steps (and a few honest warnings about what not to bother with).
Let’s get into it.
Step 1: Decide What Actually Matters (Don’t Start in the Tool)
Before you open up Setsail, stop and get specific about what you care about. Most teams track too much and end up ignoring it all. Don’t fall for it.
What to focus on: - Leading indicators — Actions you can influence, like calls made, emails sent, meetings booked, new contacts added. - Lagging indicators — Results you want, like opportunities created, pipeline value, deals closed.
Pro tip: Pick 3-5 metrics max to start. More than that, and you’ll lose focus. If you’re not planning to coach on it, don’t track it.
What to skip: Vanity metrics (e.g., “emails opened,” “tasks created”) or anything you can’t or won’t coach your reps on.
Step 2: Set Up Your Metrics in Setsail
Now, head into Setsail. Their platform connects to your CRM and communication tools, so you can track activity and outcomes automatically.
2.1 Connect Your Data Sources
- Make sure Setsail has access to your CRM (Salesforce, HubSpot, etc.) and your email/calendar (Google, Outlook).
- Follow the connection steps in Setsail—most teams need admin privileges for the integrations.
Heads up: Data quality is everything. If your reps aren’t logging activities in the CRM, Setsail can’t track them. Set expectations early.
2.2 Define the Metrics
- In Setsail, navigate to your analytics or metrics section.
- Create (or edit) metrics for your chosen leading and lagging indicators.
- Example: “Meetings booked per week,” “Opportunities created per month,” “Emails sent per day.”
- Set clear definitions. (e.g., Does “meetings booked” include reschedules? Only first meetings?)
Tip: Write down your definitions somewhere everyone can see. Avoid arguments later.
2.3 Set Targets or Benchmarks
- Add targets for each metric—either company-wide or per rep.
- Use historical data if you have it; if not, start with educated guesses and plan to adjust.
What doesn’t work: Arbitrary targets (“Let’s double last month!”) or copy-pasting industry benchmarks that don’t fit your process.
Step 3: Make Metrics Visible (and Un-Ignoreable)
A metric nobody sees is a metric nobody cares about.
3.1 Build Shared Dashboards
- Use Setsail’s dashboard feature to display your chosen metrics—by rep, by team, by period.
- Stick to the essentials. If it takes more than 10 seconds to spot a win or problem, it’s too crowded.
3.2 Set Up Alerts or Notifications
- Configure weekly or daily summaries for reps and managers. (Don’t overdo it—a flood of alerts will get tuned out.)
- Highlight positive behavior, not just misses. “Hey, you hit your meetings goal!” is more motivating than constant reminders of what’s missing.
What to avoid: Public shaming dashboards. Nobody likes being called out in front of the whole company for missing a metric.
Step 4: Use Metrics for Actual Coaching
Here’s where most teams drop the ball: they track, but don’t coach.
4.1 Review Metrics Regularly
- Schedule weekly 1:1s or team reviews focused on the chosen metrics.
- Don’t just read numbers—ask reps why things look the way they do.
Good questions:
- “I see your meetings booked dropped last week—any obstacles?”
- “You’re crushing new contacts added, but pipeline isn’t growing. What’s going on?”
4.2 Coach on Actions, Not Just Results
- If a rep is missing a leading metric, work together on what they can do differently.
- Celebrate improvements, not just hitting the final number.
Pro tip: Reps will game any metric if that’s all you care about. Keep an eye on the why behind the numbers.
4.3 Adjust Metrics as You Learn
- If a metric isn’t driving better behavior or results, kill it. Replace with something more useful.
- Get rep feedback. If they say a metric is pointless, dig into why.
Step 5: Avoid Common Traps
A few things most teams get wrong with Setsail (or any sales metrics platform):
- Tracking too much: Pick a small set, then iterate.
- Focusing only on activity: More calls don’t always mean more sales. Connect actions to outcomes.
- Ignoring context: A bad week might mean bad leads, not bad effort. Metrics without context are useless.
- Letting the tool run you: Setsail is a tool, not a strategy. You still need to ask “so what?” about every number.
Step 6: Keep It Simple and Iterate
- Start small: a handful of metrics, clear definitions, regular reviews.
- Watch what actually drives coaching conversations (and, ideally, better results).
- Adjust as you go. If something isn’t helping, stop tracking it.
- Don’t expect Setsail (or any software) to “fix” sales coaching. It’s there to help you spot trends and have better conversations—not to automate the hard parts.
Bottom line:
Use Setsail to shine a light on what matters, not to drown your team in data. Keep your metrics focused, your reviews honest, and your coaching actionable. You’ll get more out of both the tool and your reps. And remember: you can always tweak and improve as you go—no need to get it perfect on day one.