How to track sales team performance metrics with Superhuman

If you’re running a sales team, you already know two things: email dominates your day, and it’s way too easy for “performance metrics” to become an afterthought. If you’re using Superhuman, or thinking about it, you’re probably hoping it’ll help you move faster and see what’s working, not just give you another inbox. This guide is for sales leads, managers, and anyone who wants to actually see how their team’s performing—without getting lost in dashboards or buzzwords.

Let’s get into how to track the sales metrics that matter, using Superhuman’s real strengths (and a few workarounds where it falls short).

Step 1: Know What Metrics Actually Matter

Before you start fiddling with tools, be clear about what you’re tracking. Too many teams track everything and end up seeing nothing useful.

For most sales teams, focus on:

  • Outbound volume: How many cold emails are being sent, by whom?
  • Response rates: Who’s getting replies, and how quickly?
  • Follow-up cadence: Are reps actually following up, or letting leads go cold?
  • Deal progress: Are conversations moving forward, or stuck in “just checking in” limbo?
  • Time-to-response: How fast does your team reply to inbound leads or important prospects?

Ignore the vanity stuff—like how many emails someone opens, or how many times a thread was snoozed. If it doesn’t help you coach someone or close deals, skip it.

Step 2: Set Up Superhuman for Sales Tracking

Superhuman isn’t a full-blown CRM, but it’s a killer email client that makes you (and your team) much faster—if you set it up right. Here’s how to prep it for tracking real sales activity.

a) Use Shared Labels (or Tags) for Tracking

Superhuman supports Gmail labels, which are your friend for keeping things organized.

  • Create labels for stages like Prospect, Qualified, Demo Scheduled, Negotiation, Closed Won, Closed Lost. (Yes, this is basic—skip this step if you’re already using a CRM for it.)
  • Have reps tag emails as they move deals along. It’s manual, but it’s more reliable than searching for “Re: following up.”

Pro tip: Consistency matters. Make a one-pager for your team that says exactly when to add which label. Otherwise, everything will end up in “General” and you won’t learn a thing.

b) Use Snippets and Templates

Superhuman’s snippets are huge time savers. Set up templates for common outbound messages and follow-ups.

  • Track which snippets get replies (it’s not automated, but you’ll notice fast which ones work and which get ignored).
  • Update snippets when you find ones that land better.

c) Keyboard Shortcuts and Split Inbox

Teach your team to use Superhuman’s shortcuts to get through email faster. The less time they spend “processing” email, the more time they spend actually selling.

  • Use split inboxes to separate leads from everything else. Example: one split for @Leads, another for @Customers.

What doesn’t work: Don’t try to shoehorn deal notes or call logs into email labels. That’s what a CRM is for. If you find yourself writing “Called twice, left voicemail” in subject lines, it’s time to rethink.

Step 3: Track Activity with Search and Saved Views

Superhuman has powerful search—use it.

a) Search by Sender or Label

  • from:teammate@company.com label:Prospect after:2024/05/01 — See all prospecting emails sent by a rep this month.
  • label:Negotiation — See everything in negotiation, across the team.

You can save searches for quick access. It’s not a dashboard, but it’s fast.

b) Track Response Times

Superhuman doesn’t have built-in analytics for reply times, but you can track it manually:

  • Search for threads (e.g., label:@Leads) and look at timestamps on replies.
  • For bigger teams, have reps BCC a shared mailbox on key emails. You can then analyze reply times outside Superhuman, if you’re into spreadsheets.

Reality check: If you have more than 10 reps, this will get messy. For small teams, it’s fine. For larger teams, think about adding a lightweight CRM just for tracking.

Step 4: Use Read Status and Reminders (But Don’t Obsess)

Superhuman shows you when emails are read. This is handy for sales, but don’t get carried away.

  • Use read status to time your follow-ups, but remember: some folks use privacy tools that block this.
  • Remind yourself to follow up if there’s no reply after 2-3 days. Superhuman’s “Remind Me” feature is great for this—just hit Cmd+Shift+H (or Ctrl+Shift+H on Windows).

What to ignore:

  • Don’t micromanage your team based on read receipts. They’re not 100% accurate and can lead to pointless anxiety.

Step 5: Report and Review—Without Getting Lost in Data

You want to know: Is the team actually moving deals forward? You don’t need a 10-tab spreadsheet.

a) Weekly Review

At the end of each week, have reps:

  • Export or summarize the number of outbound emails sent (using searches above).
  • List deals that moved stages (based on labels).
  • Share snippets that got responses.

Keep it simple. The goal is to spot what’s working, not to drown in numbers.

b) Spot Issues Early

  • If a rep has tons of prospects but few replies, check their templates or follow-up timing.
  • If deals are stuck in “Negotiation” for weeks, dig in—maybe they need support.

c) Sync with Your CRM (If You Use One)

Superhuman integrates with some CRMs (like Salesforce or HubSpot) through plugins or Zapier, but honestly, these can be hit-or-miss. If you’re not all-in on a CRM, keep your tracking in Superhuman and do a manual sync once a week.

Pro tip: Don’t waste hours trying to make a “perfect” integration. If copy-pasting a weekly summary works, do that.

Step 6: Automate What You Can—But Don’t Overdo It

Superhuman isn’t built for deep automation, but you can save time with:

  • Zapier: Trigger a zap when you apply a certain label (e.g., Closed Won), and log it in Google Sheets or Slack.
  • Shared Inboxes: For inbound leads, set up a shared inbox and split it in Superhuman so everyone sees what’s new.

But be skeptical: Most sales teams spend too much time “setting up systems” and not enough time selling. Automate the repetitive stuff—like reminders—but don’t get lost in integration rabbit holes.

What Superhuman Does Well (and Where It Falls Short)

Strengths:

  • Super fast email triage and follow-up.
  • Simple, reliable reminders so leads don’t slip through the cracks.
  • Easy labeling and searching for quick manual reporting.

Weaknesses:

  • No built-in dashboards or real analytics. You’re still doing most tracking yourself.
  • No deal pipeline view. If you need Kanban boards, use a CRM.
  • Read receipts are hit-or-miss—don’t build your workflow around them.

Final Thoughts: Keep It Simple, Iterate Fast

Sales tracking doesn’t have to be fancy. Start by using Superhuman to organize, search, and follow up faster. Have your team tag deals, track their own activity, and share what’s working. If you outgrow this setup, move to a lightweight CRM—but don’t jump there just because someone at a conference said so.

The best systems are the ones your team actually uses. Start simple, see what’s missing, and tweak as you go. The goal isn’t more data—it’s more deals closed, with less hassle.