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More InformationIn this chilled but practical episode, Dominka sits down with Anamarija (BD Strategist) to unpack KPI reports that actually drive outcomes in outbound. We go from gut-feel to numbers, define the few KPIs that matter for cold calling, and show how to turn dashboards into better conversations with clients.
You’ll hear how we keep reporting simple, transparent and visual (CRM first, Plecto when you need it), why Telephone Decision-Maker Reach is the easiest lever to improve fast, and how to connect KPIs to CAC, win rate and channel fit without drowning in vanity metrics.
6 minutes
Reporting’s dual purpose: internal control & client transparency
From gut-feel to measurable progress
Core outbound KPIs (call-to-connect, decision-maker reach, pass rate, opportunity rate)
Gatekeepers, list quality & timing: the levers behind reach
When low conversion is about the market, not the caller
Linking outbound to CAC and channel viability
Win rate after the meeting: aligning with client sales
CRM reports vs. Excel vs. Plecto dashboards
“Keep it simple”: five-KPI dashboard rule
Color semantics (green good, red fix) and why visuals matter
Setting expectations & explaining ranges to clients
Vanity KPIs to ignore (and why context beats count)
Turning numbers into a dialogue, not a dump
Mini-game: KPI “Real or Ridiculous?”
KPI reports serve two audiences: your team (are we improving?) and your client (transparent progress + shared decisions). Without context, numbers are noise; with a narrative, they become decisions.
Use reports to surface positive/negative trends early.
Always attach explanations and next steps—never send “numbers only.”
Set expectations: what does “good” usually look like for this project type?
We keep a small core set that maps to the cold-calling funnel. Definitions stay practical and comparable across projects.
Call-to-Connect: % of calls that reach a human.
Telephone Decision-Maker Reach (TDMR): % of targeted companies where we speak to the right person.
Pass Rate & Opportunity Rate: interest shown and meetings created from all contacted accounts.
TDMR is the easiest KPI to move—train the team and tune the inputs.
Fix the list (ICP, direct dials, role accuracy) and your reach jumps.
Gatekeeper handling is coachable; practice routes and scripts.
Calling hours matter: align with industry rhythms and shift schedules.
Low conversion isn’t always the caller—it can be offer/ICP/market timing.
Diagnose list fit and messaging before changing volume.
Consider market headwinds; widen or tighten ICP accordingly.
Track changes over cohorts, not just weekly snapshots.
Meetings don’t close themselves—win rate downstream still reflects on upstream quality.
Share call context so the client can prep effectively.
If good leads don’t convert, co-diagnose sales steps post-handoff.
Treat client win rate as a feedback loop to refine targeting.
Before scaling, test whether outbound can hit sustainable CAC versus alternatives.
Add up all inputs (people + tools + media) and compare to deal value.
Use early KPI signals to decide scale/stop/pivot.
Outbound may complement—not replace—other channels.
Start with built-in CRM reports; graduate when you hit limits.
CRM insights are enough for simple funnels.
Excel works but lacks real-time visuals and adoption.
Plecto gives unified, color-coded dashboards the whole team actually uses.
If a metric doesn’t change a decision, drop it. Keep the board readable.
Aim for ≤5 KPIs per dashboard view.
Use green/red to highlight action, not to punish.
Review often: daily for ops, weekly for strategy, always with narrative.
We stress-test metrics for usefulness and realism.
Real: Call-to-Connect; First-Call Close (more B2C than B2B).
Borderline: Objection frequency (AI-detectable but hard to define).
Ridiculous/Vanity: “Lead warmth index” without a decision attached.
KPIs are only useful when paired with clear explanations and actions.
Start simple: a handful of KPIs tied to stages you can influence.
TDMR is your quickest win—train gatekeeper skills and clean lists.
Read conversion rates in market context; don’t overreact to a bad week.
Tie outbound to CAC & win rate to prove channel viability.
Use CRM reports first; adopt Plecto when you need visual, shared dashboards.
Cap each dashboard at ~5 KPIs; trim vanity metrics.
Reports are a dialogue, not a data dump—align on ranges and next steps.
“Numbers without context are just noise—explain what changed and what you’ll do next.”
“Telephone decision-maker reach is the easiest KPI to fix: better lists, better timing, better gatekeeper skills.”
“Keep it simple. If a KPI doesn’t change a decision, it doesn’t belong on the dashboard.”
Anamarija — BD Strategist, OB2B — LinkedIn
Dominka — Host, OB2B — LinkedIn
What five KPIs should a cold-calling team start with?
Call-to-Connect, TDMR (decision-maker reach), Pass Rate (interest), Opportunity Rate (meetings), and a CAC proxy (cost per qualified meeting). These cover reach, quality and economics without overcomplicating reporting.
How often should we review KPIs?
Daily for operational steering (e.g., reach, timing, gatekeeper effects), weekly for strategy (conversion trends, list/offer tests). Always attach a short narrative and next steps; never ship raw numbers alone.
What’s a “good” conversion rate?
It depends on ICP, offer, and market cycle. Agree a target range with the client at kickoff (based on comparable projects) and treat it as a benchmark to learn against, not a rigid quota.
Which tools are enough for KPI reporting?
Start with your CRM’s native reports. If you need real-time, multi-source visuals the whole team adopts, move to a dashboard tool (we use Plecto). Excel can work early on but tends to slow down insight and adoption.
Dominka sits down with Josip Podrug, a real estate agent in Cochrane, Canada, to compare cold calling realities across the Atlantic—and to test a few “Hollywood assumptions” along the way.
The big promise: whether you’re selling B2B services in DACH or booking showings in Canada, the work still comes down to the same essentials—timed follow-ups, value-led nurturing, and human conversations that earn trust.
In this episode of “Dialing Out,” we unpack a decade in B2B sales with Anamarija—spanning Presales (BDR), Account Executive, and After-Sales/Project Handling. What actually moves deals forward when the pitch ends? We dive into lead hygiene, follow-ups, objection handling, and the pivots that turn shaky starts into long-term partnerships.
AI notetakers are now a staple in our sales stack—not because they’re flashy, but because they turn messy calls into clean, actionable next steps. In this episode of Dialing Out, Dominka and Anamarija unpack how transcripts save time, sharpen follow-ups, and build a reusable knowledge base for onboarding and hand-offs.
And the success is guaranteed.
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