Definition
Sales stage velocity measures how quickly opportunities move through each pipeline stage.
Formula
Stage velocity = deals moving stages / time in stage
Example
If 20 deals exit a stage in a week, velocity is 20 per week.
How to use it
- Low velocity usually signals stage friction or weak qualification.
- Use velocity to prioritize enablement and process fixes.
- Track velocity by segment and rep to spot coaching opportunities.
- Review velocity after pricing or process changes to confirm impact.
- Use p50 and p75 stage duration alongside velocity for clarity.
Common mistakes
- Comparing velocity across stages with different definitions.
- Ignoring seasonality that affects buyer behavior.
- Measuring velocity without excluding stalled or recycled deals.
- Relying on averages instead of p50/p75 by stage.
Why this matters
This term matters because small changes compound in SaaS metrics. Use consistent definitions by cohort and segment so you can diagnose retention, payback, and growth quality.
Practical checklist
- Write a 1-line definition for "Sales Stage Velocity" that your team will use consistently.
- Keep the time window consistent (weekly/monthly/quarterly) when comparing trends.
- Segment results (channel/plan/cohort) before drawing big conclusions from blended averages.
- Sanity-check with a related calculator from the same category on MetricKit.
- Read the related guide (e.g., Sales ops metrics hub: quota, pipeline, win rate, and capacity planning) for context and common pitfalls.
Where to use this on MetricKit
Calculators
- Trial-to-paid Conversion Calculator: Compute trial-to-paid conversion rate and estimate required conversions to hit a target.
- DAU/MAU (Stickiness) Calculator: Compute DAU/MAU stickiness and translate it into implied active days per month.
- WAU/MAU Calculator: Compute WAU/MAU and translate it into implied active weeks per month.
- Feature Adoption Rate Calculator: Compute feature adoption: what % of active users used a specific feature in a time window.
- PQL to Paid Conversion Calculator: Compute PQL-to-paid conversion rate and the number of paid customers implied by PQL volume.
Guides
- Sales ops metrics hub: quota, pipeline, win rate, and capacity planning: A practical hub for sales ops planning: quota attainment, pipeline coverage, required pipeline, sales capacity with ramp, and OTE math.