How to Calculate Win Rate
Win rate measures the percentage of sales opportunities that convert to closed deals. Learn the win rate formula, segmentation strategies, and how to improve close rates.
Win rate is the percentage of sales opportunities that result in closed-won deals, measuring how effectively your sales team converts prospects into customers. It is calculated by dividing the number of won deals by the total number of closed opportunities (both won and lost) over a specific period. Win rate is a fundamental sales effectiveness metric that informs forecasting, pipeline management, and sales strategy decisions.
Win Rate Formula
Win Rate = (Closed-Won Deals / Total Closed Deals) x 100
Where Total Closed Deals = Closed-Won + Closed-Lost
Note: Open opportunities are excluded from the calculation - win rate only measures completed sales cycles.
Step-by-Step Calculation
Step 1: Define the Time Period
Select a consistent measurement period - monthly, quarterly, or annually. Ensure you have sufficient closed deals for statistical significance.
Step 2: Count Closed-Won Deals
Identify opportunities with a closed-won outcome during the period:
- Deal marked as won
- Contract signed
- Revenue recognized (depending on your definition)
Step 3: Count Total Closed Deals
Sum closed-won and closed-lost opportunities:
Total Closed = Closed-Won + Closed-Lost
Exclude:
- Open opportunities (still in progress)
- Disqualified opportunities (if your definition excludes them)
- No-decision outcomes (clarify how to treat these)
Step 4: Calculate Win Rate
Win Rate = (Closed-Won / Total Closed) x 100
Example Calculation
Quarterly win rate for a sales team:
| Outcome | Count |
|---|---|
| Closed-Won | 45 |
| Closed-Lost | 135 |
| Still Open | 80 (excluded) |
| Total Closed | 180 |
Win Rate = (45 / 180) x 100 = 25%
This team closes 1 in 4 qualified opportunities that reach a final decision.
Win Rate Variations
Opportunity-Based Win Rate
Standard calculation - percentage of opportunities won:
Opportunity Win Rate = Won Deals / Total Closed Deals x 100
Value-Based Win Rate
Weighted by deal value - shows revenue capture efficiency:
Value Win Rate = Won Deal Revenue / Total Closed Deal Revenue x 100
A team might have 25% opportunity win rate but 40% value win rate if they win larger deals more often.
Stage-Based Win Rate
Win rate from specific pipeline stages:
Stage Win Rate = Deals Won from Stage / Deals Entering Stage x 100
Example: 60% of deals that reach Proposal stage ultimately close.
Competitive Win Rate
Win rate against specific competitors:
Competitive Win Rate = Deals Won vs Competitor / Total Competitive Deals x 100
Identifies competitive strengths and weaknesses.
Win Rate Benchmarks
| Segment | Typical Win Rate |
|---|---|
| Enterprise B2B | 15-25% |
| Mid-Market B2B | 20-30% |
| SMB B2B | 25-40% |
| Transactional/Inbound | 30-50% |
| Complex/Consultative | 10-20% |
Win rate expectations vary significantly. A complex enterprise sale with 18% win rate may outperform a simple SMB sale at 35% in revenue terms.
Interpreting Win Rate Changes
Win Rate Increasing
Positive indicators:
- Better qualification
- Improved sales execution
- Stronger competitive position
- Better product-market fit
Potential concerns:
- Sandbagging pipeline (only pursuing easy wins)
- Insufficient pipeline volume
- Over-discounting to close
Win Rate Decreasing
Potential causes:
- Competitive pressure
- Poor qualification
- Sales skill gaps
- Product issues
- Market changes
Investigate closed-lost reasons to identify root causes.
Common Win Rate Mistakes
Mistake 1: Including Open Opportunities
Win rate should only include resolved opportunities. Including open deals understates win rate and changes as deals close.
Mistake 2: Inconsistent Lost Definitions
When does a lost deal get marked closed-lost? If reps delay closing out losses, win rate is artificially inflated. Enforce pipeline hygiene.
Mistake 3: Ignoring No-Decisions
Prospects who go silent or defer indefinitely are often not marked lost. Decide how to treat no-decisions - they represent real sales effort that didn't convert.
Mistake 4: Small Sample Sizes
Monthly win rate for a rep with 5 closed deals has high variance. Use longer periods or team-level metrics for statistical reliability.
Mistake 5: Aggregate-Only Analysis
Overall win rate hides important variation. Segment by rep, product, source, competitor, and deal size for actionable insights.
Win Rate Segmentation
By Sales Rep
| Rep | Won | Lost | Win Rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rep A | 18 | 42 | 30% |
| Rep B | 15 | 60 | 20% |
| Rep C | 12 | 33 | 27% |
Rep B significantly underperforms - investigate and provide coaching.
By Lead Source
| Source | Won | Lost | Win Rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| Inbound | 25 | 50 | 33% |
| Outbound | 15 | 75 | 17% |
| Referral | 5 | 10 | 33% |
Outbound has lower win rate - expected, but useful for forecasting and resource allocation.
By Deal Size
| Deal Size | Won | Lost | Win Rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| $0-25K | 30 | 60 | 33% |
| $25-100K | 12 | 48 | 20% |
| $100K+ | 3 | 27 | 10% |
Larger deals have lower win rates - factor this into coverage calculations.
Win Rate in Context-Aware Analytics
metric:
name: Win Rate
description: Percentage of closed opportunities that were won
calculation: |
COUNT(opportunities WHERE status = 'closed-won')
/ COUNT(opportunities WHERE status IN ('closed-won', 'closed-lost'))
* 100
variations:
- name: Value-Based Win Rate
calculation: SUM(won_amount) / SUM(closed_amount) * 100
- name: Competitive Win Rate
filter: competitor_involved = true
excludes: [open_opportunities, disqualified_within_30_days]
dimensions: [rep, team, source, product, deal_size_band, competitor]
time_period: trailing_90_days
owner: sales_ops_team
With governed definitions, win rate is calculated consistently across dashboards, forecasts, and performance reviews.
Improving Win Rate
Better Qualification
Pursue opportunities with higher fit. Better qualification may lower pipeline volume but increases win rate and reduces wasted effort.
Sales Methodology
Consistent discovery, value selling, and negotiation processes improve conversion. Invest in training and coaching.
Competitive Intelligence
Understand why you win and lose against competitors. Arm reps with positioning and objection handling.
Deal Coaching
Review in-progress deals to identify risks and improve strategy before opportunities are lost.
Win-Loss Analysis
Conduct structured win-loss interviews with closed deals to understand buyer decision factors.
Win rate is a core sales metric that directly impacts revenue forecasting and sales efficiency. By measuring win rate consistently, segmenting for insights, and systematically improving conversion, sales organizations can achieve predictable growth.
Questions
B2B win rates typically range from 15-30% depending on industry, deal size, and sales motion. Enterprise deals often have lower win rates (15-20%) than SMB deals (30-40%). Compare against your specific industry and deal profile.