Pitchbase proprietary data

2026 Sales Training Barometer: Trends & Statistics

Exclusive data from Pitchbase simulation analysis

Overall average score

62/100

Improvement after 30 simulations

+34%

Ramp-up time reduced

47%

Most frequent objection

"Now is not the right time"

Average scores by call type

Averages over the analyzed period, Pitchbase scale out of 100

Cold call 54/100

Most difficult

Discovery 68/100
Demo 71/100
Follow-up 65/100
Closing 58/100
Gatekeeper 49/100

Lowest average score

Cold calling and getting past gatekeepers remain the two most challenging exercises for B2B sales reps. Closing scores improve significantly after 15+ simulations.

Top 10 most frequent objections

Frequency of occurrence in analyzed simulations

  1. 1"Now is not the right time" 23%
  2. 2"Send me an email" 18%
  3. 3"We already use a tool" 14%
  4. 4"It's too expensive" 12%
  5. 5"I need to check with my manager" 11%
  6. 6"We don't have the budget" 8%
  7. 7"That doesn't match our needs" 5%
  8. 8"I don't have the time" 4%
  9. 9"Call me back in 6 months" 3%
  10. 10"We're in the middle of a reorganization" 2%

Progression curve

Average gain on overall score based on simulation volume

After 5 simulations+12% average score
After 15 simulations+23% average score
After 30 simulations+34% average score
After 50 simulations (plateau)+41% average score

Bar widths illustrate the relative magnitude of gains compared to the observed maximum (+41%), for reference.

The strongest progression occurs between the 5th and the 30th simulation. Beyond 50 sessions, gains become marginal, suggesting a natural mastery threshold.

Sales DNA skills

Aggregated averages across the six axes of the Pitchbase radar (scale 0 to 100)

The typical profile shows a radar stronger on pitch and discovery than on opening and negotiation. The opening axis remains the lowest on average, confirming the value of targeted training on the first seconds of a call.

Opening58/100 · weakest axis
Discovery67/100
Pitch72/100 · strongest axis
Objections61/100
Negotiation59/100
Closing63/100

Impact on ramp-up

Comparison between paths with and without intensive simulator practice

Without AI simulation

7.2 months

Estimated average ramp-up to target performance

With AI simulation (10+ sessions/month)

3.8 months

Observed average ramp-up on the same criteria

Ramp-up reduction

47%

Time-to-first-deal

6 weeks earlier on average

Methodology note

This data comes from anonymized analysis of simulations conducted on the Pitchbase platform between January and March 2026. It covers all active users on the B2B vertical.

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