1. Sales Prospecting & Client Acquisition
1.1. Importance of Prospecting 60%
60% of business leaders consider sales prospecting a strategic priority.
Uptoo
45%
45% of French companies increased their prospecting budget year-over-year.
Uptoo
80% vs 2%
A referral-based call leads to a meeting 80% of the time, vs 2% for a cold call.
Spyral Conseil
50%
Generating qualified leads is identified as the top challenge by 50% of companies surveyed.
Sales Odyssey Survey, 2025
1.2. Prospecting Techniques 8 calls
It takes an average of 8 calls to reach a prospect.
Spyral Conseil
4.8%
Only 4.8% of prospects call back after receiving a voicemail from a salesperson.
Spyral Conseil
10-15%
10 to 15% of argued contacts result in a meeting.
Spyral Conseil
1.3. Social Media Usage 72%
72% of salespeople use social media to research targeted decision-makers and companies.
Uptoo
63%
63% of salespeople use social media to build relationships with potential clients.
HubSpot
51%
Salespeople using social media increase their success rate by 51%.
Uptoo
Key Prospecting Trends 2025-2026
Prospecting remains a major strategic priority with rising budgets — but it will be more targeted and smarter. Client referrals are significantly more effective than cold calls. Double down on them. Persistence is key, as reaching a prospect requires multiple attempts and voicemails are largely ineffective. Social media has become essential for information gathering, relationship building, and improving sales performance.
2. Prospect Follow-up & Follow-through
2.1. Importance of Follow-ups 48%
48% of salespeople don't follow up with prospects after the first contact.
Spyral Conseil
+49%
Response rate increases by 49% after the first email follow-up.
Belkins
2.2. Follow-up Techniques 44%
44% of salespeople give up after a single follow-up attempt.
Invesp
10%
Only 10% of salespeople make more than three contacts with a prospect before giving up.
Spyral Conseil
42%
42% of salespeople lack relevant information about their prospects before calling.
Spyral Conseil
68%
68% of companies don't use any tool to track prospect engagement after sending a proposal.
Sales Odyssey Survey, 2025
Follow-up Trends 2025-2026
Persistence in follow-up (often 5+ contacts) is essential for closing sales, but is frequently neglected. A significant portion of salespeople abandon the follow-up process too early. Email follow-ups are effective at increasing response rates. Lack of preparation and relevant information before contact undermines follow-up effectiveness.
3. Sales Closing & Commercial Performance
3.1. Close Rates & Conversion 29%
In 2023, the average sales close rate is 29%.
HubSpot
75%
75% of leads don't result in a sale, often due to lack of personalization and follow-up.
Spyral Conseil
37%
Among companies measuring their close rate, 37% report a rate of 25% or below.
Sales Odyssey Survey, 2025
39%
39% of companies don't measure their close rate or don't know if they do.
Sales Odyssey Survey, 2025
3.2. Skills & Modernization 2/3
Two-thirds of evaluated salespeople don't meet the expected level for closing a sale.
Uptoo
32%
32% of salespeople don't master active listening, hindering closing.
Uptoo
44%
44% of salespeople consider training as the top motivation lever.
Uptoo
82%
82% of salespeople think companies need to modernize their sales techniques.
Uptoo
3.3. Proposals & Closing 59%
The close rate is considered the most important KPI by 59% of managers and executives surveyed.
Sales Odyssey Survey, 2025
68%
Professionals rate the impact of proposal quality on close rate at 68% on average.
Sales Odyssey Survey, 2025
43%
43% of companies report specific difficulties in creating or managing their sales proposals.
Sales Odyssey Survey, 2025
Training & Skills Trends 2025-2026
Average close rates remain relatively low, highlighting performance challenges and the need for modernization. Personalization, follow-up, and active listening are crucial but often insufficient, leading to lost leads. Significant gaps exist in closing skills. CRM adoption and training are key levers for improving performance and motivation.
4. Sales Organization & Efficiency
4.1. Technology (CRM & Automation) 24%
Salespeople using a CRM exceed annual sales targets by 24%.
HubSpot
35%
A salesperson equipped with CRM and automation tools is 35% more productive.
Uptoo
70%
70% of companies have a poorly used CRM, while 62% of employees believe a well-integrated CRM creates more value.
Uptoo
33%
Only 33% of salespeople's time is actually spent selling.
Spyral Conseil
4.2. Cross-team Alignment +15%
A 15% increase in success rate is observed when sales and marketing teams work in coordination.
Uptoo
4.3. Proposal Creation: An Under-optimized Process 83%
83% of companies create proposals with non-specialized tools — 57% use Word or PowerPoint, 26% start from scratch manually.
Sales Odyssey Survey, 2025
45%
45% of professionals spend over an hour creating a single sales proposal.
Sales Odyssey Survey, 2025
58%
Average satisfaction with the proposal creation process is only 58%.
Sales Odyssey Survey, 2025
61%
Among struggling companies, 61% cite excessive time spent creating proposals.
Sales Odyssey Survey, 2025
Organization & Efficiency Trends 2025-2026
Effective technology adoption (CRM, automation) significantly increases productivity and goal achievement. A significant portion of salespeople's time isn't dedicated to actual selling, highlighting optimization potential. Proper CRM integration and use across teams is essential to maximize its value. The proposal creation process remains a blind spot in sales performance.
5. Customer Relationship Management & Loyalty
5.1. Customer Expectations 86%
86% of B2B buyers are more likely to purchase if the company understands their goals.
Salesforce
84%
84% of buyers want salespeople to act as trusted advisors.
Salesforce
5.2. Loyalty Levers 73%
73% of buyers say personalization is essential for loyalty.
Salesforce
91%
91% of clients are willing to refer, but only 11% of salespeople ask for it.
Spyral Conseil
47%
Client retention is identified as one of the most important KPIs by 47% of professionals.
Sales Odyssey Survey, 2025
CRM & Loyalty Trends 2025-2026
A positive customer experience is decisive for loyalty and repeat purchases. Understanding client goals and acting as a trusted advisor are key for B2B buyers. Personalization plays an essential role in customer loyalty. There is untapped potential in actively soliciting customer referrals.
6. Marketing Strategy & Sales Channels
6.1. Revenue Models & Indirect Sales 42%
42% of sales managers say recurring sales are their primary revenue source.
Salesforce
83%
83% of professionals report an increased impact of indirect sales on revenue.
Salesforce
6.2. Channel Evolution & Behaviors 46%
46% of Gen Z buyers use TikTok to research products/brands.
HubSpot
Sales Channel Trends 2025-2026
Revenue models based on recurring sales and indirect sales strategies are gaining importance. The emergence of new channels like TikTok influences purchasing behavior for certain demographics (Gen Z). The B2B buying journey remains heavily digitized.
7. Technology, Innovation & Artificial Intelligence
7.1. AI Adoption & Impact 81%
81% of sales teams are investing in AI.
Salesforce
83%
83% of teams using AI have seen their revenue grow.
Salesforce
7.2. AI Challenges 35%
35% of professionals lack trust in AI data accuracy.
Salesforce
73%
73% believe generative AI introduces new security risks.
Salesforce
33%
33% of salespeople lack budget, staff, or training to use AI effectively.
Salesforce
7.3. AI & Sales Proposals: A Highly Anticipated Use Case 73%
Professionals rate interest in AI-assisted proposal writing at 73%.
Sales Odyssey Survey, 2025
71%
AI-assisted proposal design generates 71% interest.
Sales Odyssey Survey, 2025
72%
Automated proposal scoring and evaluation receives 72% interest.
Sales Odyssey Survey, 2025
Innovation & Technology Trends 2025-2026
AI adoption in sales is massive and correlated with revenue growth and productivity. Despite adoption, significant challenges remain regarding data trust and security. Lack of resources (budget, training, staff) hinders optimal AI usage by sales teams. AI applied to sales proposals is a highly anticipated use case: writing, design, and automated scoring.
8. Remote Sales & Hybrid Work
8.1. Hybrid Model Adoption 67%
67% of salespeople in France work in hybrid or remote mode.
HubSpot
80%
80% of B2B sales are conducted virtually.
Salesforce
56%
56% of professionals believe remote selling makes the process easier.
HubSpot
8.2. Remote Sales Channels & Tools 48% vs 38% vs 31%
Email and phone (48%) dominate, followed by social media (38%) and video chat (31%).
HubSpot
21%
21% of reps think remote selling is more effective than in-person.
HubSpot
52%
52% believe AI helps better understand remote clients.
HubSpot
Remote Sales & Hybrid Work Trends 2025-2026
Hybrid work and remote selling have become the norm in the commercial sector. Virtual selling dominates B2B interactions and is perceived as facilitating the process by a majority. Traditional communication channels (email, phone) remain dominant, but digital tools are widely used. AI is seen as a potentially useful tool for improving customer understanding in remote sales.
9. Human Resources, Training & Quality of Work Life
9.1. Training & Motivation 61%
61% of salespeople consider training the top motivation lever, above compensation.
Uptoo
76%
76% say management emphasizes their satisfaction.
Salesforce
9.2. Talent Retention & Turnover 4%
4% of new salespeople quit on their first day, and 22% within the first 45 days.
Uptoo
81%
81% of professionals have seen their salary increase.
Salesforce
64%
64% would leave their position for better compensation elsewhere.
Salesforce
Key Trends 2025-2026
Training is perceived as the most important motivation lever for salespeople. Early turnover remains a significant challenge, highlighting the importance of onboarding and prospects. Compensation and clear career prospects are crucial for talent retention.
10. Financial Management & Budgets
10.1. Budget Monitoring & Optimization 70%
70% of sales managers note increased budget scrutiny.
HubSpot
45%
45% of French companies increased their prospecting budget.
Uptoo
78%
78% of B2B buyers indicate their company is more cautious with spending.
Salesforce
10.2. ROI & Marketing Automation +50% and +53%
Companies using marketing automation generate 50% more qualified leads and improve conversion rates by 53%.
HubSpot
Budget Trends 2025-2026
Budgets are under tight scrutiny and buyers are more cautious with spending. Investments focus on areas deemed strategic, such as prospecting. Marketing automation shows strong ROI potential for lead generation and conversion.
11. Market Analysis & Economic Trends
11.1. Market Expansion & Digitization +900,000
The number of companies in France grew from 2.2M to 3.1M between 2009 and 2020.
Statista
+35%
In 2022, France had 207,000 active e-commerce sites, up 35% vs 2019.
FEVAD
11.2. Competition & Economic Context 57%
57% of sales managers report increased competition.
Salesforce
27%
Macroeconomic conditions (inflation) remain a challenge for 27% (down from 39% in 2022).
Salesforce
76%
76% of buyers seek to maximize value from every purchase.
Salesforce
Market Trends 2025-2026
The economic landscape is characterized by growing business numbers and continued e-commerce expansion. Competition is intensifying and buyers seek to maximize value from their purchases. Digitization of buying behaviors and the influence of values are major underlying trends.
12. Customer Service & Customer Experience
12.1. Importance of Customer Experience 93%
93% of customers are more likely to make repeat purchases from companies offering excellent service.
Salesforce
94%
94% of consumers are more likely to repurchase after a positive experience.
Salesforce
73%
73% of executives say there is a direct link between customer service and business performance.
Salesforce
12.2. Service Quality & Technology 48%
48% of customers switched brands in the past year for better customer service.
Salesforce
76%
76% of customer service professionals say AI enables them to handle more requests without compromising quality.
Dialpad
39%
39% of support professionals are concerned about lack of personalization from excessive automation.
HubSpot
Customer Service Trends 2025-2026
Excellent customer service and positive experiences are crucial for retaining customers and driving repeat sales. Poor customer service leads to significant customer loss (churn). AI is seen as a tool to improve service efficiency, but raises concerns about maintaining personalization.
13. Buying Behaviors & Consumption
13.1. Information Research & Buyer Autonomy 96%
96% of prospects do their own research before speaking with a salesperson.
HubSpot
86%
86% of consumers research multiple sources before making a purchasing decision.
HubSpot
80%
80% of prospects research online before buying in B2B.
Uptoo
13.2. Importance of Personalization 78%
78% of buyers say they're more likely to buy from companies offering personalized experiences.
HubSpot
55%
55% of companies struggling with proposals cite difficulty personalizing for each client.
Sales Odyssey Survey, 2025
Buying Behavior Trends 2025-2026
Buyers (B2C and B2B) are highly autonomous, conducting thorough online research before engaging sales. Customer experience personalization is an increasingly influential purchasing factor. Brand values and ethical practices have become major decision criteria.
14. Phone & Email Prospecting
14.1. Phone Prospecting 80%
80% of sales require 5 follow-up calls before closing.
Invesp
25 hours
Salespeople spend 25 hours per month leaving voicemails.
Spyral Conseil
4.8%
Only 4.8% of prospects return a call after a voicemail.
Spyral Conseil
14.2. Email Prospecting 22%
Personalized subject lines increase open rates by 22%.
HubSpot
24%
24% of marketing emails are opened; 35% of decision-makers base opening on subject relevance.
Spyral Conseil
50-125 words
An effective email contains between 50 and 125 words.
Spyral Conseil
Phone & Email Prospecting Trends 2025-2026
Phone prospecting requires great persistence with multiple calls/follow-ups necessary. Voicemails are largely ineffective at generating callbacks, despite the time invested. Personalization, especially of subject lines, is key to improving email prospecting effectiveness. Relevance and conciseness are essential for prospecting emails.
15. Social Responsibility & Company Values
15.1. Consumer & Buyer Expectations 86%
86% of consumers are more likely to buy from a brand that shares their values.
Salesforce
82%
82% of consumers refuse to buy from brands that practice discrimination.
Salesforce
73%
73% of buyers say companies must adopt ethical practices to earn their loyalty.
Salesforce
15.2. CSR & Business Practices 79%
79% of companies say their sales strategy now includes CSR objectives.
Salesforce
67%
67% of companies include social responsibility as a selling point.
Salesforce
45%
45% of companies believe their CSR strategy directly contributes to customer loyalty.
Salesforce
CSR Trends in Sales 2025-2026
Company values, ethical practices, and CSR have become decisive factors in consumer choices. Companies are increasingly integrating CSR into their commercial strategies. CSR is perceived as a lever that directly contributes to customer loyalty.
16. Sales Process Challenges: What Companies Say This section is based on Sales Odyssey survey results from 76 professionals (executives, sales and marketing managers) on sales performance challenges.
16.1. Priority Stages of the Sales Cycle 22%
Focus on lead generation
Sales Odyssey Survey, 2025
22%
On product/service presentation
Sales Odyssey Survey, 2025
16%
On creating sales proposals
Sales Odyssey Survey, 2025
16%
On prospect qualification
Sales Odyssey Survey, 2025
11%
On prospect follow-up and outreach
Sales Odyssey Survey, 2025
9%
On negotiation and closing
Sales Odyssey Survey, 2025
16.2. Top Sales Challenges 50%
Generating enough qualified leads
Sales Odyssey Survey, 2025
45%
Closing sales quickly
Sales Odyssey Survey, 2025
37%
Personalizing proposals for each client
Sales Odyssey Survey, 2025
34%
Creating effective sales proposals
Sales Odyssey Survey, 2025
34%
Following up with prospects at the right time
Sales Odyssey Survey, 2025
32%
Converting leads into opportunities
Sales Odyssey Survey, 2025
16.3. Proposal-related Difficulties 61%
Cite excessive time spent creating them
Sales Odyssey Survey, 2025
55%
Difficulty personalizing for each client
Sales Odyssey Survey, 2025
36%
Difficulty improving based on past performance
Sales Odyssey Survey, 2025
30%
Lack of prospect feedback
Sales Odyssey Survey, 2025
21%
No tracking on prospect engagement
Sales Odyssey Survey, 2025
16.4. Challenges Vary by Company Size 63%
SMBs (2-9 employees): fast closing is the #1 challenge (63%), followed by lead generation (47%).
Sales Odyssey Survey, 2025
57-83%
Mid-market (10-49 employees): qualified lead generation dominates (57-83%), followed by conversion and follow-ups.
Sales Odyssey Survey, 2025
100%
Enterprise (50-250+): effective proposal creation and personalization cited by 100% of large organizations.
Sales Odyssey Survey, 2025
Key Trends from the Field Survey
Lead generation and closing remain the two dominant concerns, but companies still underestimate the role of proposals. The proposal creation process is an under-diagnosed bottleneck. Post-sending tracking remains a major blind spot — two-thirds of companies have no tracking tool for their proposals. Expressed needs converge toward solutions combining AI, engagement tracking, and personalization facilitation. Conclusion
Through this analysis, it's clear that sales teams can no longer rely on traditional methods alone. The rise of AI technologies, the shift to hybrid sales models, and the growing demand for personalized and ethical customer service are no longer optional — they're imperatives for surviving in an increasingly competitive market.
The key to success lies in a deep understanding of customer needs and values, and rapid adaptation to new expectations. Investing in training, adopting a customer-centric approach, and using tools to their full potential will enable sales teams to maximize every opportunity.
Our exclusive field survey data confirms it: with close rates often below 25%, proposals created with inadequate tools, and virtually nonexistent post-send tracking, the improvement potential is enormous. Companies that invest in optimizing their proposal process — from creation to follow-up — will have a decisive competitive advantage.