B2B sales statistics 2026: the numbers that drive your decisions
2026-03-26 · 4 min read · Adam Axelsson, founder of Revexa
Here are the numbers that drive B2B sales in 2026, each with a source: 70 to 80 percent of all leads never get followed up, 80 percent of leads dismissed as "not ready" buy within 24 months, a lead costs around 100 USD to generate, 22.5 percent of contact data decays every year, and an SDR costs a full salary plus loading every month. Below you will find each number with context, so you can use them in your own calculations and business cases.
What are the key numbers in short?
| Number | What it means | Source |
|---|---|---|
| 70 to 80 % | Share of CRM leads that never get followed up | MarketResearchFuture |
| 80 % | Share of "not ready" leads that buy within 24 months | Forrester |
| ~100 USD | Cost to generate a B2B lead | Industry data |
| 22.5 % per year | Annual decay of contact data | Apollo |
| Full salary + loading | Cost of an SDR per month | Salary data |
How many leads never get followed up?
70 to 80 percent, according to MarketResearchFuture. It is the most underrated number in the statistics: the majority of all leads that marketing generates never get a single follow-up email or call. The reasons are rarely laziness but structure: leads without an owner, salespeople who left, qualification that stamps the wrong timing as the wrong company.
Practical consequence: before you raise the lead budget, run the numbers on what is already unworked. It is likely your cheapest pipeline.
How many dismissed leads buy anyway?
80 percent of leads stamped "not ready" make a purchase within 24 months, according to Forrester. They just usually buy from someone else, the vendor who happened to reach out when the timing turned.
Practical consequence: "not ready" is a point in time, not a final verdict. Leads with the right fit should never be closed, they should be monitored.
What does a B2B lead cost?
Industry data puts the generated cost per lead at roughly 100 USD, counting ads, content, tools and labor. In Sweden that lands around 880 to 1,155 SEK, and the range is comparable across most Western markets. Multiply it by your database: 3,000 leads in the CRM represents a substantial investment already made.
Practical consequence: deleting or ignoring old leads is writing off that investment, and buying new leads to replace unworked old ones is paying the same invoice twice.
How fast does contact data decay?
22.5 percent per year, according to Apollo. People change roles, companies reorganize, addresses die. After two years without maintenance, roughly 40 percent of the database is wrong on some point.
Practical consequence: two things at once. Verify before you email older segments, otherwise your domain reputation takes the hit. And do not wait too long to work dormant leads, the list loses measurable value every quarter it sits untouched.
What does an SDR cost?
A full salary including payroll tax, plus tools and several months of ramp before full production. In Sweden that lands around 42,000 to 51,000 SEK per month all in, well over half a million SEK a year per person, and the profile is similar in most Western markets.
Practical consequence: the SDR math should always be compared against the alternatives per booked meeting, not per month. It is also why working existing leads is attractive: the same person generates more meetings from a warm list than from cold prospecting.
How do the numbers connect?
Put them together and a pattern emerges: companies pay around 100 USD per lead, leave 70 to 80 percent of them unworked, of which 80 percent buy within two years from someone else, while the data decays at 22.5 percent per year. The most expensive thing in B2B sales in 2026 is not what you buy, it is what you already bought but never used. If you want to translate the numbers to your own database, there is Revexa's calculator.
Common questions
Can you trust industry numbers at face value?
Use them as direction, not gospel. Set your own baselines where you can: your actual lead cost, your follow-up rate and your data decay can all be measured in your own CRM.
Which number should you act on first?
The follow-up rate. It is the cheapest to influence, shows up fastest in pipeline and requires no new budget, only process and ownership.
Where does the lead cost of around 100 USD come from?
It is a range from industry data for generated B2B leads, converted to USD. Your own number comes from dividing total marketing cost by the number of leads generated per period.