How do I set quota, comp and ramp for my first sales team in India without copying a US template that does not fit?
Anchor on your own deal data, not on a benchmark deck. A workable starting point is a quota of roughly four to five times on-target earnings, a base to variable split near 60:40 for closers, and a ramp of two to three full sales cycles before quota is real. The India-specific traps are two: teams selling into the US on India salaries still need US-style variable upside or the best people leave, and teams selling into India face smaller deal sizes and longer payment cycles, so a US quota multiple will simply not clear. Publish the plan in writing, keep it stable for at least two quarters, and change it at a boundary rather than mid-quarter.
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4 resources, 2 India-specific, 4 link-checked.
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The longest-running benchmark on SDR quota, ramp, ratios, comp and time to promotion, drawn from hundreds of B2B companies. Treat the absolute numbers as US-weighted and the ratios as transferable when you plan an India-based team.
Lemkin gives actual numbers for the decisions leaders agonise over: when to hire, how to set quota, how many reps per manager. Opinionated in a way that is useful even where you disagree.
Concrete on the mechanics nobody outside India writes about: INR pricing, UPI AutoPay recurring success rates versus international cards, GST, and typical India plan pricing relative to the US sticker. Read it before you decide Indian buyers will not pay.
Compares direct sales, channel and marketing-led entry for an Indian company going abroad, and makes the case that the US may not be your best first market. Honest about the cost of a wrong first sales leader hire in a new geography.
The US is not the automatic first market: GCC, Southeast Asia, or Japan can be the better first step out of India.
Three entry motions compared: feet on street (a hired sales leader, high risk if it stalls within 2 to 3 quarters), resellers, and marketing-led sales.
Pay channel partners on revenue share, not retainer, and pick ones who already sell into your target domain.
Marketing-led works for SMB and PLG, and breaks down for enterprise deals that need heavy onboarding.
