TMSA's 2026 Sales & Marketing Benchmark, now available to non-members, shows companies investing in growth across sales and marketing, while the training and measurement behind that investment have not kept pace.
MINNEAPOLIS, Nov. 12, 2026 /PRNewswire-PRWeb/ -- Transportation and logistics companies are investing in growth across both sales and marketing, according to the 2026 Sales & Marketing Benchmark from the Transportation Marketing & Sales Association (TMSA). Sixty-three percent plan to add new-business salespeople, nearly double the 32% who said the same in 2024, and 62% of marketing teams report a larger budget than the prior year, extending a run of increases that now spans four consecutive reporting years. The report, which TMSA members have had access to since September 23, 2026, is now available for non-members to purchase.
That investment follows a period of broad growth, with 83% of companies reporting higher revenue. The systems that turn investment into results have not kept pace, however, as the share of companies describing their ongoing sales training as comprehensive fell from 48% in 2024 to 21% in 2026, and the share of marketing teams tracking ROI on trade shows dropped from 46% to 30% over the same period.
The seventh edition of the benchmark, which TMSA first published in 2014, draws on responses from 122 sales, marketing and leadership professionals at transportation and logistics companies of every size. Beyond hiring and budgets, the full report examines quota attainment, pipeline sources, sales and marketing alignment, attribution, customer retention and AI adoption across sales and marketing teams.
"Rising hiring plans and marketing budgets tell us this industry is confident about where the market is headed, and that's good news for everyone in it," said Leigh Hartman Sauter, Interim Executive Director of TMSA. "The companies that get the most from that confidence will be the ones that invest as much in developing their people and measuring what works as they do in adding headcount and budget, and seeing how your numbers compare to your peers is a good place to start."
"This industry is investing in growth faster than it's learning what drives it," said Sarah Ahern, Partner at PATH. "Revenue is up, yet 69% of companies missed their sales targets. Formal customer experience strategies rose from 39% to 59%, yet service is still the top reason customers leave. Plenty of companies are investing. Far fewer know what will actually move the needle. This benchmark helps close that gap."
Developing the people who win, grow and keep customers is the core of TMSA's work, and members have year-round access to education, industry research and peer connections across every freight mode, including TMSA's annual ELEVATE conference.
Availability
The full 2026 Sales & Marketing Benchmark is available to non-members for $395 at https://info.tmsatoday.org/tmsa-benchmarking-study. A free summary of key findings is available at https://info.tmsatoday.org/2026-tmsa-benchmarking-study-summary. Non-members who purchase the report can apply the full $395 toward a TMSA membership if they join within 60 days. TMSA members can access the full report through the member portal at no additional cost.
The study was conducted in partnership with PATH (pathgrowth.com), a research and advisory firm that has helped transportation, logistics and industrial companies make high-stakes growth decisions with confidence for over 40 years.
About TMSA
Founded in 1924, the Transportation Marketing & Sales Association (TMSA) is the professional home for the people who win, grow and keep customers across transportation, logistics and supply chain. Its members lead sales, marketing, customer and account management, and company growth at carriers in every mode, 3PLs and brokers, logistics technology providers, and the partner firms that serve the industry. Through year-round education, industry research, peer connection and its annual ELEVATE conference, TMSA helps these professionals sharpen their skills, build stronger revenue teams and move the industry forward. Learn more at www.tmsatoday.org.
Media Contact
Leigh Hartman Sauter, TMSA, 1 (877) 853-1080, [email protected], tmsatoday.org
SOURCE TMSA
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