Sales results don’t always show up right away. Prospecting calls made today may not turn into customers for months. So how do you know whether you’re making progress?
Focus on the activity you can control.
For a salesperson, that might mean making a set number of calls to new prospects or reconnecting with current clients. The right activity depends on your role, but the principle is the same: decide what needs to happen, then track whether you did it.
Let your sales activity goals guide you
At the end of the day, there’s a real difference between knowing you followed your plan and knowing you didn’t.
When you complete the prospecting work you committed to, you can feel good about doing the difficult part, even if the results aren’t immediate. When you skip it, that can weigh on you. You know the actions that build a healthy sales pipeline didn’t happen.
I learned this firsthand when I started my business. My first year brought in no revenue for a while. I had left a corporate job and had a family depending on me, so the pressure was real. On the days I didn’t do the prospecting I had planned, I carried that frustration home with me. On the days I followed through, I felt better, even when a sale hadn’t come through yet.
Make accountability visible
In those early days, my son Ryan helped keep me accountable. He’d check whether I’d completed my prospecting activity and color in a simple thermometer chart when I hit my goal. It was a small thing, but it made the work visible and helped me stick with it.
You don’t need a chart to build accountability. A written activity plan, a simple tracker, or a check-in with a colleague can help you stay consistent.
Build the habit before the results arrive
Sales prospecting takes patience. You may not see an immediate return from every call or conversation, but consistent activity builds momentum and creates future opportunities.
A useful question to ask yourself at the end of the day is: Did I do the work I committed to? When you can answer yes, you’ve made progress, even if the result is still ahead.
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At Sandler Toronto, we use a solid sales Cookbook. Chris Kelly of Sandler Toronto helps sales teams improve prospecting, strengthen sales habits, and build a more consistent sales process. Learn more about sales training and coaching in Toronto.
