Pursue Progress, Not Platitudes
As outside sellers, we know our success depends on action. Our ability to adapt to our surroundings is a key skill in our development. Action and adaptability create measurable growth. But too often, sales teams find themselves stuck in old sayings and hollow motivational statements. That is, instead of facing the truth. Some teams are stuck in disguising their improper motivation. Some would rather hear clichés than track progress. Sellers who thrive and teams that succeed are shaped by process. While those who struggle are wrapped in platitudes. All as a disguise for real methods that drive results. Most of these teams wake up at the end of each month or each quarter, wondering how the train got off the track.
A platitude is a remark or idea that is repeated so often it loses its original meaning. It sounds nice, but it doesn’t offer true value. Examples in sales include phrases like “Just keep smiling,” “It’s all about relationships,” or “Always be closing.” While there may be some truth in these ideas, they are often repeated without context or strategy. They can create a false sense of confidence. Platitudes allow people to avoid fear by offering safe, feel-good advice that doesn’t challenge the status quo. Elbert Hubbard was an American writer, philosopher, and publisher. He was best known for founding the Roycroft artisan community in New York. He gained fame for his essay A Message to Garcia. He was a vocal advocate of individualism and self-reliance. Hubbard’s other claim to infamy was that he died in 1915 aboard the RMS Lusitania. This is the famous boat sunk by the Germans during World War I. He said, “The greatest mistake you can make in life is to be continually fearing you will make one.” Platitudes give a cover of certainty in an uncertain world.
The danger in relying on platitudes is that they discourage learning and growth. When sales teams fall back on old sayings, they often ignore new information or changing conditions. A seller might believe that “cold calling is dead” simply because it has become trendy to say so. A study from the RAIN Group reveals 82% of buyers accept meetings with sellers who are proactive in their outreach. Cold calling isn't dead; ineffective cold calling is. Yet a platitude like “cold calling doesn’t work anymore” might cause you to stop reaching out altogether. We ditch what works in favor of other non-intrusive tactics. This is influenced by the flavor of the week.
Progress is the pursuit of measurable improvement. In outside sales, progress means increasing revenue. It means shortening the sales cycle. It means learning new technologies. Or improving customer satisfaction and therefore retention. It requires feedback, adaptation, and a willingness to challenge outdated thinking. Englishman William Thomson was a British physicist, mathematician, and engineer. He was known for his work in thermodynamics and the development of the absolute temperature scale. He played a key role in laying the foundation of modern physics. His other claim to fame is being one of the architects of laying the first transatlantic telegraph cable. He was later knighted by Queen Victoria. You may know him as Lord Kelvin. He wrote, “If you cannot measure it, you cannot improve it.” Progress is built on curiosity, not comfort. It’s what separates elite sellers from those who plateau or decline.
The modern sales environment is fast and evolving. Buyers are more informed than ever. According to Gartner, 83% of a buyer’s journey now happens before they ever speak to a salesperson. That means sellers must be strategic and valuable in their first interaction. Generic outreach doesn’t cut it. Before making contact, sellers must learn about their prospects’ industry, challenges, and opportunities. We must act as problem solvers, not pitchmen. Progress in this environment looks like customized outreach. We need to have CRM discipline. Our follow-up can and should use data as a support tool. We need to prove a clear understanding of the buyer’s world.
Sales teams that live by platitudes often look busy but achieve little. They hold pep rallies instead of training sessions. They celebrate activity instead of outcomes. They lean on phrases like “Sales is a numbers game” to excuse poor closing ratios. While it’s true that persistence matters, that idea must be paired with skill. A seller making 100 low-quality calls a day is not better than one who makes 15 strategic ones. It was Mark Twain who said, “The secret of getting ahead is getting started.” Progress begins with action, but it must be the right kind of action.
In contrast, sellers who chase progress are grounded in reality. They measure what works. They seek coaching for what doesn’t. The late Mike Leach was a groundbreaking American college football coach. This is despite never playing college football. Leach earned degrees from BYU, Pepperdine Law, and the U.S. Sports Academy. He led programs at Texas Tech, Washington State, and Mississippi State. He was known for his unconventional approach and intellectual curiosity. Mike once told me, “You are either coaching it, or allowing it to happen.”
Top sales teams don’t talk about relationships. They build trust. They ask smarter questions. They use both ears to listen and hear. HubSpot reports that high-performing teams are 2.3 times more likely to use sales analytics than those that underperform. This shows that progress goes beyond motivation. It’s about accuracy, insight, and using the right tools to make better decisions. In today’s sales world, success comes from precision, not platitudes. It comes from turning information into action that drives real results. The difference becomes clear in how these sellers operate. Teams stuck in platitudes might have high turnover. Reps leave because they’re given slogans, not skills. Managers rely on cheerleading instead of coaching. Wins are random, and lessons are lost. These sellers may survive during boom cycles but collapse in downturns. Meanwhile, progressive teams get stronger over time. They know what’s working, and they build systems around it. When new reps join, they are given tools, mentorship, and clear benchmarks. These teams grow with a pattern of predictability, even when the market shifts.
Consider the transformation of IBM’s sales division. This took place in the early 2000s. IBM was once famous for its hard-charging, “always be closing” sales culture. But as software became more complex and consultative, that approach fell flat. The company moved to a value-based sales model. It invested in training reps to diagnose customer problems before offering solutions. The result was more strategic deals, higher customer satisfaction, and a stronger brand. IBM chose progress over platitudes, and it paid off.
Progress is also about learning from failure. Sales teams that embrace progress review lost deals, ask why, and adjust. They don’t hide behind excuses like “The customer wasn’t ready.” Instead, they dig into objections, analyze timing, and refine their messaging. This habit builds resilience. Samuel Beckett was an Irish playwright, a novelist, and a poet. His most famous work was the absurdist play Waiting for Godot. Beckett explored themes of existential despair, human endurance, and the futility of language. His minimalist style and dark humor influenced generations of writers. He received the Nobel Prize in Literature in 1969. He wrote, “Ever tried. Ever failed. No matter. Try again. Fail again. Fail better.” Progress-minded sellers view failure as feedback.
Another key trait of progressive teams is their focus on skill-building. They role-play, they study top performers, and they stay sharp. A report from Salesforce shows high-performing teams are 1.6 times more likely to provide ongoing training. They don’t wait for the annual conference. They don’t wait for the industry caravan to pull into town. They create a culture of constant improvement. This is the opposite of the platitude mindset. This is the one that assumes a motivational poster can replace a coaching session.
Technology plays a big role in this contrast as well. Teams focused on platitudes often ignore the tools at their disposal. They treat CRM systems as chores rather than assets. They resist automation and personalization tools. Meanwhile, progressive teams use the data to improve. They study open rates, call logs, and buying signals. They use video, voice notes, and personalized emails to stand out. They don’t fear change. They look for it.
Another difference is in how these teams set goals. Platitude-based teams might say, “Let’s crush it this quarter!” with no clear plan. Progressive teams break that goal into parts: How many qualified meetings per week? What is the conversion rate from meeting to proposal? What objection-handling scripts are working best? This level of clarity leads to consistency. It gives sellers a map, not just a mission.
The data is clear. Companies with a formal sales process see 18% more revenue growth. This is according to CSO Insights. That kind of performance doesn’t come from catchy slogans. It comes from structured systems, ongoing training, and a commitment to getting better. Progress isn’t only a nice idea; it’s a proven path. When sales teams focus on consistency, learning, and process, they create results they can count on. And this is a replicable action. That is the real power of progress. The choice between platitudes and progress is the choice between comfort and results. Platitudes are easy to repeat but hard to act on. Progress is harder to start but easier to sustain. In the outside sales profession, where rejection is high and time is short, only progress leads to lasting success. Sellers must decide whether they want to sound good or be better.
T.S. Eliot was a British American poet, playwright, and literary critic. He is regarded as one of the 20th century’s greatest writers. You may know his works, The Waste Land and The Love Song of J. Alfred Prufrock. Eliot helped shape modernist poetry with his innovative style. He explored both disillusionment and spiritual crisis. He won the Nobel Prize in Literature in 1948. His work combined classical references with modern themes. He wrote, “Only those who will risk going too far can possibly find out how far one can go.”
Choosing progress means committing to measuring, testing, learning, and improving. It’s not about staying busy or repeating the same actions; it’s about getting better with intention. This process of growth and refinement is what leads to mastery. For any professional seller, mastery isn’t only your destination, it’s the standard. It’s how top performers separate themselves from the rest. In sales, true success comes not from slogans, but from the daily pursuit of meaningful, measurable progress. We choose progress over platitudes, so should you. Check the catchy slogans at the door.
My new book, 21st Century Sales Success, is now available on Amazon. If you like what you have read, please consider ordering a copy or two. You can always send one to a friend. Order your copy here: https://bit.ly/21stCenturySalesPB