--- title: Counting What Counts | The Sales Blog description: You never produce results without activity. But you also never produce results without those activities generating a positive outcome. You can count the number of phone calls you make, but that’s only an indication of one part of your effort, your willingness to dial the telephone. It says nothing about how willing you were to […] image: https://www.thesalesblog.com/hubfs/Imported_Blog_Media/shutterstock_150042590.jpg --- ### [Now booking SKO meetings for 2026/27! 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But you also never produce results without those activities generating a positive outcome. You can count the number of phone calls you make, but that’s only an indication of one part of your effort, your willingness to dial the telephone. It says nothing about how [willing](https://www.thesalesblog.com/blog/you-arent-unable-you-are-unwilling) you were to engage in the right conversations when someone answered. It also reveals nothing about how effective you were on that call. A scheduled appointment proves that a commitment was gained. That’s a good indication of a positive outcome. But that appointment tells you nothing about whether the prospective client has a problem you can solve, whether they’re [dissatisfied](http://thesalesblog.com/blog/2013/05/02/what-dissatisfaction-means-part-one/) enough to change, or whether or not the appointment is with the right person. Face-to-face sales calls are easily counted. And they are the critical interaction that creates and moves opportunities forward. But counting them tells you nothing about the quality of the interaction. It doesn’t say anything about how the salesperson was perceived by the client or whether or not they created the kind of value that generates trust. The number of sales calls also doesn’t speak to whether or not you gained any real insight as to how you might help your prospective client. Most salespeople fail because they take too little action or they are inconsistent. But anything that is easy to count isn’t often meaningful, and most of [what is meaningful](http://thesalesblog.com/blog/2012/11/11/the-power-of-invisible-forces/) doesn’t easily lend itself to be counted.   ###### Tags: [Sales](https://www.thesalesblog.com/blog/tag/sales) [2014](https://www.thesalesblog.com/blog/tag/2014) Post by [Anthony Iannarino](https://www.thesalesblog.com/blog/author/anthony-iannarino) on August 27, 2014 Written and edited by human brains and human hands. ![Anthony Iannarino](https://www.thesalesblog.com/hubfs/ai-blog-profile-crop.jpg) Anthony Iannarino is an American writer. He has published daily at [thesalesblog.com](https://www.thesalesblog.com) for more than 14 years, amassing over 5,300 articles and making this platform a destination for salespeople and sales leaders. Anthony is also the author of four best-selling books documenting modern sales methodologies and a fifth book for sales leaders seeking revenue growth. His latest book for an even wider audience is titled, The Negativity Fast: Proven Techniques to Increase Positivity, Reduce Fear, and Boost Success. Anthony speaks to sales organizations worldwide, delivering cutting-edge sales strategies and tactics that work in this ever-evolving B2B landscape. He also provides workshops and seminars. Connect with Anthony on LinkedIn, X or Youtube. 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What we’re doing right now **is working**, even in this challenging economy. **Would you like some help?** [![Solve for Sales](https://no-cache.hubspot.com/cta/default/2922376/d3a4938b-2008-4a27-8b44-7b2223f6d035.png)](https://cta-redirect.hubspot.com/cta/redirect/2922376/d3a4938b-2008-4a27-8b44-7b2223f6d035) ### Join my Weekly Newsletter for Sales Tips Join 100,000+ sales professionals in my weekly newsletter and get my *Guide to Becoming a Sales Hustler* eBook for FREE! --- ```json { "@context" : "http://schema.org/", "@type" : "BlogPosting", "author" : { "@type" : "Person", "name" : "Anthony Iannarino" }, "dateModified" : "2024-07-15T3:10:33 PM", "datePublished" : "2014-08-27 20:52:01", "description" : "You never produce results without activity. But you also never produce results without those activities generating a positive outcome. You can count the number of phone calls you make, but that’s only an indication of one part of your effort, your willingness to dial the telephone. 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