Most sales calls don’t fail because the rep said the wrong thing. They fail because the meeting never had a clear objective.
The great disguise: “meeting labels”
We’ve all heard (or said) these:
- “I’m just calling to check in and see how things are going.”
- “I’m following up on last week’s meeting.”
- “I wanted to touch base on where things stand with the model.”
- “Nothing formal — just a catch-up.”
Those aren’t objectives.
They’re labels.
And labels don’t advance decisions.
When a call doesn’t have a SMART objective — specific, measurable, achievable, relevant, and time-bound — the conversation drifts.[1] We default to updates. The client or prospect stays polite. The meeting ends with:
“Thanks, this was helpful.”
And nothing actually moves.
For sales leaders, this is a silent execution killer.
Without a defined objective:
- Preparation becomes shallow.
- Coaching becomes subjective.
- Outcomes are hard to inspect or improve.
Research shows that goal specificity drives performance.[2] Vague goals produce vague outcomes. Clear goals increase effort, focus, and persistence. Additionally, high-performing reps are significantly more likely to enter meetings with a defined outcome in mind — and to secure a concrete next step before leaving.[3]
Top performers don’t “check in.”
They advance.
They know the decision they’re trying to unlock, the people they need involved, or the key insights they must validate. That clarity changes the questions they ask. Which changes the conversation. Which changes the outcome.
The fix isn’t just more activity
The fix isn’t simply more calls, better messaging or another shiny presentation deck.
It’s forcing clarity before the meeting.
Imagine if every wholesaler had to answer this before walking into the advisor’s office:
“By the end of this meeting, we will have agreed to ______ by ______.”
- Preparation tightens.
- Questions sharpen.
- Listening improves.
- Next steps stop being optional.
And coaching becomes dramatically easier because you can inspect:
- Was the objective clear?
- Was it achieved?
- If not, why?
That’s execution.
In a tougher market, intentionality wins
When meetings are easy to get, wasted calls are inefficient. When meetings are hard to get, wasted calls are fatal. The difference between average and elite sales teams isn’t charisma. It’s disciplined clarity.
Sales leaders: if you want the call-planning template we use to drive objective-led preparation across teams, comment “PREP”and we’ll share.
Reach out Jerry Murphy to learn more.
Footnotes & References
[1] Doran, G. T. (1981). There’s a S.M.A.R.T. Way to Write Management’s Goals and Objectives, Management Review.
[2] Locke, E. A., & Latham, G. P. (2002). Building a Practically Useful Theory of Goal Setting and Task Motivation: A 35-Year Odyssey, American Psychologist.
[3] Gong.io analysis of sales conversations and win rates shows top performers consistently secure clear next steps and defined outcomes (Gong Labs research on sales effectiveness).
At Optimé International we work with many of the greatest sales organizations in the world, big and small, helping them to achieve and exceed their performance goals. If you would like to learn more about our passion for the sales profession and to make a difference, we’d love to chat with you, maybe over a coffee, virtual or IRL! Click here: Connect with Optimé for a coffee!
