“1% improvements are not just nice to have, they’re not just a bonus on top of your performance, but they can be the pathway to unlocking exceptional levels of performance and elite levels of success.”

James Clear

What if the biggest obstacle to your sales growth isn't a lack of opportunity, a competitive marketplace, or even your clients' reluctance to buy?

What if it's your unwillingness to consistently improve the small things that determine whether clients trust you, value you, and want to continue doing business with you?

Sustainable sales growth doesn't happen simply because you want it to. It develops through the daily behaviors, decisions, disciplines, and relationships that compound over time.

It requires a commitment to getting better at the things that matter, even when those improvements seem insignificant in the moment.

Ask yourself... What if I made one more meaningful prospecting call, asked one better question, listened more intently, followed through when others wouldn’t, or brought a little more meaningful value to every client conversation? What would happen?

The power of 1% is the commitment to getting a little better at the things that matter most, even when nobody is watching.

Here’s my challenge to the sales community... Stop chasing tips, tricks and tactics and start pursuing progress.

Build stronger authentic relationships, deepen trust, sharpen your skills, strengthen your habits, become more intentional about how you show up for your clients, and the meaningful value you bring to their world.

You don’t have to transform your entire sales career overnight, but you do have to be willing to improve consistently.

Small improvements, practiced consistently, create extraordinary results.

Wrap your arms around this... What 1% improvement will you commit to today?

Sustainable sales growth doesn't happen simply because you want it to. You must develop it through the daily behaviors, decisions, disciplines, and relationships that compound over time.

It requires a deep-seeded commitment to getting better at the things that matter, even when those improvements seem insignificant in the moment.

Quite often, salespeople and their leadership crave the breakthrough's when what they really need is betterment.

They chase a new sales strategy when they haven't mastered the fundamentals. They want more clients when they haven't developed the habits required to serve their existing clients exceptionally well.

The issue isn't always that you're doing everything wrong. Sometimes, it's that you're doing too many things at an average level and failing to improve any of them.

Marginal gains will challenge you to stop underestimating the power of small, intentional improvements practiced consistently.

Marginal gains... It's not about squeezing more activity into a so-called busy calendar, it's about improving the quality of the activities that matter.

More calls don't automatically mean better prospecting, more meetings don't automatically mean more meaningful conversations, and more follow-ups doesn't automatically mean stronger relationships.

Small Improvements, Extraordinary Possibilities

The law of marginal gains is built around a straightforward idea... Small, incremental improvements across multiple areas can combine to produce meaningful performance gains over time.

Rather than searching for one dramatic breakthrough, focus on improving the individual components that contribute to success.

• What if you became a little better at asking questions?

• What if you became a little more knowledgeable about your clients' businesses?

• What if you became a little more intentional about prospecting?

• What if you became a little more disciplined in your follow-up?

• What if you became a little more consistent in doing what you promised?

Individually, these improvements might not appear significant. Collectively, they can change the way clients experience you, the quality of your sales conversations, and the strength of the relationships you build.

Let's flip this around, as you consider the alternative.

You keep doing what you've always done, relying on the same questions, the same presentations, the same prospecting habits, and the same follow-up routines.

Then, by some miraculous stroke of a wand, you expect different results without meaningfully changing the behaviors producing your current results.

How sustainable is that?

Marginal gains challenge you to stop underestimating the power of small, intentional improvements practiced consistently.

Sales Sustainability Is Built, Not Declared

So many talk about sustainable sales growth, but how many intentionally develop the daily behaviors that make it possible?

Sales leaders review forecasts, pipeline reports, revenue targets, and performance dashboards. Yes, I agree, these are important, however; the numbers tell you what's happening; what they don't always tell you why it's happening or whether the behaviors behind those numbers will produce results next quarter.

A salesperson might achieve this month's target while neglecting prospecting, relying on a handful of large accounts, or failing to develop new relationships. The results look good until an account leaves, a competitor gets an opportunity, or the pipeline dries up.

Suddenly, everyone discovers that last month's success wasn't as sustainable as it appeared.

Sustainable sales growth requires more than short-term performance. It requires repeatable behaviors that build customer trust, protect relationships, create meaningful value, and consistently generate future opportunities.

This is why Selling from the Heart matters. We believe trust isn't something you ask clients to give you, it's something you earn through how you show up, how you serve, and how consistently you deliver.

Trust isn't built through one impressive presentation, or one perfectly executed sales call. It develops through repeated evidence that you are genuine, knowledgeable, dependable, and committed to helping your customers succeed.

The law of marginal gains gives you a way to practice that commitment, where the Selling from the Heart Trust Formula gives you a framework for directing it.

Authentic Relationships + Meaningful Value × Inspirational Experience × Disciplined Habits = Trusted Relationships

This formula represents more than a memorable statement, it challenges the entire sales community to examine the behaviors that create trust and the consistency required to sustain it.

Pay attention to disciplined habits, as relationships, value, and experiences don't become competitive advantages simply because you occasionally demonstrate them, they become advantages when clients can depend on them.

Let's breakdown the Trust Formula, applied to marginal gains.

Authentic Relationships, Improve Who You Know

Authentic relationships are about more than knowing names, remembering birthdays, or having a friendly conversation over coffee.

They're about understanding the people behind the purchasing decisions.

• Do you understand your clients' goals?

• Do you know the pressures they're facing?

• Do you understand what success looks like for them, and what roadblocks could prevent them from achieving their objectives?

Or do you know their order history, purchasing patterns, and budget while knowing very little about the people making the decisions?

There's a ginormous difference between having access to a client and having earned a meaningful relationship with that client.

The marginal gain begins with massive amounts of curiosity.

• What if you asked one better question during your next conversation?

• What if you spent five additional minutes preparing to understand the person sitting across from you?

• What if you developed a relationship with another decision-maker or influencer inside an important account?

Imagine the cumulative impact of these small improvements across dozens of clients and hundreds of conversations.

You begin to understand your clients beyond their immediate purchases, you start recognizing emerging needs earlier, you start becoming more aware of organizational changes, and you earn opportunities to have conversations that competitors never get invited into.

When you understand the business, you can have a different conversation.

Your mirror moment... Are you investing in authentic relationships, or are you simply maintaining contact with clients because they buy from you?

You can't build genuine relationships through a sales technique, you develop them through curiosity, care, consistency, and a sincere interest in helping others succeed.

Meaningful Value, Improve What You Know

Clients have access to more information than ever before, as information alone is no longer enough to differentiate you.

Clients need sales professionals who can help them make sense of that information, recognize opportunities, challenge assumptions, and make better business decisions.

Meaningful Value is the difference between providing information and helping a customer see something they couldn't see before.

To do this, it requires ongoing development.

• What are you learning about your clients' industries?

• What business trends could affect their profitability?

• What questions would uncover a challenge they haven't fully considered?

• What insight could help them evaluate an opportunity differently?

The marginal gain here is to become a little more knowledgeable, a little more prepared, and a little more capable of connecting what you know to what your client needs.

Imagine dedicating 15 minutes each workday to learning about your clients' businesses, studying industry developments, or improving your discovery skills.

Over time, that investment can help you ask sharper questions, recognize patterns, explain implications, and offer more relevant perspectives.

You don't need to become an expert in everything, but what you need to become is increasingly valuable in the areas that matter to your clients.

Meaningful Value answers the client's unspoken question... Why should I listen to you?

Your answer cannot simply be the company you represent, the years you've been in sales, or the products you carry, it must be demonstrated through the meaning value you bring to the conversation.

Your mirror moment... If your customers removed your product offerings from the conversation, would they still find value in meeting with you?

Your personal development directly influences your professional value.

The more you understand, the better you can prepare. The better you prepare, the more meaningful your questions and insights become. The more meaningful your conversations, the greater your opportunity to earn trust.

Folks, this isn't a one-time achievement, it's a lifelong discipline.

Inspirational Experience, Improve How You Show Up

Every interaction you have creates an experience.

Clients notice whether you listen or interrupt. They notice whether you understand their priorities or redirect every conversation toward your own agenda.

They notice whether you respect their time, acknowledge their concerns, and do what you said you would do.

An inspirational experience doesn't require a grand gesture. What it does require is intentionality.

• It might mean sending a thoughtful follow-up that summarizes the client's priorities rather than simply asking whether they've made a decision.

• It might mean anticipating a problem before it becomes urgent.

• It might mean admitting that you don't know an answer, committing to finding it, and following through promptly.

• It might mean being willing to have an uncomfortable but necessary conversation because you care more about the client's success than your own desire to be liked.

In a marketplace where clients often struggle to differentiate between competing suppliers, the experience you create can become a reason they choose to stay.

The marginal gain is to make your next interaction more thoughtful, relevant, and dependable than the last.

Before every meeting, ask yourself...

• What do they need from me today?

• How can I make this conversation more useful?

• What can I do to respect their time and priorities?

• What commitment must I fulfill after this interaction?

Then follow through with massive amounts of action.

Your mirror moment... Are your clients experiencing the best of who you are, or are they experiencing whatever version of you happens to show up that day?

An inspirational experience isn't about being entertaining, charismatic, or perfect, it's about being present, prepared, genuine, and dependable.

Disciplined Habits, Improve How Consistently You Show Up

You can build a relationship, provide meaningful value, and create an inspirational experience occasionally, but sustainable trust requires consistency.

• You can't expect a healthy pipeline if prospecting happens only when business is slow.

• You can't expect meaningful client conversations if preparation happens only when time permits.

• You can't expect clients to trust your word if follow-through depends on your mood, workload, or convenience.

Your habits reveal what you truly prioritize.

Consider the small disciplines that contribute to long-term sales performance...

• Protecting time for prospecting, even when existing clients demand attention.

• Preparing for client meetings rather than improvising every conversation.

• Seeking feedback instead of defending familiar habits.

• Investing in personal development even when business is going well.

• Reviewing client relationships before a competitor exposes a weakness.

• Reflecting on what worked, what didn't, and what needs to improve.

None of these behaviors is particularly glamorous, and that's precisely the point, because sustainable sales growth is rarely built on occasional bursts of motivation, it's built on repeatable behaviors that continue when motivation fades and competing priorities appear.

One better conversation won't transform your sales career, one disciplined week won't guarantee a strong pipeline, one training session won't permanently improve your discovery skills, however; the deliberate repetition of better behaviors can strengthen your capabilities, improve client experiences, and create more reliable foundations for growth.

Your mirror moment... Are your daily habits aligned with the sales results you say you want?

If your calendar, preparation, prospecting, learning, and follow-through were the only evidence available, what would they reveal about your commitment to betterment?

Sales Leaders... You Cannot Demand What You Refuse to Develop

Sales leaders have a responsibility to create the environment in which marginal gains become possible, measurable, and repeatable.

Sadly, I see this happening all too often, as executive leadership expects salespeople to improve their results without providing the coaching, training, feedback, and reinforcement required to improve their capabilities.

A shotgun approach to sales training will never create the habits needed to sustain sales results.

Leaders demand stronger client relationships but rarely coach relationship-building skills.

Leaders expect meaningful value but fail to invest in business acumen and discovery.

Leaders insist on exceptional client experiences but don't help their salespeople practice the moments that matter.

Then leadership wonders why performance remains inconsistent.

You can't hold salespeople accountable for capabilities you've never helped them develop.

Accountability matters, personal ownership matters. Salespeople must take responsibility for their own growth and apply what they learn, but leadership accountability matters, too.

• If you expect authentic relationships, coach your team on understanding clients beyond transactions.

• If you expect meaningful value, invest in business knowledge, preparation, and the ability to ask better questions.

• If you expect inspirational experiences, discuss what clients should consistently experience and reinforce the behaviors that create it.

• If you expect disciplined habits, establish a consistent coaching rhythm that makes those habits visible and helps people improve them.

Don't simply inspect the numbers at the end of the month, inspect the behaviors that produced those numbers.

• Are your salespeople improving their conversations?

• Are they becoming more effective at uncovering client needs?

• Are they following through more consistently?

• Are they building relationships across key accounts?

• Are they developing the capabilities required to sustain success?

These questions matter because salespeople can't build long-term sustainability on short-term pressure alone.

Leaders must create a culture where learning is expected, coaching is consistent, feedback is constructive, and accountability is rooted in development rather than blame.

Leaders... You must commit to developing you salespeople. Salespeople... You must commit to developing yourselves. Together... You all must commit to improving the behaviors that earn client trust.

Your 30-Day Selling from the Heart Marginal Gains Challenge

For the next month, choose one component of the Trust Formula.

Authentic Relationships - Have one more meaningful conversation each day, learn something important about a client's goals, challenges, or priorities.

Meaningful Value - Dedicate 15 minutes each workday to improving your understanding of your clients' businesses, industries, or challenges, then bring one useful insight or question into the conversation.

Inspirational Experience - Identify one client commitment each day and make sure you fulfill it when promised. Look for one opportunity to make an interaction more thoughtful or useful.

Disciplined Habits - Protect a consistent block of time for prospecting, preparation, follow-through, or professional development, and track whether you honored that commitment.

At the end of each week, ask yourself three questions...

1. What did I commit to doing?

2. What did I do?

3. What did I learn, and what will I improve next week?

30 days will not make you a finished product, that isn't the objective. The objective is to prove to yourself that you can deliberately improve a behavior, practice it consistently, and make betterment part of how you work.

The Mirror Moment

The law of marginal gains reminds all of you that small improvements matter.

Selling from the Heart reminds you why this all matters, because behind every transaction is a relationship, behind every relationship is a human being, and behind every trusted relationship is a history of behaviors that earned confidence over time.

The Trust Formula gives all of you a framework for putting that belief into practice.

Salespeople, stop waiting for someone else to make you better. Take ownership of your development, ask better questions, learn more about your client, practice your craft, and become more intentional about the experiences you create.

Sales leaders, stop expecting sustainable growth without investing in the salespeople responsible for producing it. Coach the behaviors, develop the capabilities, reinforce the disciplines, and hold salespeople accountable while giving them the tools and support to improve.

You don't build a sustainable sales career through occasional excellence. You build it through small, meaningful improvements practiced consistently in service of the people who trust you with their business.

That's how marginal gains become a competitive advantage, and how betterment becomes a habit.

Selling from the Heart, reinforced by the Trust Formula, becomes more than a philosophy, it becomes a sustainable way to sell, lead, and grow.

Originally published on Larry Levine's LinkedIn.