‘Actions Speak Louder Than Words’ | 12 Quotes for Salespeople to Remember

If you talk the talk, you have to walk the walk, especially in the world of sales.

You must be a person of your word to build trust and sustain strong working relationships with clients and your team. When you follow through with what you say you are going to do, your actions speak louder than words. 

But what does that mean, “actions speak louder”?

What Does It Mean to Say ‘Actions Speak Louder Than Words’?

The earliest we can trace this phrase back in its current form is in a document called the Melancholy State of Province in 1736:

“Actions speak louder than words, and are more to be regarded.”

The concept of integrity through actions goes back way farther though. For example, Michel de Montaigne, a philosopher from the 1500s, wrote:

“Saying is a different thing from doing.”

And Michel was right — words and actions are two separate things. However, they are powerful displays of character when combined. 

When you back up what you say with corresponding actions, your impact on others’ opinions of you and their trust will be immensely positive. It’s inspiring to work with someone like that. You are showing others, even those that don’t even know you as a person or professional, that you have integrity and mean what you say. 

Why Do Actions Speak Louder Than Words in Sales?

In sales, it’s already hard to build new relationships with clients. When you meet or talk to a new lead, they know little to nothing about you. You’re strangers to each other, and they most likely have no established trust yet.

Imagine you’re on a call with a lead who has received multiple offers and requests from other companies similar to yours. Their guard might already be up and they will probably be cautious in considering what you have to offer if you are just another name to them. 

In order to put a face to your name and build a two-way relationship of trust and understanding, you have to back up what you say. 

After all, anyone in sales can just say whatever a lead wants to hear. And while you know that you aren’t the type of person to make false claims or promises, your potential client doesn’t. 

In order to break through that wall with them, you have to do what you say, all the time, every time. The only way to prove your character is to back up your words, and when you do, they’ll know you are a person they can work with and count on. 

Building trust and honesty will open up many doors for you — they are the two tenets of any successful sales strategy. Here are some quotes from the greats to motivate you when building new professional relationships with clients.

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12 Quotes to Remind Sales Pros that Actions Speak Louder than Words

“A well done is better than well said.” — Benjamin Franklin  

People can’t do much with your words, but when you follow through with doing something well, it benefits whoever you are doing it for. Making a positive impact on a client and their company is better than saying you’ll make a positive impact. 

“Pay less attention to what men say. Just watch what they do.” — Dale Carnegie

Many people take words with a grain of salt, especially if they haven’t seen past examples of your follow-through. Your potential clients and team can only judge your character through what they see you doing. 

“Being all talk speaks volumes about you.” — Frank Sonnenberg 

Not committing to doing what you say you will is louder than your words. Simple as that. 

“A tongue doesn’t get things done.” — Amit Kalantri

People, especially clients, only care about the results. What matters most is what you can do for them. If you can’t prove what you say with actions that produce results, their confidence in your ability will waver. Get things done for clients. 

“If your actions don’t live up to your words, you have nothing to say.” — DaShanne Stokes   

There is no reason to make claims or commitments you can’t follow through with. It will only set you back in building trusting work relationships.

“The superior man acts before he speaks, and afterward speaks according to his actions.” — Confucius 

Showing someone right off the bat that you are a person of your word is the best way to make a positive impression and build trust from the get-go. Show up to meetings early, send follow-ups, and send them samples or examples of past projects if you can. Be timely, efficient, and always try to get a client above average results. 

“If you talk about it, it’s a dream, if you envision it, it’s possible, but if you schedule it, it’s real.” — Anthony Robbins  

Words don’t always depict reality. The only way to make something happen and show a potential client your words are real is to actually do it and make it a tangible action. 

“Action speaks louder than words but not nearly as often.” — Mark Twain

People make claims all the time. It’s hard to know who is being honest, but one of the biggest ways to demonstrate integrity to your clients and stand out among the crowd is to do what you say.

“…with words…You write it with actions. What you think is not important. It is only important what you do.” – Patrick Ness

Thoughts aren’t important in sales, and aren’t real until they are made tangible through actions. Thinking about doing something isn’t going to prove to your clients they can work with you nor will it bring them success. Always put your money where your mouth is and demonstrate your worth through your actions. 

“…remember, actions speak louder than words. No one’s perfect, but we can all strive to be better people.” — Demi Lovato

We can all strive every day to be better at what we do and who we are as people — with our team, our clients, our friends and family, and as leaders in the sales industry. The effort matters. 

“Actions speak louder than words. And sometimes inaction speaks louder than both of them.” — Matthew Good

Conversely, if you aren’t following through with what you say you’re going to do, people will lose trust and faith in your working relationship faster than it takes to build it. Don’t make a bad impression by not committing to what you say. 

“Actions speak louder than words. All companies say they care, right? But few actually exercise that care.” — Simon Sinek

Anyone can say anything. Unfortunately, there are companies out there who will say just about anything to get wins. A company that focuses on building trust and demonstrating their integrity through their actions will have an easier time building strong relationships and obtaining long-term success. 

How Yesware Can Help You Better Build Better Sales Relationships

Struggling to juggle all your leads and clients while simultaneously building meaningful relationships with them? 

Yesware can make it easier than ever to build strong relationships with your prospects. It’s sales made simple with our all-in-one toolkit for professionals. Streamline all your sales processes, saving you time and increasing productivity. 

From prospecting and tracking to effective multichannel campaigns, from sales insights to scheduling tools, the Yesware toolkit will seamlessly integrate with your team to help them connect with quality leads faster, smarter, and better.