Why Proactive Beats Perfect Every Time

Raise your hand if you’ve ever told yourself, “I’ll get to that when it comes up.” If your hand isn’t up, you’re either a liar or you’ve reached business enlightenment. (If it’s the latter, please send me your course link.)

Here’s the truth: Being proactive is that one business move everyone agrees is smart, but almost nobody actually does. Why? Because it takes energy. Because it means acting before you have to. And because, if we’re honest, it’s a lot easier to just react. But if you want to grow your pipeline and keep clients coming back, “I’ll get to that later” doesn’t cut it.

The Real Meaning Of Proactive (And Why Most Skip It)

Being proactive means “creating or controlling a situation rather than just responding to it after it has happened.” It’s about moving first. It’s about taking the wheel, not just fixing potholes.

We made being proactive a non-negotiable rule at Growth Experts, especially in two places:  sales and client work. Not because it looks good in a mission statement, but because nothing else moves the needle faster.

If you’re leading a founder-run B2B company (or a team that feels like a family, for better or worse), you already know your window for action is small. Blink, and someone else has called your prospect, fixed your client’s problem, or shipped their latest “revolutionary” update. 

The companies that win? They’re not waiting for the phone to ring.

Sales: The First Punch Wins

Let me tell you how we landed one of our best clients. It wasn’t our pitch deck. It wasn’t our “proven methodology.” It was this – we were the first to respond and book a meeting, beating out another highly recommended agency.

Was I faster because I have secret productivity hacks? Not even close. Early on, we had no leverage, no brand, and honestly, not a clue what would work. So I picked a batch of LinkedIn prospects, rewrote their homepages (yep, for free), hit record on Loom, and sent over a quick video walking through what they could improve. No ask, no sales pitch. Just, “Hey, saw something you could fix – here’s how I’d do it.”

What happened? Almost 100% meeting booking rate. If you’ve ever cold-emailed, you know that’s basically unicorn territory. The lesson is that proactive wins, even when it takes more effort and isn’t scalable.

What Unscalable Moves Can You Make?

I get it. You want repeatable systems, not random acts of heroism. But the best way to build those systems is to start with something that doesn’t scale. Why? Because you learn what actually works. You see your prospects’ and clients’ reactions in real time.

So, ask yourself,  what proactive actions can you take, even if they aren’t scalable, that could grow your sales? Maybe it’s:

• Reviewing a potential client’s site and sending a real fix, not a canned audit.
• Reaching out when you notice their LinkedIn banner still says “Happy 2024.”
• Sharing a quick video with three ways to improve their landing page.

You don’t have to do this for everyone. Just enough to learn what lands, and build your playbook from there.

Client Work: Fix It Before They Find It

Here’s where most companies drop the ball. They wait for the client to say, “Hey, our latest campaign isn’t working,” or “Why does our sales deck look like it was made in PowerPoint 2007?” Then they scramble. That’s not service, that’s damage control.

Our team wins big points by spotting and fixing client marketing issues before clients even ask. Sometimes that means tidying up average sales collateral, rewriting bad copy, or cleaning up a messy campaign structure. No one asked. No one was angry. But when you show up with, “Hey, we noticed this and fixed it for you,” the appreciation is real. The trust builds. The relationship gets stickier.

“Take charge. Go ahead.” – a simple attitude that earns huge appreciation from clients.

One of our favorite client notes? “You fixed something before I even knew it was broken. That’s why we keep working with you.” (I did a small victory dance. Nobody saw it. Probably for the best.)

A Quick Checklist Of Proactive Moves You Can Make This Week

If you’re still with me, you’re probably wondering how to start. Here’s a simple checklist. Pick one or two and run with it:

For Sales

• Find three prospects and record a personalized Loom video with one actionable suggestion.
• Reply to inbound leads within 30 minutes (set up notifications if you have to).
• Send a quick LinkedIn message when you notice a prospect’s company in the news – congratulate them, then offer one helpful idea.

For Client Work

• Review client sales collateral and flag anything that looks outdated or off-brand.
• Audit one live campaign for quick wins (typos, missing CTAs, slow load times).
• Drop a note when you spot industry news that could impact their business, with a simple “Here’s how this could affect you.”

None of these are complex. Most take less than 20 minutes. But the impact? Huge. You’re not just another vendor waiting for instructions. You’re the partner who’s thinking ahead.

Stop Waiting. Start Leading.

I’ll say it again – being proactive isn’t about perfection. It’s about showing up first, fixing problems before they become complaints, and making sure your clients feel like someone’s got their back.

So, what could you be proactive about to deliver a great experience for your clients? Try something this week, even if it feels small or a little scrappy.

You’ll be surprised how much it sets you apart.

Jason Bagley Founder, Growth Experts

I'm a business builder, the founder of Growth Experts, sometimes public speaker, and a member of the Entrepreneurs’ Organization. Mostly though, I’m just a dad to Eva & Cruz and a husband to Karina.