Understanding the True Meaning of 'Wins' in Business

Why client acquisition—not followers—is the metric that matters

As I was scrolling through the 'Wins' section of my Accelerator recently, I noticed something that gave me pause.

Members were sharing amazing milestones—from landing their first clients to upselling to six-figure retainers. But across all these posts, there was one consistent omission that caught my attention.

They weren’t celebrating impressions, comments, or follower counts. And that reveals something important.

Let’s unpack what a real “win” in business actually looks like—and why it might not be what you think.

Defining 'Wins' in Business

Examples of 'Wins'

Here are just a few from my Accelerator community:

• “First client on board: She resonated with a post I shared. I used the doctor method. I pivoted. I coached.”
• “I won an inbound in June for two months' work and managed to upsell to six figures.”

More Examples of 'Wins'

• “First 10k month! Incredibly proud and happy to share that some small tweaks (suggested by the Sales God Richard of course) made all the difference this week!”
• “Within only 30 minutes, I received verbal confirmation for an initial 5–8k package with a potential upsell for a 30k retainer.”

What’s missing from all these examples?

No one’s talking about how many views they got. No one’s cheering about how many followers they added. No one’s even mentioning the number of leads or comments.

Why? Because those aren't the true wins.

The Missing Element

The Illusion of Success

Let’s be real—metrics like impressions and engagement do matter. They’re helpful indicators. They tell you when something’s working and give you feedback on how your audience responds.

But they’re not wins. They’re not outcomes. They’re activity signals.

It’s like saying, “I ran at 10 meters per second in my race!” That might sound impressive—but unless your goal was speed over outcome, you haven’t necessarily won.

If your aim in business is to build an audience, then sure—track followers. But if your aim is client acquisition, then only one thing counts: signed deals.

The Real Measure of Success

The real measure of success in business isn’t attention—it’s conversion.

If you’re getting 100,000 views on your post but no sales, it’s a performance issue.

If you have 10,000 followers but no clients this month, you’re missing the conversion link.

If you’re racking up 1,000 comments but haven’t closed a single new deal, then all that attention is just noise.

Attention is a means, not the end. Client acquisition is the outcome that pays the bills.

The Danger of False Success

Don't Kid Yourself

Looking successful is a lot easier than being successful. It’s easy to feel like you’re making progress when the engagement metrics look good.

But if your numbers aren’t turning into revenue, then you’re just entertaining—not converting.

So don’t kid yourself into thinking you’re “winning” because people are clapping. Claps don’t pay invoices.

Keep your eyes on the metric that matters: signed clients.

Stay Focused on the Goal

It’s easy to chase applause. It feels good. But it’s a short-term dopamine hit that can distract you from long-term growth.

Stay focused on client acquisition. Keep your eyes on your pipeline, your conversations, and your ability to serve.

That’s what your business runs on. Everything else is a bonus—not the benchmark.

Conclusion

Real wins in business aren’t followers, likes, or impressions. They’re clients, deals, and revenue.

So before you celebrate another round of engagement stats, ask yourself: Did I move someone closer to working with me?

If not, it’s not a win—yet.

Keep showing up. Keep pivoting. Keep converting. Because that’s where the real wins live.

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