What Are the Most Meaningful Moments in Sales? 11 Experts Weigh In.

Each day and each interaction in sales is a collection of pivotal moments. Seizing opportunities and defusing challenges is what separates the greats.

Where are those moments that invite the biggest impact? The moments that you look forward to, and the ones that stick in your mind? We asked this question to a lineup of top pros from the selling community to get their takes.

Read on to learn about the crucial moments these sales experts focus on to create a spark and build a relationship. (Speaking of which, these folks are attending LinkedIn Spark, which is focused on the power of sales moments – learn more about that here.)

The moment when the prospect shares their vision – and your solution fits it.

From Cherilynn Castleman; Author, Executive Coach, and Sales Leader:

“The most meaningful part of the sales process for me is during the discovery interview; when a client's eyes light up as they articulate their vision for the future. At that moment, they're ready to start solutioning with you, because they know what they want, and they know you can help them achieve it. 

Sales isn't about products, it's about solutions! Partnering with my clients to find the solution that exceeds their expectations and helps them realize their vision is the best part of the job.”

The moment when a prospect realizes you sincerely want to help them.

From Anita Nielsen; President & Owner, LDK Advisory Services:

“B2B sales is very often just human-to-human connection in disguise. Magic happens in the moment a buyer realizes you sincerely want to help them, the individual human being, not just the employee playing a role. The more magic moments you create, the greater your sales success. 

When you sell with good intent and this objective in mind, you’ll win deals and create customers for life.”

“Magic happens in the moment a buyer realizes you sincerely want to help them, the individual human being, not just the employee playing a role.”

The moment when a prospect feels understood.

From Amy Volas; Founder & CEO, Avenue Talent Partners:

“Ultimately, we all want to be seen, heard, understood, and valued. When we can do this for our buyers, that's when the most meaningful sales moments are created. It's less about us, and all about them.”

The moment where you connect with your buyer at a deeper, intrinsic level.

From Dale Dupree; Founder & CSO, The Sales Rebellion:

“My most meaningful sales moments have always been centered around the action of making others feel seen, heard, and fulfilled through their business relationship with me. That goes beyond just selling them a sweet product or service that fits their needs … It’s in all the specific moments where I was able to go above and beyond. 

Using active listening skills and taking action on outside-the-box ideas that accommodate the buyer’s request and make them feel important and understood are the keys to providing fulfillment in someone else’s life. That will connect them to you on a much deeper and more intrinsic level than the traditional sales cycle.”

“My most meaningful sales moments have always been centered around the action of making others feel seen, heard, and fulfilled through their business relationship with me.”

The moment when you use a sales process for the first time – and it works!

From Melitta Campbell; Marketing Coach and Business Mentor:

“My most notable moment in sales was when I used my sales process for the first time. Instead of the usual polite conversation, I was able to help the prospect gain real clarity around her needs and she was so grateful. She didn’t just say ‘Yes,’ she said ’Thank you.’”

The moment where you surprise and delight your prospect.

From Sam McKenna; Founder, #samsales:

“I believe in always finding a way to go above-and-beyond for our clients, which often comes back to my favorite motto - Show Me You Know Me. Listening to clients, learning about their personal lives, and finding a way to tie it all together with a gesture that can delight them is part of what builds a long term brand and relationship.”

“I believe in always finding a way to go above and beyond for our clients, which often comes back to my favorite motto - Show Me You Know Me.”

The moment where you stand up with confidence.

From Ashleigh Early; “The Other Sales Coach”:

“When I moved into consulting, negotiating rates for my services was terrifying and uncomfortable. There was no easy calculation for ROI, no playbook, no rules. Yet working the process … worked. Business took off when every ‘yes’ was preceded by a ‘no’ from me. ‘No – I don't discount. If this doesn't make sense, no hard feelings, but I'm confident this is a fair price.’ That one sentence took months to learn to say – and every time I did, the client still came back with a ‘yes.’ Those meant my business had value, and I was moving in the right direction.”

“Business took off when every ‘yes’ was preceded by a ‘no’ from me.”

The moment when you really want your client to succeed – and they do.

From Liz Simpson; Founder, Stymulyst:

"My most meaningful sales moments have always been those moments where I not only knew without a shadow of a doubt that my solution could dramatically improve my prospect’s current state, but they were also moments where I felt emotionally connected to my prospect and truly wanted to see my prospect win. 

Then, when that very same prospect aligns with me and agrees that yes, this is the path they trust and yes, they want to partner with me to do great work … it’s a magical, meaningful sales moment where I know my sales efforts have been the catalyst for a change for the better that benefits all parties.”

“I felt emotionally connected to my prospect and truly wanted to see my prospect win.”

The moment where you are truly of service.

From David Fisher; President, RockStar Consulting:

“The most meaningful moments are those where you are in a position to truly be of service. The sales professionals that remember you sell for your prospect, not to your prospect, are positioned for both short-term success and career longevity."

The moment when you start selling how your buyers want to buy, not how you want to sell.

From Jake Dunlap; CEO, Skaled Consulting:

“One of those pivotal moments in my career was the realization that selling annual contracts and trying to push big companies to buy 1000 licenses is a waste of time. How typical enterprise organizations buy is first they'll do a pilot and then the key is you set very specific success criteria for what will move forward into what we call proof of scale, and then they will roll out the why. 

They never go from zero to 1000, it is always gonna be a test group of 50, then a bigger group of 200, and then they deploy. I've been able to personally take a deal from $0 to $4 million in 10 months with that exact strategy. I've repeated it multiple times for several bigger deals and for all of our clients hitting the milestones at each step and setting that success criteria upfront.”

“They never go from zero to 1000, it is always gonna be a test group of 50, then a bigger group of 200, and then they deploy.”

The moment where you are fully prepared to serve your prospect.

From Mari Anne Vanella; Founder & CEO, The Vanella Group:

“Knowing about your prospect and their company makes a MASSIVE difference in the quality of your engagement—the impact is concurrent on many levels including credibility, trust, communication, and seeing you as a peer. Taking the time to understand them and their business goes a LONG way in early engagement.”

“Knowing about your prospect and their company makes a MASSIVE difference in the quality of your engagement.”

We’re only scratching the surface of the experience, advice, and inspiration sales leaders can provide.

Tap into a whole lot more by registering for LinkedIn Spark 2022, coming up on March 15th. There’s no better moment to reserve your spot.