If you missed Sandler Summit 2025, we won’t sugarcoat it:
Yes, it was packed. Yes, the hallway conversations were legendary. And yes—there were dozens of sessions that delivered more insight per minute than most sales books do in 200 pages.

But you’re in luck. Whether you were front row for every keynote or following along on LinkedIn, we pulled together the top takeaways that had the biggest impact on attendees—from frontline sellers to CEOs.

Let’s break it down by role.

For Salespeople: Conversations That Convert

1. Buyers Don’t Ghost People They Trust

If you’re constantly chasing, it’s a sign the buyer never emotionally bought in. The fix?

Better pain questions
Clearer next steps
And (surprise) less convincing, more qualifying

Ghosting isn’t personal—it’s preventable.

2. Use the Phone. It Still Works (When Done Right)

AI is great. Sequences are slick. But nothing replaces a live conversation.
If your pipeline’s dry, look at your call reluctance—not your tech stack.

Make the call. Make it matter.

3. Pain Is the Shortcut to Trust

Buyers aren’t won over by product pitches. They’re moved by clarity around what’s not working.
Use the Pain Funnel. Go deeper. Ask, “How long has that been a problem?” and “What happens if it’s not fixed?”

4. Identity Drives Behavior

Your self-image sets your ceiling. Salespeople who see themselves as “helpers” or “problem solvers” outperform those who see themselves as “pitchers.” Want better outcomes? Start with how you see yourself.

For Sales Leaders & Managers: Coaching > Controlling

1. Stop Managing Results. Start Coaching Behavior.

Most underperformance isn’t a motivation problem—it’s a system problem.
→ Are you coaching to behavior, attitude, and technique?
→ Are you reinforcing, or just checking in?

Accountability without coaching = turnover. Coaching without accountability = chaos.

2. Build Scorecards That Reinforce the Right Things

World-class teams don’t rely on end-of-month panic. They run on weekly scorecards, built around consistent behaviors, not just results. You don’t scale pressure. You scale systems.

3. Mentorship Isn’t a Nice-to-Have—It’s Your Secret Weapon

Mentorship isn’t about knowing all the answers. It’s about asking the right questions and creating space for growth. Reps coached by mentors see 23% higher retention and 18% faster ramp times. (Yes, really.)

4. Your Reps Are Learning From You—Even When You Don’t Mean It

Every time you jump in to close a deal for your rep, you teach them to wait for you. Every time you set the tone in meetings, you teach them what “normal” looks like.

Be intentional. You’re modeling the standard—whether you mean to or not.

For Executives & Business Owners: Strategy That Scales

1. Strategic Growth Requires Saying “No”

You can’t be all things to all clients. The most successful companies in the room had a narrow ICP, a clear “no-go” list, and a growth plan based on intentional tradeoffs.

Strategy isn’t about more. It’s about focus.

2. The Whole Company Is the Sales Department

Ops, finance, legal—they’re either supporting growth or silently stalling it. Sales isn’t a silo. It’s a culture. And if your non-sales teams don’t speak the same language, it’s costing you more than you think.

3. Your Culture Is Either Default or Designed

Left unchecked, sales culture becomes reactive, excuse-driven, and full of silos. Culture-building isn’t fluffy—it’s foundational. Start by modeling it, measuring it, and tying it to how you hire and promote.

4. Executives Must Shift from Hero to Builder

If you’re still solving every problem and closing every deal, you haven’t built a business—you’ve built a bottleneck. Sustainable growth requires delegation, development, and trust.

Your Post-SUMMIT25 Action Plan

Don’t just take notes. Take action. Here’s where to start this quarter:

Build or audit your sales scorecard
→ Are you tracking behaviors, not just outcomes?
Choose ONE coaching technique to master
→ Role-play. Debrief. Ask better questions.
Clarify your ICP and re-train your team on it
→ Who’s your ideal client? Who isn’t?
Have your team record 5 sales calls and self-assess
→ Use the BAT framework (Behavior, Attitude, Technique)
Book a leadership debrief session
→ Review your sales process, hiring plan, and strategic goals

Want in on the next big moment?

SUMMIT25 brought the clarity, the community, and the playbook.

SUMMIT26 in Fort Lauderdale will raise the bar again—with new speakers, real-time strategies, and the kind of conversations that actually move the needle in your business.

Meet top-performing sales leaders
Learn what’s working right now across industries
Walk away with an action plan (not just inspiration)

Tickets are already moving—secure your spot before it sells out.
Get Early Access to Sandler Summit 2026

Hear Top SUMMIT25 Takeaways: What Sales Pros, Managers, and Executives Learned in the Room