By Brandon Van Blerk · Updated 7 August 2026
What Are the 8 Motions of Opportunity Creation?
Every opportunity can be created through one or more of eight motions. The skill is not picking a favourite. It is choosing the right mix for the buyer, the trigger and the situation.
The 8 Motions of Opportunity Creation are the eight ways a business can create a commercial conversation: Ask, Be Found, Teach, Show Proof, Leverage Relationships, Create Experiences, Expand Customers and Use Buying Signals. Every opportunity you have ever won arrived through one or more of them.
The eight motions
- M1 Ask. Create the conversation directly. Calls, emails, LinkedIn, executive outreach, introductions.
- M2 Be Found. Be there when the buyer starts looking. Search, buyer guides, comparison pages, expert content.
- M3 Teach. Give the buyer something useful to think about. Points of view, research, benchmarks, webinars.
- M4 Show Proof. Give the buyer a reason to believe you. Customer stories, references, testimonials, demonstrations.
- M5 Leverage Relationships. Use existing trust before creating trust from zero. Moved buyers, customer introductions, partner routes.
- M6 Create Experiences. Give buyers a valuable reason to spend time with you. Workshops, roundtables, briefings, diagnostics.
- M7 Expand Customers. Create the next opportunity where trust already exists. New stakeholders, business units, geographies.
- M8 Use Buying Signals. Act when behaviour or change suggests a buying window. Engagement, buyer moves, hiring, contract dates.
Full definitions, examples and what the system prepares for each motion are on the 8 Motions page.
Why a mix beats a favourite
Most teams over-rely on one or two motions, usually Ask at volume, because that is what their structure rewards. The result is cold outreach into accounts where a warmer route existed all along. The Opportunity Creation System assesses all eight motions for each trigger and recommends the right mix for the buyer, trigger and situation.
A moved buyer usually calls for Leverage Relationships supported by Show Proof. A public change programme at a net-new account might call for Use Buying Signals, Teach and Ask together. Same system, different mix.
Roles are contextual
No role owns a motion. Business development might execute Ask on one play and support Create Experiences on another. Customer success might carry Expand Customers one week and provide the proof for Show Proof the next. The play decides who acts, not the org chart.
On proof
Not the biggest case study. Not the newest case study. The right proof.
Frequently asked questions
Do we need to run all eight motions?
You need to be able to consider all eight. Most plays use two to four motions. The point is that the choice is deliberate, made per trigger, rather than defaulting to whichever channel the team is staffed for.
Which motion produces the most pipeline?
It depends on your business. Companies with strong customer bases usually find Expand Customers and Leverage Relationships carry the most value per hour invested. Businesses entering new markets lean harder on Be Found, Teach and Ask. The system learns which mixes convert for you.
Is a buying signal a motion or a trigger?
Using a buying signal is a motion, M8. The signal itself is a form of change. A signal is not an opportunity. It is a reason to investigate, and if it matters, it becomes a trigger with a play behind it.
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