The National Sales Conference 2015 focused on the theme of resilience in tough times. John McCarthy, a journalist who was held hostage for over five years, gave a moving speech about how resilience got him through his ordeal using practical skills, relationships, and a determined spirit. Other speakers like musician Midge Ure discussed overcoming challenges and adversity through passion and focus. The conference provided workshops on skills like networking and leadership, emphasizing the importance of resilience and never giving up when times are hard.

1. 16 Winning Edge
When the going
gets tough…
The importance of resilience in tough times emerged as a key theme
during an emotional and action-packed day at the
National Sales Conference 2015. Tom Nash reports
H
undreds of delegates packed
into Coventry’s Ricoh Arena
on 8 October for National
Sales Conference 2015,
supported by the ISMM.
Steve Lindsey, managing director of event
organiser Lincoln West, kicked off the
proceedings, welcoming delegates and
thanking the headline sponsors, Actimizer and
New Voice Media. Lindsey then gave way to
Sean Brickell, host for a day that was to prove
inspirational – full of new ideas, practical
solutions, networking opportunities and
entertainment – and, above all, brimming
with emotion.
Most moving was a memorable speech by
John McCarthy, the British journalist captured
in civil war-torn Beirut in 1986 and held
hostage for over five years. At first, one could
be forgiven for thinking that McCarthy’s
experience, though dreadful, could have little
to tell us about professional selling. But this
turned out to be very far from the case.
McCarthy’s interminable, often brutal
captivity told us everything we could ever wish
to know about the importance of personal
resilience when times get tough. For him to
survive – as for salespeople to succeed –
resilience was founded on a mix of practical
skills, personal relationships and an
indomitable, never say die spirit.
Even when McCarthy suffered “grinding
moments of hopelessness”, he found ways to
cope with his day-to-day ordeal, using his
imagination to picture the world beyond his
dark cell, bonding with his fellow hostages,
and retaining his humour and humanity. “No
matter how tough it gets, there’s always a
reason to keep going, a way of achieving it,
and people who can help you,” he said.
Finally, after 1,943 days, he was released to a
hero’s welcome home, a moment so cathartic
that, even in the retelling so many years later,
it left many delegates close to tears.
Other speakers faced a tough task to match
McCarthy’s dramatic story and yet, in
different ways, they all built upon his theme of
triumph over adversity. The famous rock
Workshop wisdom
During breaks in the conference,
delegates had the opportunity
to attend superb breakout
sessions run by: Rob Brown on
networking mastery (above);
David Joel on leadership and
motivation; and Samantha
North and Patrick Joiner, with
the Chartered Institute of
Procurement and Supply (CIPS),
on a TACK International study
into buyers’view of salespeople.
“No matter how tough it gets,
there’s always a reason to keep
going, a way of achieving”
ismm.co.uk

2. Winning Edge 17
National Sales
Exhibition 2015
Now in its fifth year, the
exhibition proved the
ideal place for
businesses to market
their products and
services to one of the
UK’s largest gatherings
of sales professionals.
Delegates were able to
mingle freely with
conference speakers at
the event, as well as
tapping into the
knowledge and
expertise of a host of
other sales specialists.
Lincoln West’s Steve
Lindsey paid tribute to
the many excellent
exhibitors.“Without
their commitment to
professional selling we
would not have been
able to put on such a
popular event. We hope
all delegates will take
the time to look at the
fantastic propositions
these businesses
provide,”he said.
Save the date
Next year’s National
Sales Conference and
Exhibition take place on
6 October 2016. Early
booking discounts for
delegates and exhibitors
apply until 17 December
www.sales-expo.co.uk
musician Midge Ure explained two seemingly
impossible challenges: first, how he rose from a
modest, working class background in Glasgow –
where he was often discouraged from pursuing his
interest in music – to become a global superstar;
second, how he helped galvanise the pop world and
the public into raising millions for the victims of
famine in Ethiopia, through the phenomena that
became Band Aid and later Live Aid. “All the
doubters who said it can’t be done were wrong,” he
said. “Never take ‘no’ for an answer. With passion,
determination and focus you can achieve anything.”
Several other speakers addressed the attitude and
skills needed to succeed against the odds. Richard
Newman focused on the value of interpersonal skills
and, specifically, how adopting the right body
language can make all the difference when it comes to
building productive relationships. Newman, who is the
official specialist on business communication at the
London Business School, used examples of US
presidential candidates to show delegates how they
could increase their personal presence. His high-
energy presentation involved plenty of audience
participation as we learned the importance of both
knowing what to say, but also how to say it, so as to
avoid being “all sausage and no sizzle”.
Nigel Mackay explained how best to equip your
sales team with the right competencies to succeed.
The answer, he said, is to embark on a “training needs
analysis journey”, something Mackay himself has
done with great success as a consultant at sales trainer
Mercuri International and, as “poacher turned
gamekeeper”, at payment company Worldpay, a
former client that is now his employer. Mackay
showed how a training needs analysis could assess
three key competencies – skills, knowledge and
attitude – identifying gaps that could then be
addressed through appropriate personal and
professional development. “The result will be a
massive value boost to your sales,” he said.
Tongue-in-cheek “business guru” Geoff Burch
brought the all-important ingredient of humour to the
Ricoh. His hilarious observations and anecdotes,
compiled over his many years as “the Hell’s Angel of
management consultancy” (as he has been described
by the Sunday Times), had the audience in stitches. But
there were some serious nuggets of advice from him
too, such as the importance of instilling a strong
customer service ethic among all staff, not just
frontline salespeople. “You need your people pitching,
not bitching,” he declared.
Geoff Ramm also had some pithy advice on the
importance of customer service – and, indeed,
“celebrity service”. He asked delegates, “What would
you do if a celebrity customer walked in to your
business? Would you do anything differently?” You
certainly ought to, he maintained, “But many
businesses fail to provide the quality of service they are
capable of. Ask yourself what more you can do”.
The day was brought to a rousing finale by dynamic
motivational speaker Gavin Ingham, whose mantra is
“Be more, do more, sell more.” Echoing previous
speakers, Ingham urged delegates, “No matter what
happens to you in life, it’s up to you what you make of
it. But be honest about your skills, attitudes and results.
Too many people lack critical honesty. Are you really
authentic? Do you network properly? Do you take
control of your life? And do you treat every customer
as if they were a celebrity?”
Ingham concluded, “Most of you have great skills
and experience, so the real question is, do you exercise
these skills and use your experience all the time? To
put it bluntly, do you turn up?”
There was no doubt that most delegates were glad
to have turned up at National Sales Conference 2015.
Powerful, moving presentations were made by John
McCarthy (left) and Midge Ure (above), while Geoff
Burch (top left) added a liberal dose of humour
ismm.co.uk