KEYNOTE PRESENTER

Nic Read (USA)

BIOGRAPHY

Nic Read is the founder and CEO of SalesLabs, a sales consultancy represented in the USA, Europe and Asia that delivers solutions to large, multi-national companies.

He has served as visiting Professor for the Hewlett Packard Business School in Beijing China, was retained as the Executive Director for Big Four consulting firm Ernst & Young and has been awarded the International Business Award for Best Sales Trainer by a panel of judges that included Donald Trump, Gary Hamel and Tony Robbins.

His first book, Selling to the C-Suite, is the result of a 10-year global study on how executives get involved in the B2B buying cycle, and what sales people need to do to become trusted advisors at that level. The book topped the Amazon.com best-seller list in its category and has gone on to multiple printings in different languages.

Regarded as a thought leader on the science of revenue growth, Read’s sales and management programmes are sold in more than 40 countries in eight languages.

Nic has been awarded the International Business Award for Best Sales Trainer by a panel of judges that included Donald Trump, Gary Hamel and Tony Robbins.

MEDIA CREDITS

Read has delivered keynote and other presentations on the topic of ‘Sales Transformation’ for the Strategic Account Management Association, the Sales Leadership Conference, the HR Directors Forum, the Sales Leadership Summit and other public events, as well as being featured in USA Today, Forbes and SellingPower magazines, and on FOX and ABC TV.

CLIENTS

Ernst & Young, KPMG, Thomson Reuters, Cisco Systems, SAS, Microsoft, IBM, SAP, Fuji Xerox, British Telecom, Johnson & Johnson, Hewlett Packard

TESTIMONIALS

“You taught old dogs new tricks. Then you got the team to adopt these disciplines to their workday life. Now their activities are high impact. Instead of dealing with low-level product buyers, they now sell value to the top managers and tripled their business within months.”
Andy Sim, Director Commercial Business, Cisco Systems Singapore

“After attending Nic’s sales manager training I placed a renewed importance on my role as a moderator in deal reviews. These have been extremely effective in identifying ‘points of potential failure’. We used your sales process to gain a 75% win rate above our forecast.”
Nick Sarles, Sales Manager, SAS Americas

“A straightforward and pragmatic approach on how to gain and retain access to the executive level. Those new to executive sales will find a game plan they can use immediately. Veterans who regularly call on executives will sharpen their game.”
Chip Brubaker, Vice President Sales Readiness, Computer Associates

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KEYNOTE PRESENTER

Steve W. Martin (USA)

BIO
GRAPHY

Steve W. Martin is recognised as the foremost expert on “Sales Linguistics,” the study of how customers use language during the complex decision-making process. He is the founder of the Heavy Hitter sales training programme and the author of the critically acclaimed Heavy Hitter series of sales books for senior salespeople. Steve’s books have been featured in Forbes, The Wall Street Journal, and Selling Power Magazine. The Heavy Hitter sales training programme has helped over 100 000 sales people become top revenue producers at leading companies.

Early in his career, he was also introduced to the concepts of neurolinguistics (the science of how the human brain constructs and interprets language). When he transitioned his career into sales, he realised that he could build models to create successful relationships based upon customers’ language and thought processes. Without any sales experience to speak of, he was the number one salesperson in his company and he then went on to be a top sales producer for a billion-dollar company and was promoted into management to imprint his “selling model” on other salespeople within the organisation.

Steve is a highly sought-after sales trainer and keynote speaker. When not working with his clients, he teaches sales strategy at the University of Southern California Marshall Business School MBA Program.

Steve’s Heavy Hitter sales training programme has helped over 100 000 sales people become top revenue producers at leading companies and his book ‘Heavy Hitter Selling: How Successful Salespeople Use Language and Intuition to Persuade Customers to Buy’ is stipulated as recommended reading by the Harvard Business School.

MEDIA CREDITS

Steve is a regular contributor to the Harvard Business Review, Sales and Marketing Management, and the Software Sales Journal. He has been featured in Forbes and the Wall Street Journal.

CLIENTS

IBM, Oracle, AT&T, EMC, Philips, DHL Global Mail, Experian, Paypal, Prudential, Stanford University, UTI Worldwide Logistics

TESTIMONIALS

“After 30 years in sales, I have never seen anyone make such an impact on a group of sales people. It was truly transformational! I really think it has changed people’s lives.”
Deb Hogan, Sales Enablement Leader, Ingersoll-Rand

“Steve Martin’s deep knowledge of the enterprise sales process combined with his insights about the personalities, politics and linguistics of customer decision making has made a profound and instantaneous impact on our organisation.”
Lisa McFarlin, Executive Director, AT&T

“Steve Martin provided a great session that truly resonated with our senior sales audience. His excitement and energy left the entire audience wanting more.”
Pam Mallin, Director of Field Training, Sterling Commerce division of IBM

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KEYNOTE PRESENTER

Jill Konrath (USA)

BIOGRAPHY

Jill Konrath is an internationally-recognised sales expert, speaker and the bestselling author of Selling to Big Companies and SNAP Selling. SNAP Selling, her highly acclaimed new book jumped to No.1 on Amazon within hours of its release – and continues to be a top seller. Selling to Big Companies was named by Fortune as one of eight “must read” books and it has also been a Top 25 Amazon sales book since 2006.

In 1987, she launched Leapfrog Strategies Inc., a sales effectiveness consultancy that focuses on helping companies shorten time to revenue on new product introductions. Using her unique strategies that close the gaps between sales and marketing, her clients have been able to launch faster, capture their window of opportunity and gain significant market share.

In December 2010, the inaugural Annual Top Sales Awards ceremony took place online, judged by global industry leaders, where Jill was voted as winner in the ‘Top Sales Personality’ category.

Jill’s book ‘Selling to Big Companies’ was named by Fortune as one of eight “must read” books and it has also been a Top 25 Amazon sales book since 2006.

MEDIA CREDITS

Her sales expertise is frequently published in top business media such as ABC News, New York Times, Success Magazine, Entrepreneur Magazine (USA), Business Journal, Selling Power, Sales & Marketing Management as well as countless online publications and radio shows.

Jill’s expertise has also been cited in numerous books such as SMART Calls, Masters of Sales, The Contrarian Effect, Smart Selling on the Phone & Online, Top Dog Sales Secrets and many more.

CLIENTS

Accenture, Canadian Consulate, Direct Marketing Association, Hilton Hotel Group, IBM, Microsoft, ProLogix, United Healthcare, 3M Company.

TESTIMONIALS

“Jill’s excellent programme helped my team transform our sales approach to meet the demands of today’s fast paced world. The impact of her work has been, and will continue to be felt for many years.”
Jeff Filaseta, Vice President, National Sales, Entertainment

“Our sales force rated Jill’s speech a 4.7 out of 5. It was the highest rating of all the speakers at our national sales meeting.”
Bill Duncan, VP of Sales, Hilton

“After Jill’s workshop our appointment closing ratios increased to 87% in only two months! Many of the top-level prospects who agreed to meet with us had declined our earlier attempts — in some cases for years.”
Woody Helfand, VP of Sales, Cox Media

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CASE STUDY PRESENTER & PANEL DISCUSSION

Ivan Epstein (SA)

BIOGRAPHY

Co-Founder and CEO, Softline and Sage AAMEA

Ivan has a degree in accounting and after spending five years at Price Waterhouse Coopers co-founded Softline in 1988. Nine years later, as CEO of Softline, he led a listing on the Johannesburg Stock Exchange. In 2003, Ivan sold the company to London-listed Sage Group Plc, the world’s largest software and services provider to SME’s and the only software company to be a member of the FTSE 100 index.

In 1999 he was recognised for his entrepreneurial attributes and was presented with the prestigious accolade “South Africa’s 1999/2000 Best Entrepreneur Award” by Ernst & Young. Ivan also received the CCSA IT Personality of the Year award in 2009 in recognition of his contribution to the ICT sector.

Currently CEO of Softline and Sage AAMEA (Africa, Australia, Middle East Asia), Ivan is responsible for managing and leading the group in identifying its vision and strategy for the future.

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CASE STUDY PRESENTER & PANEL DISCUSSION

Cy Edmondson (SA)

BIOGRAPHY

Sales Manager New Business: iChoices Call Centre Outsourcing

Struck by an unknown virus and paralysed in the height of his youth, Edmondson’s poignant personal story provides a powerful example of the often unspoken determination necessary to translate simple intentions into concrete actions. During November 2000, his determination and courage was portrayed when he took the challenge of climbing the Sentinel Peak in the Drakensberg, defying the “rules” of disability and making history.

Edmondson has 17 years of contact centre experience and has achieved numerous awards from large organisations, including Leader of the Year at Discovery Health.

Currently the sales manager for iChoices Call Centre Outsourcing, Edmondson is also a recognised speaker, assisting organisations in developing and growing their businesses.

His book, I Can has sold over 30 000 copies.

MASTER OF CEREMONIES

Douglas Kruger

BIOGRAPHY

Douglas Kruger is a well known and respected Speaker, Author, MC and Trainer with 11 years experience in his field. After being awarded Double Full Colours for Public Speaking in Matric he went on to study Communication and Public Relations before joining Toastmasters International.

At the age of 20 Kruger was the youngest person to represent South Africa at the Public Speaking World Championships in California and went on to achieve the highest accolade for Africa in Nevada in 2004 by securing 2nd place in the Championships.

In addition to his international success Kruger has dazzled judges in South Africa and has secured 1st place at the SA Championship of Public Speaking five times.

He is the author of 50 Ways to Become a Better Speaker, published in South Africa and Nigeria, 50 Ways to Position Yourself as an Expert, and co-author of So You’re in Charge.
Now What? Douglas has been a talk-show host on SAfm and Talk Radio 702 and writes regular articles for a number of South Africa’s leading business magazines.