The National Sales Awards are now OPEN. The team at August Recognition recently spent the day at the National Sales Conference: Leadership Edition before joining industry peers at the National Sales Awards Networking Lunch. As proud partners of both events, it was a fantastic opportunity to support the sales community, celebrate excellence and share our expertise in awards, while hearing from some of the UK's leading sales experts, catching up with familiar faces and making new connections.
One of the highlights of the conference was hearing from Mike Soutar, whose keynote explored the importance of leadership and effective decision-making. One message, in particular, stood out: sales professionals are closest to the customer. They are the people having conversations every day, identifying trends, understanding challenges and gaining first-hand insight into what's happening in the market.
His distinction between tactical and strategic decision-making also struck a chord. Tactical decisions should be made quickly, tested and refined to keep businesses moving forward, while strategic decisions deserve more time and consideration because of the lasting impact they can have.
Another standout session came from Julie Holmes, who shared a refreshingly practical approach to using AI through her 20-60-20 framework.
The concept is simple but incredibly effective. The first 20% belongs to you – your strategy, ideas and direction. AI can then support the middle 60%, helping to improve efficiency and productivity. The final 20% is where human expertise matters most: reviewing, refining and ensuring the final output reflects the quality and judgement your audience expects.
Her question summed it up perfectly:
“Can AI do it, versus should AI do it?”
Following a fantastic networking lunch and an impressive performance from Ben Hanlin, the afternoon brought a particularly proud moment for Team August.
A particular highlight for August Recognition was seeing our very own Head of Sales and Partnerships, Brooke host her first live panel discussion and audience Q&A. Joined by National Sales Awards judges Tony Hughes and Paul Cochrane, Brooke led the session, “What Does a Winning Nomination Look Like?”, providing valuable insight into the qualities that distinguish successful award entries.
The session focused on some of the most common factors behind winning entries:
- Choosing the right category from the outset.
- Giving yourself enough time to prepare a strong submission.
- Demonstrating measurable impact with clear evidence rather than simply describing activities.
- Letting your personality shine if you're invited to present to the judges.
One point that resonated with many of the audience members was a simple reminder that businesses aren't competing against the entire sales industry – they're only competing against those who actually enter. For many organisations, the opportunity to become an award winner is much closer than they realise.
Events like these are a brilliant reminder that awards are about celebrating hard working businesses and individuals. Awards like this are an opportunity to celebrate success, recognise exceptional people and businesses, share best practice and inspire others to aim even higher.
We're incredibly proud of Brooke for hosting her first live panel discussion and representing August Recognition so brilliantly. We know it will be the first of many.
Entering the National Sales Awards is about letting your passion for sales shine! It's an opportunity to gain independent recognition, build credibility, boost team morale and showcase your achievements to clients, prospects and peers.
If you're considering entering this year's National Sales Awards and would like expert guidance on choosing the right categories, building a compelling submission and presenting your achievements with confidence, we'd love to help.
