Sales is the lifeblood of any business, yet success isn’t evenly distributed - with 80% of all sales coming from just 20% of sales reps. This statistic highlights the importance of mastering sales, so, whether you're selling products, services, or ideas, learning to be a great salesperson can set you apart and drive success.

What Makes a Successful Sale?

Speed, recurring relationships and deep customer understanding drive successful sales. With 50% of sales awarded to the fastest-responding vendor, rapid communication builds trust. Moreover, 42% of sales leaders cite recurring sales as their top revenue source, underscoring the importance of long-term engagement. Yet 59% believe most sales reps fail to understand customer needs, highlighting the critical need for personalised service and attentive, informed selling. Overall, success requires strategy.

Sources: Salesforce & WebFX

Who are the Top Sales Speakers to Hire?

Following the collection of vetted data from exclusive event polls at 241 sales conferences, held between 2022 and February 2025, Nick Owens has shared his expert selection of the top 10 sales speakers to hire, below!

1. Jonathan Warburton

Chairman of Warburtons

From a humble family bakery to one of the most successful bread businesses in the world, Jonathan Warburton is the Chairman of the iconic Warburton brand. Originally joining his family business as part of their Sales team, he was later promoted to National Account Manager and Sales Director, setting up a successful Marketing team. With such a distinct understanding of sales at an international level, Jonathan is a leading authority on growing a sales team for supermarket success.

Official Testimonial for Jonathan Warburton:

"Jonathan was a delight to work with and we were grateful that he was able to attend this year’s show. He also took time to answer some questions from the floor, plus speak briefly to visitors 1-2-1 after his keynote and have a couple of pictures taken." – PPMA

2. Richard Reed CBE

Co-Founder of Innocent Drinks

Richard Reed CBE, in partnership with his university friends, founded Innocent Smoothies in 1998. After setting up a consumer survey at a local music festival, the trio received resounding praise for their fresh and fruity smoothies, later leading to a turnover of hundreds of millions. Since selling their stakes to Coca-Cola, Richard co-founded JamJar Investments, presented Be Your Own Boss, and built his career as a keynote sales speaker. He now teaches corporate teams how to build a positive reputation with their consumers and close that all-important sale.

Richard Reed's Official Speaking Topics:

• The Innocent Story
• Environment, Social & Governance
• Corporate Social Responsibility
• Creativity & Innovation

3. Baroness Martha Lane-Fox

Co-Founder of LastMinute.com

Named as one of the 100 Most Powerful Women in the United Kingdom in 2013 and 100 Most Influential British Entrepreneurs in 2015, Baroness Martha Lane-Fox is a leading businesswoman. She is the mastermind behind lastminute.com, an online-based travel and gift brand that earned extensive consumer interest in the early 2000s. Later purchased in 2005, Martha is credited for the company’s soaring sales and nationwide reputation, the secrets of which she shares with audiences as a motivational sales speaker. Martha engages with audiences, to instil her leading knowledge of branding and profitability.

Official Testimonial for Martha Lane Fox:

"Martha was really impressive, and a number of our board members approached her afterwards for a further conversation and to thank her. Our Chairman felt it was one of the best conversations we had ever hosted at our board dinners." - Mastercard

4. Levi Roots

Founder of Reggae Reggae Sauce

Since securing investment on Dragons' Den, Levi Roots has built a condiment empire with his outstanding Reggae Reggae Sauce. Starting his life in Jamaica, he later travelled to the UK to turn his business dreams into a reality and honour his Caribbean culture. As a sales speaker, Levi can discuss the importance of diversifying your offerings to keep consumers interested, while also staying true to your roots to maintain emotional investment. Having since released his own cookery books, his products continue to dominate the supermarket shelves.

How Many of Levi’s Products Have You Tried?

• Reggae Reggae Condiments
• Levi Roots Soft Drinks
• Reggae Reggae Cooking Sauces
• Levi Roots Desserts
• Reggae Reggae Ready Meals
• Levi Roots Crisps

5. Wilfred Emmanuel-Jones MBE

Founder of The Black Farmer

An expert on building a successful brand, Wilfred Emmanuel-Jones MBE is fondly known as The Black Farmer, a testament to his market-leading products. Since founding his brand in 2007, he has produced award-winning food, published Jeopardy: The Danger of Playing it Safe on the Path to Success and starred in Young Black Farmer on Channel 4. Wilfred also founded The Black Farmer Scholarship, a successful initiative that encouraged young people to embrace agriculture. As a business speaker, he promotes the potential for positive change in the hands of business owners.

Official Testimonial for Wilfred Emmanuel-Jones:

"Thank you for making our awards evening such a success. A significant number of individuals commented to me that they found your talk to be both interesting and inspirational. To have positive comments from such a diverse audience is an indication of how your presence enhanced the event for all who were present." - Havering College

6. Jo Malone CBE

Founder of Jo Malone London & Jo Loves

Yes, she is that Jo Malone. Leading entrepreneur and sales expert, Jo Malone CBE has proved that humble beginnings can lead to extraordinary success with hard work and perseverance. Despite struggling academically, Jo built a market-leading luxury fragrance brand under her name, with scents relating to her memories flying off the shelf. Now, Jo teaches audiences the secrets of sales, including how a little personal touch can go a long way. From branding to profitability, she is the ideal addition to conferences of all sizes.

Official Testimonial for Jo Malone:

"Touching, realistic and full of determination – good insights from an entrepreneur at a late stage." - News International

7. Ben Cohen

Co-Founder of Ben & Jerry’s Ice Cream

Aside from their market-leading ice cream, Ben & Jerry’s respectable business practices set them apart on the shelf. Co-founded by Ben Cohen, and his business partner Jerry Greenfield, the pair opened their homemade ice cream brand in 1977, which later became one of the most popular frozen dessert products in the world. Vocal supporters of the Black Lives Matter movement and environmental causes, Ben’s speeches propose the impact of social movements on sales, as a business’ stance directly influences consumer habits.

Official Testimonial for Ben Cohen:

"Ben is one of the kindest, most engaging, and inspirational guests we have had on this campus. As students, we are often preoccupied with grades and goals for the academic year. Your talk reminded many of us that while succeeding is important, there are many other ways to leave an impact on this planet." - CU Boulder Cultural Events Board

8. Ruth Amos

Inventor of the StairSteady

Winner of the 2006 Young Engineer for Britain, Ruth Amos is the mastermind behind StairSteady Ltd. During her GCSE studies, she came up with the award-winning idea of a stair support product for older consumers and those with disabilities, undergoing chemotherapy or stroke survivors. With her innate eye for sales, Ruth has built the prototype into the widely used product that it is today. Countless testimonials describe StairSteady as a “great help” and making a “huge difference”, a testament to Ruth’s understanding of sales.

Official Testimonial for Ruth Amos:

"Ruth is a genuine inspiration, her performance was professional, warm and very specifically appropriate. Ruth connected her talk very well to the event, was highly personable and her style of delivery perfectly suited the occasion. Staff and students were very impressed both with Ruth’s story and her demeanour. A highly impactful presentation." - Bournemouth & Poole College

9. Fredrik Eklund

Managing Director of Core Group Marketing

Author of The Sell: The Secrets of Selling Anything to Anyone, Fredrik Eklund is a leading luxury broker operating in New York, Los Angeles, and Miami. He is a social media sensation, having built an empire of glossy images and dreamy mansions, reflecting Fredrik’s varied understanding of sales. His fame and popularity only add to his success, as celebrities from far and wide trust Fredrik’s sales expertise. When booked for events, he proposes the value of social media for generating revenue and teaches them the “gift of the gab”.

Fredrik Eklund's Official Speaking Topics:

• Everyone is in Sales
• The Sell
• Property & Real Estate
• Business Management

10. Holly Tucker MBE

Co-Founder of Not on the High Street

Since exhibiting a passion for entrepreneurship as a young student, Holly Tucker MBE launched notonthehighstreet.com in 2006. She was inspired by the potential of small business, from running the Your Chiswick Christmas Fair, so founded a company that would give creators an online marketplace to showcase their products. With thousands of small business owners and even more products, now calling the website home, her success is a testament to Holly’s knowledge of sales. Now booked for events, Holly teaches entrepreneurs how to fill a gap in the market and generate significant sales.

Official Testimonial for Holly Tucker:

"Holly was fantastic! Our clients loved her; she really did end our event with a bang! We actually gave our guests feedback cards to complete on the day and Holly’s name was mentioned a few times as their highlight from the day." - RedEye

Hire a Sales Speaker Today!

To hire one of our top sales speakers for your next event, contact Champions Speakers today! Call a dedicated booking agent on 0207 1010 553 or complete our online contact form to begin the booking process. 

This exclusive article on the top sales speakers to hire was authored by Nick Owens, utilising data collected from exclusive event polls at 241 sales conferences, held between 2022 and February 2025, and research conducted via Salesforce and Web FX.

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