PRESS INFORMATION ISSUED ON BEHALF OF:

The Institute of Sales and Marketing Management
Harrier Court, Lower Woodside, Bedfordshire, LU1 4DQ, UK
Tel: +44 (0)1582 840001; Web: http://www.ismm.co.uk

15th March 2011

Sales academies top Institute of Sales and Marketing Management agenda at HRD

At this year's HRD Conference & Exhibition, being held on 6th and 7th April at Olympia, in London, the Institute of Sales & Marketing Management (ISMM) is explaining how it is helping leading companies establish sales academies. These academies help to ensure a higher than average conversion rate of enquiries to actual sales.

According to the ISMM's Stephen Wright: "The current economic climate calls for salespeople who are excellent - rather than merely average - at their job. These days, they have to be exceptional at find sales leads and then convert those enquiries into contracts.

"This is an increasingly essential business skill. Consequently, a number of major companies are establishing their own, in-house sales academies to give their sales staff the edge when it comes to achieving sales.

"The ISMM - as the UK's largest association for sales professionals - provides advice and guidance to any company wishing to set up a sales academy," he said. "Indeed, we are currently advising a number of firms, including one of the leading utility companies, in this regard."

In addition, at the HRD exhibition the ISMM (on stand 360) will be:

• outlining its new qualifications for sales professionals and would-be sales professionals,

• describing its corporate membership and individual membership schemes and

• explaining the procedure whereby the ISMM can endorse relevant training programmes delivered by others.

The new ISMM qualifications are part of a long-term national framework vocational training initiative called the Qualifications and Credit Framework (QCF). The qualifications are recognised by Ofqual, the UK Government qualifications regulatory body, which ensures that qualifications are of the highest standard through its rigorous quality assurance procedures.

The courses leading to the ISMM's qualifications cover theory - such as understanding the sales cycle and the ‘7Ps of marketing' - as well as skills such as negotiating and closing sales.

"To help those studying for the ISMM qualifications, we've published study guides to support their learning," said Denise Edens, the ISMM's Director of Education. "These guides, unique in the world of sales training and qualifications, have been tailored to each unit's assessment criteria, so learners can use the guide for self-study or as part of their course - delivered via ISMM-approved training providers."

"Sales academies are beginning to play a key part in helping British industry and commerce become increasingly profitable, and there's a growing realisation that learning and development in this sector - leading to sales and marketing qualifications - is bringing bottom line benefits and a positive return on investment.

"So visitors to HRD who want to ensure that their organisation's sales and marketing staff are appropriately skilled - and that those skills are accredited and recognised - should find what they're looking for at the ISMM stand," she added.

End

About The Institute of Sales & Marketing Management

The Institute of Sales & Marketing Management (ISMM) is the UK's largest association for sales professionals. Founded in 1911 to promote standards of excellence in sales and sales management and to enhance the status and profile of sales as a profession, the ISMM supports, represents and promotes the sales profession. It has been the authoritative voice of selling and the custodian of sales standards, ethics and best practice for many years.

The ISMM is also responsible for establishing benchmarks of professionalism in sales. It is the only membership body recognised by the UK Government regulatory body Ofqual as an awarding organisation to offer qualifications in sales, marketing and sales management.

The ISMM's annual British Excellence in Sales & Marketing Awards (BESMA) are the most prestigious awards for the sales profession.

Further information from:
Ben Turner, ISMM, +44 (0)1582 840001; bturner@ismm.co.uk

Bob Little, Bob Little Press & PR, +44 (0)1727 860405; bob.little@boblittlepr.com