In a landmark celebration of authentic influence and measurable impact, the National Sales Conference (NSC) has announced the rankings of its inaugural Top 100 Sales Influencers Index, with Sean McPheat, Founder & CEO of MTD Sales Training, claiming the number one spot.
The announcement was made live at the Top 100 Index Reveal & Recognition Event, co-located with the National Sales Conference Leadership Edition at the Hyatt Regency, London Blackfriars on 3 July 2025.
Beyond Popularity: Our Data-Led Ranking Model
Designed to cut through popularity contests and reward real-world influence, the Index, developed by the NSC platform, highlights the sales professionals across the UK and Ireland who are shaping the future of go-to-market strategy through meaningful digital engagement.
“This wasn’t based on opinion nor the number of votes received,” explained Steve Lindsey, Director at The National Sales Conference. “Instead, we worked with independent research partners who analysed nominees’ actual LinkedIn activity using a transparent data model that focused on quality, not just quantity.”
“I’m so happy to win this because the competition was so stiff!” said Sean. “Creating content that adds value is hard work so to be recognised in an objective way was so validating to the blood, sweat and tears I’ve put into it over the years!”
When nominations closed on 28 February 2025, the final list was handed to research analysts, who reviewed LinkedIn content over a defined period (not disclosed to nominees), and assessed each individual against the following metrics:
- ⭐ Followers – How many engaged followers were interacting with their content
- ⭐ Engagement – Volume of comments, likes, and tags on posts
- ⭐ Reach – How far the nominee’s content travelled through reposts and shares
These were distilled into a single scoring metric: EQS = (Engagement × Reach) ÷ Followers
This Engagement Quality Score (EQS) ensured that the Index rewarded not just visibility, but value. Inactive audiences and empty impressions worked against candidates, levelling the playing field and amplifying true connection.
Eligibility Criteria To qualify for the Top 100, nominees needed to meet the following criteria:
- Be in a sales or commercial leadership role (e.g., SDR, AE, Sales Director, C-level, Business Owner)
- Be based in the UK or Ireland
- Have 3,000+ LinkedIn followers
Celebrating Sales Influence with Impact The final Top 100 features a wide spectrum of sales professionals—from founders, keynote speakers, and enablement leaders to frontline sales practitioners and social sellers. Sean McPheat‘s consistent demonstration of exceptional engagement and reach, according to the EQS model, solidified his position as the UK’s most impactful sales voice.
Alongside Sean McPheat, notable top-ranking individuals include:
- Julie Holmes, technologist and creator of the “PREPARED Prompting Method”
- Tom Lavery, CEO of Jiminny, innovating in conversation analytics and sales coaching
- Deborah Watson, sales enablement strategist known for simplifying complex GTM models
- Tim Gale, enterprise sales leader and host of The Revenue Room podcast
- George Sandford, behavioural science expert and author of The Sales Psyche
The full list is now live at: 👉 https://thegrowthhub.me/top-100-sales-index-2025
“The Top 100 Index is more than a recognition list—it’s a reflection of how sales professionals are showing up, sharing ideas, and helping others grow,” Lindsey added. “In an industry that’s evolving fast, these are the people actively shaping the conversation. “If you have recognition FOMO, there’s still time (just) to nominate for the The National Sales Awards, to recognise, reward and celebrate the very best performing individuals and teams across the Sales profession.
