St. Cloud State University students had the chance to participate in the first in-person Professional Selling Competition in three years on Dec. 2.
A total of 65 students participated in the Fall 2022 Professional Selling Competition in Centennial Hall. More than 20 firms also attended the Sales Career Fair, allowing students to participate in a Speed Selling Competition to recruiters from each firm.
The first Professional Sales Competition was held in Fall 2014, and it has been held every semester since. The COVID-19 pandemic led to virtual competitions in 2020-22, with Dec. 2’s event being the first in-person sales competition since Fall 2019.
“I think our sales program and these events offer tremendous opportunities for students and employers,” said Dr. Dennis Bristow, Marketing professor and Director of the Rasmussen ’86 and Skage ’86 Professional Selling Institute in the Herberger Business School. “Employers need these well-trained students that do (business-to-business) selling. We have virtually a 100-percent placement with these students. If they want to go into B2B sales, they find good careers in it.”
Bristow added that many students will usually end the day with interview offers, internship offers or job offers. The Sales Career Fair gives students 90 seconds to “speed sell” themselves to different employers.
The Professional Selling Specialization, part of the Per Rasmussen ‘86 and Nina Skage ‘86 Professional Selling Institute, is a 15-credit program that is open to any major. After having only about 12 students at the first competition in 2014, the Professional Selling Specialization has now graduated over 250 students out of the program.
“In addition to Business majors, we have students from Art, History, Engineering; they’re all over the board because of the skills you learn in this program,” Bristow said. “Students from some majors may never officially have to sell a product or service in their life, but they can use (this program) to sell themselves or sell their ideas. Maybe they need financing for a new product. This is a great tool to help them figure out how to sell that.”
The Professional Sales Competition allows students to plan their 10-minute sales presentation throughout the semester before presenting to employers. Judges watch the interaction on video and evaluate from a different room, providing crucial feedback to students.
The top eight presenters then move on to a second round, changing the scenario to extend their selling time and selling to a team of two corporate buyers who introduce two new, unexpected objections to the student salespeople.
The top three finishers in the Fall 2022 Professional Sales Competition receive $1500, $750 and $500 scholarships. Top finishers will also have opportunity to present at the International Collegiate Sales Competition in Florida.
Fall 2022 Professional Selling Competition Photo Gallery