Annual Sales Competition
The Sales Competition is an opportunity for any student in the University to gain invaluable experience diving into the principles of sales for a chance to win cash prizes. In the competition, teams of two members work together as a buyer and a seller to sell a product or service of their choice. Students are judged on a number of criteria designed around five major concepts, as well as communication and presentation skills.
Participating in the competition will gives students a chance to hone their skills on oral and written communication, practice engagement and leadership, as well as working in teams- all major attributes sought by employers of any industry.
This semester’s competition will take place Thursday, April 17th from 1pm - 4pm
Additional Details
- Presentations are 10 minutes per team or individual
- Teams are two members - buyer and seller
- Teams choose own product or service, individual is assigned
- Winners in both categories determined by guest judges in sales
- Prizes: $2,000- 1st place | $1,500- 2nd place | $1,250- 3rd place | $750- best buyer
Join the Competition
John Ney, Director of Professional Development
neyjohn@isu.edu | (208) 479-5621
Judging Criteria / Grading Rubric:
10% - PROSPECTING / ENGAGEMENT
Objective: How did the seller find this customer? / Effectively engages customer and starts to build relationship
- Professional introduction with inference and gains prospect’s attention
- Effectively builds rapport
- Smooth transition into needs identification
- Did you make a plan?
20% - NEED & PROBLEM IDENTIFICATION
Objective: Obtain a clear understanding of customer’s problem in order to prepare a customized presentation
- Uncovered decision process (decision criteria, people involved in decision process)
- Effectively determined relevant facts about company and/or buyer
- Effectively uncovered needs of the buyer (discovered current problems, goals, etc.)
- Asked effective questions that brought to the buyers’ attention what happens to company or the buyer when problems continue (helped convert implied needs to explicit needs)
- Gained pre-commitment to consider the product/service and smooth transition to presentation
20% PRODUCT/SERVICE PRESENTATION
Objective: Persuasively match your product’s benefits to meet needs of the buyer
- Presented benefits-based upon needs of buyer instead of only features
- Logical, convincing presentation (displays a strategy to communicate and persuade; clearly understands needs “hot buttons” of prospect and concentrates on those needs)
- Used appropriate/professional visual aids
- Effectively demonstrated product/service
- Effectively involved the buyer in the demonstration
- Effective use of trial closes (follow-up questions to determine where buyer is in decision process)
15% SOLVING PROBLEMS AND OVERCOMING OBJECTIONS
Objective: Eliminate concerns or questions to customer’s satisfaction
- Initially gains better understanding of objection (clarifies or allows buyer to clarify the objection)
- Effectively answers the objection
- Confirms that the objection is no longer a concern of the buyer
15% - CLOSE – NEGOTIATING A WIN-WIN SOLUTION
Objective: Take initiative to understand where you stand with buyer now and for the future
- Persuasive in presenting a reason to buy
- Asked for business or appropriate commitment from the buyer, given the nature of this particular sales call
15% - COMMUNICATION SKILLS
- Effective verbal communication skills (active listening; restated, rephrased, clarified, probed for better understanding)
- Appropriate non-verbal communication
- Told story to help convey message
- Verbiage (clear, concise, professional)
5% - OVERALL PRESENTATION
- Enthusiasm and confidence
- Displayed product knowledge
- Professionalism