There are a few ways the Service Wire Company Transformative Sales and Service Excellence Center plans to give students the necessary skills to thrive in a sales job; through practical training such as roleplays, real-time problem solving, sales competitions, networking opportunities, and overall teaching about sales and its methodologies, the Sales Center gives Marshall university students the opportunity to jump-start their career in sales.
The Sales Center is interdisciplinary in nature and will benefit students with diverse backgrounds. Everyone sells! Regardless of your major, you will be expected to sell, including selling yourself to an employer. Skills of selling and developing long-lasting relationships is important for you, particularly for people who desire to be the leaders in society.
What is Sales?
Business does not happen until someone sells something. According to Harvard Business Review, more than 50 percent of college students will work in sales at some point in their lives, regardless of their major. The principles of selling are useful for everyone, not just business people with the title of salesperson. For example, engineers need to sell their R&D project ideas and convince managers to support the projects.
Selling is a life skill that is applicable for everyone. Developing long-term, mutually beneficial relationships is important for everyone. More importantly, individuals skilled at selling value, positively influencing others, and building long-lasting relationships with others are likely to be the leaders in society.
Key Statistics
- More than 50% of college graduates will take their initial post-graduation job in sales (this figure cuts across all majors).
- For business-related degrees, 88% of Marketing majors start their post-grad career in sales.
Marshall University Sales Competition Team
Our goal for the Sales Team is to provide our students with opportunities to compete against other students around the country solving real-life sales situations. The sales scenario competitions require students to demonstrate excellent communication skills as they gain understanding of the buyer’s situation and provide solutions.
Sales Team Opportunities
- Participating Sales Competitions
- Networking with Sales Professionals
- Cash Prizes and other Awards
WVU Fastenal Sales Competition October 16, 2021
The Fall 2021 Marshall Sales Competition Team attended its first sales competition virtually hosted by West Virginia University and sponsored by Fastenal. Participating schools included WVU, Old Dominion University, University of Pittsburg, Robert Morris University, Slippery Rock, University of Dayton, and Marshall University.
Marshall’s Sales Competition Team received 1st place team award as well as having 2 competitors (out of the 4 finalists from a total of 27 competitors) make it to the final round. Both Sam Click and Seirra Running made it to the final round and Payton Morrone and Marlee Hutchinson contributed to the team’s score to bring home 1st.
