Susquehanna University High School Sales Competition
Competition: Monday, March 3, from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m.
Registration deadline: February 14, 2025
The sales competition is open to all PA high school students. A collaboration between Susquehanna’s Department of Communications and Sigmund Weis School of Business, the event will provide participants the opportunity to learn about the sales process and showcase their selling skills in a sales call role play with business professionals. Students will also be introduced to Susquehanna’s sales programs and careers in professional selling. More information coming soon.
Registration is free but space is limited. Limit of eight students per school.
Designed as a two-round role play, students will be directed to sell a specific product in a 15-minute sales call. Each round will include a brief scenario, a particular goal, a potential close and a separate scoring rubric. Buyers and judges will be a mix of sales professionals and Susquehanna faculty. When not competing, student competitors will have the opportunity to experience workshops, campus tours and other events.
Cash Prizes
The top 10 students and will receive cash prizes. Students will also receive judges’ feedback after the competition concludes.
First: $750
Second: $600
Third: $500
Fourth: $400
Fifth: $250
Sixth-Tenth: $100
Resources and instructional materials/videos will be provided in advance of the competition to help students prepare.
See below for additional perks and a Susquehanna scholarship opportunity.
Student Eligibility
Students must be attending a Pennsylvania high school to be eligible to compete.
Registration is free but space is limited.
Each competitor must be accompanied by a teacher or advisor (need not be a business teacher) and are encouraged to bring a student guest along with them to experience the workshops, campus tours and other events.
If you have any questions, please contact Dr. Michele Welliver, Sales Program Coordinator at welliver@shorinji-kempo.net.
ACT 48 Continuing Education Credits Available
We haven’t forgotten about our teachers! High school educators can earn ACT 48 Continuing Education Credits through workshops and presentations led by sales professionals and Susquehanna faculty.
A schedule of these workshops and presentations will be available soon.
Food and Lodging
Students from farther away (2-plus hours) will be offered the opportunity to stay at a local hotel at no additional cost.
Funds are available to cover mileage/transportation costs.
A continental breakfast and lunch will be provided for all who attend.
Additional Perks
All high students who attend/participate in Susquehanna’s High School Sales Competition can apply to Susquehanna University for free.
High School Sales Competition attendees/participants are eligible to receive an additional $1,000 scholarship on top of all the other financial aid should the student be accepted and choose to attend Susquehanna University.
Susquehanna Hosts High School Sales Competition
“Students who participated in our sales competition gained vital business and communication skills that will help them build their portfolios as they look ahead to their college careers and beyond,” said Michele Welliver assistant professor of communications and professional sales program coordinator at Susquehanna University.
Through internships with industry leaders like Pfizer, Susquehanna University students combine marketing expertise with professional sales skills, preparing them for dynamic careers in the pharmaceutical and healthcare sectors.
Learn more about the competition, your role as a salesperson, understanding the buyer and preparing to compete.
Requirements
Time: Each student will have up to 15 minutes to “sell” the prospect in a professional manner, based upon the information provided in the scenario. Role plays may not exceed 15 minutes.
Professional dress: It is expected that students will be dressed appropriately and professionally for their role play. Failure to do so will lower your score.
Do not read from a script: Although you may create a script to organize your thoughts and practice the sales presentation, make sure you do not read the script during the actual sales call role play.
On the day of the competition, a ‘Competitor Schedule’ will be distributed to all participants at the registration table. The time and location of each competitor’s sales call role play presentation will be included.
How to Prepare:
Students are encouraged to read the scenario and review the rubric to prepare for their sales call role play. Preparing a proposed script or an outline of a script to practice in advance of the competition is expected. Practicing with your teachers, advisors, friends and family is encouraged.
Students are also encouraged to bring a notebook and pen to record some of the important information from the prospect/buyer.
For more information, check out the Day of Competition: What to Bring below.
Waiting Room:
While waiting to present, student competitors will be escorted to the designated waiting room (classroom) on campus. When it is almost time for the individual to compete, someone will escort the student to the room where their prospect/buyer will be waiting for them (as noted on the competitor schedule).
There will be a total of five competition rooms running at the same time to accommodate all competitors. For each of the five competition rooms, there will be five corresponding viewing rooms where judging will take place.
Judging Information:
The sales calls will be recorded live via Zoom so the judges (in a separate room) may view and score each competitor’s sales call.
Sales Call Format:
Each competitor will be allotted 15 minutes maximum for their presentation.
The competition begins when the student competitor (the salesperson) knocks on the office (classroom) door.
The prospect/buyer will invite the salesperson into the room. Generally speaking, the prospect/buyer and seller will exchange introductions and the prospect/buyer will ask the salesperson to have a seat. They will be the only ones in the room and the call will progress from there.
Most of the sales call role play will be comprised of the salesperson asking the prospect/buyer questions to determine their current situation and subsequent needs, presenting product options, handling objections and attempting to close the sale (or secure a second meeting). Please see the role play scenario and corresponding rubric for more specific details about what should be included in the sales call. Like in a real sales call, the salesperson will be seated across from the prospect/buyer.
At the 1-minute left mark, a worker will knock on the door as a warning for the competitor to wrap up their sales call. When the time is up, the worker will walk in and the sales call will end.
Visual Aids:
Visual aids are part of any sales call and students will be evaluated on their use of visual aids as well as on how well they involve the prospect/buyer in the process.
Competitors may consider bringing a laptop, a notebook, tablet in a folder or a padfolio to present any visual aids. The visuals aids may be in the form of handouts as well.
Sales Call Checklist
Prepared outline and notes that you can practice while waiting to compete, and refer to during the sales call. Please do not bring a prepared script as you do not want to read from a script during the sales call role play.
Visual aids in the form of paper handouts to help you show the prospect/potential buyer what they’re getting. You could also house your visual aids on a laptop, but bringing a laptop is not necessary for the competition. The group ticket packages from the WBS Penguins may serve as important visual aids for your sales call.
Pen and paper for recording important information from the prospect/buyer during the sales call.
Folder or padfolio to house all of the above (outline/notes, visuals and pen and paper).
Calculator (or cell phone with a calculator) to compute any costs the prospect/buyer will incur.
Watch (or cell phone) to keep the time to pace yourself during the sales call and ensure you stay within the allotted 15 minutes.
Business card(optional) created on your personal computer and do not need to be professionally done. Business cards are an excellent way to connect with professionals and may help ‘break the ice’ during the introduction of the sales call when you might say something simple like, “I’d like to give you my business card.
College Factual has ranked Susquehanna No. 15 among the “Most Focused Communication & Media Studies Schools” in the nation. Learn more about our programs.
