Events & Programs
On
an annual basis, Pi Sigma Epsilon offers the following programs
and events.
Regional
Conferences
PSE Pro-Am Sell-A-Thon
Sponsored By Vector Marketing
2007
PSE National Educational Foundation National Sales and Marketing
Convention
Recap
of the 2006 National Convention
CCO
The BOSS Games Sponsored
by Northwestern Mutual Financial Network
Click on the appropriate program/event for more
information. As new events and programs are added we will update
this page.
Congratulations! PSE Pro-Am
Sell-A-Thon Sponsored by Vector Marketing
We are pleased to announce that the Pi Sigma
Epsilon Pro-Am Sell-A-Thon is the recipient of the 2005 Professional
Fraternity Association Outstanding Professional Program Award. This
prestigious award recognizes a PFA member fraternity for a meritorious
professional program or project. The Awards Committee was very impressed
with the accomplishments of this professional program. PFA’s
Board of Directors will present the award at the PFA annual convention
September 8-10, 2005 in Orlando, FL.
PSE PRO-AM SELL-A-THON SPONSORED BY VECTOR MARKETING
Vector Marketing has joined forces with Pi Sigma
Epsilon (PSE) to develop the selling skills of college students
by sponsoring PSE’s annual Pro-Am Sell-A-Thon. Vector Marketing’s
sponsorship will include funding for the program, as well as, providing
the product that will be used in the competition.
The Pro-Am Sell-A-Thon is an annual competition held by PSE at its
five fall regional conferences and its annual National Sales and
Marketing Convention.
2006 REGIONAL CONFERENCE PRO-AM REGISTRATION:
Professionals click
here to register as a judge and/or coach. Please provide
your contact information. Name, address, phone number, and email.
Students click
here to register for your 2006 Regional Conference. Please
provide the regional conference you will be attending and your contact
information. Additional information will then be provided to you.
2007 NATIONAL CONVENTION PRO-AM REGISTRATION:
Professionals click
here to register as a judge and/or coach. Please provide
your contact information. Name, address, phone number, and email.
Students click
here to register at the 2007 National Convention. Deadline for
registration is February 15, 2007. Please provide your
contact information with your region. Additional information will
then be provided to you.
PURPOSES OF THE PRO-AM:
To provide PSE collegiate members with the opportunity
to experience the salesperson’s role in a simulated business-to-business
(B2B) sales environment, with coaching from a sales professional.
Participant Learning Objectives:
- Appreciate the role of the sales professional
- Understand a small vs. large (B2B) sales call
- Recognize the buying roles of the customer
- Grasp the four stages of the sales call
- Comprehend the SPIN questioning strategy
- Demonstrate the ability to perform in a competitive
environment
- Communicate effectively both verbally and non-verbally
- Assess performance strengths and areas to improve
HOW THE PRO-AM WORKS:
College students compete in an all-day sales training
and development program that teaches them selling using concepts
from SPIN
Selling® and Getting
the Second Appointment, Tony Parinello. Participants are then
paired with sales professionals, who coach, mentor and critique
the student on his/her sales call. The next step of the program
is the actual competition. This is a simulated sales presentation
in which each student is evaluated on his/her ability to successfully
move the customer through the sales process and obtain commitment.
Each role-play is judged by a panel of sales professionals and videotaped
so that the student can review it at the end of the event.
Suggested Reading:
The concepts that are taught in the Pro-Am Sell-a-Thon
competition are taken from the following books (both are easy reading):
- SPIN
Selling®, by Neil Rackham
- Getting
the Second Appointment, by Tony Parinello
“The Pro-Am is the one place where you can see sales
done right! PSE put academics, street knowledge, and passion into
sales like no other organization I’ve ever seen.”
- Tony Parinello, award-winning salesman, sales trainer for Fortune
500 companies, and best selling author
Testimonials from previous Pro-Am participants:
"The Pro-Am is the best way to test your
skills and knowledge of the sales profession in a real world setting,
without your job on the line. Coaches offer excellent advice and
judges provide usefull feedback. The experience should not be missed
by any Pi Sig member!!"
Shelly Rensberger, Delta Mu, University of South Dakota
"I learned so much from the Sell-a-Thon.
Not only did I learn sales skills, the feel of tight competition
and how to focus on a sale, this event also brought me closer to
my father. He is a district sales manager at Sysco Food Corporation.
When I called him to get advice on how to deal with this particular
sales competition, he was tickeled pink. Thank you PSE for touching
every aspect of my life."
Jillian L. Fox, Epsilon Mu, University of Cincinnati
"Aside from selling, the Pro-Am has taught
me about the importance of self- presentation. Simple things like
smiling when you greet the customer, the proper way to address he/she,
having a firm handshake, sitting up straight, and being relaxed
and confident. These are all good things to remember in more situations
than just sales scenarios. The Pro-Am has cured my fear of public
speaking as well. Once you compete in the Pro-Am once you can do
anything!"
Sarah Wade, Alpha Pi, Middle Tennessee State University
WHAT IS THE ROLE OF A SALES COACH/JUDGE?
As a sales coach: You will be
paired up with no more than two students. We will then introduce
you and the students to the SPIN Selling sales process that we will
use for the competition. Then you will work with the students during
the first part of a daylong sales competition. In the morning, you
will be guiding them through the sales process. You will help them
prepare to compete in the sales competition that begins in the afternoon.
Your goal is to:
1. To guide one to two students through the sales
scenario.
2. To review the features and benefits of the product.
3. To practice the 10 minute sales call.
4. To offer constructive feedback and suggestions.
5. To answer questions and provide advice.
6. To prepare the student for the judging criteria.
As a Judge: After coaching Saturday
morning, you will become a judge in the afternoon. In this capacity,
you will watch the students compete and critique their sales call
using the established criteria. You will not judge any of the students
that you coached.
On Site Information to Plan for the Pro-Am:
- Regional Conferences: The Pro-Am will take
Place on the Saturday of the day of the regional. It starts at
8:30 am and the training/coaching will take up the morning. The
competition will start at 12:30 pm and last until about 5:00 pm.
If you would like to coach, but cannot commit to an entire day,
we are still interested in having you join us. Please refer to
the tentative agenda.
- National Convention: The Pro-Am starts on Friday
from 2:30 pm – 5:30 pm for the training portion, followed
by a reception for all participants and coaches. The coaches work
with the students on Saturday morning. The competition again starts
at 12:30 pm and lasts until about 5:00 pm.
- The competitions at both the Regional Conferences
and the National Convention end on Saturday at 5:00 pm and the
formal banquet begins at 7:00 PM. If you would like to join us
for the banquet, please come as our guest. Please let us know
if you plan on staying for the banquet.
Saturday Pro-Am Sell-a-Thon Agenda for Regional
Conference:
8:30am-10:30am | |
Review of the PSE Sales Process |
|
|
| a. |
Review the entire process |
| b. |
Introduce the case study |
| c. |
Introduce participants to coaches |
|
10:30am-12:30pm | |
Work with coaches to prepare for sales call |
12:30pm-3:00pm | |
Round One of the competition |
4:00pm-5:00pm | |
Judges review videotapes to choose the winners |
7:00pm | |
Award Top 2 Finalist |
|
|
Regional Conference Awards:
First and Second Place at each conference receive:
- Complimentary National Convention registration package
- Recognition at the National Convention
- Personalized trophy
First Place also receives a Roundtrip airfare to the National
Conference
National Awards
- Personalized trophies
- Cash awards
WHO IS VECTOR MARKETING?
Vector Marketing Corporation is an international
direct sales firm that markets Cutco Cutlery, a line of kitchen
cutlery, accessories and sporting knives of the highest quality.
Headquartered in Philadelphia, PA, Vector is a wholly owned subsidiary
of Alcas Corporation, which has been manufacturing Cutco Cutlery
for 52 years. Handcrafted in the United States of the finest materials,
Cutco products have a Forever Guarantee that protects the consumer's
investment. As the sole distributor of Cutco, Vector has offices
across the United States and Canada, as well as overseas. Vector's
sales for 2001, in the U.S. alone, amounted to over $200 million
dollars; a compelling testament to the fundamentals of our business:
People, Products and Programs. In 2002 Vector will have over 400
offices in the U.S. and Canada.
Sarah Baker Andrus, Director of Campus Relations,
Vector Marketing said, “we are proud to be part of the Pro-Am
Sell-a-Thon, Vector Marketing has always placed a high value on
the experiences that college students have before they enter the
workforce and we believe the PSE’s Pro-Am Sell-a-Thon is one
of the best programs we have seen to develop the professional selling
skills of its membership.”
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NEW THIS YEAR…DIAMOND
LEVEL CCO!!!
The Certified Chapter Officer (or
CCO) training has always been a way to recognize members and chapter
officers who go above and beyond for the benefit of their chapter.
The CCO is a member with outstanding knowledge and skills to better
enable them to successfully run their chapter. The PSE National
Headquarters Office has developed a new way to both recognize and
award these outstanding members.
Last year, the CCO training took a step forward
with the development of an exam to test the knowledge of the CCOs
and the effectiveness of the CCO program. In order for a member
going through CCO training to pass and receive their pin and certificate,
the exam must be passed with a 70% or better. The exams proved to
be extremely successful and were a great way for members to take
more from their CCO experience.
This year, in addition to the exams, the PSE National
Headquarters Office is taking CCO to the next level; the Diamond
Level! The diamond level officer embodies a member who has an expert
knowledge about PSE and their specific role as an officer. To achieve
this standing a member in good standing must participate in CCO
training and score a 90% or above on the exam. This score is quite
difficult, however the person who would accomplish this score is
someone who dedicates a considerable amount of time to PSE and participates
during the entire CCO session.
Any member that achieves this outstanding accomplishment
could be recognized in a number of ways. These could include both
National Convention and Regional Conference Awards Banquet recognition,
a listing in the Dotted Lines Newsletter, and a special ribbon at
the PSE National Convention.
The newest form of recognition would come in the
National Convention name badge ribbons. The Diamond Level CCO will
not only receive a new Diamond Level CCO ribbon but the ribbon will
also have rhinestones attached to represent the diamond level. Members
who successfully complete the CCO training for a second time (for
a different officer position) and again score a 90% or higher on
the exam will receive a second rhinestone to represent this achievement.
Ultimately, a chapter member could successfully complete the CCO
training for a different officer position at both the Regional Conferences
and the National Convention and build up their Diamond Level CCO
ribbons.
For more information about the CCO training at
the Regional Conferences or the Diamond Level, contact your Chapter
Consultants, Andy and Mandi.
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The BOSS Games sponsored by
Northwestern Mutual Financial Network
Do you have what it takes to become the
BEST?
Join PSE HQ and put your business skills to the ultimate test.
The BOSS Games, sponsored by Northwestern Mutual Financial Network,
is an interactive computer business simulation allowing PSE teams
to compete head to head across the country.
Teams have 8 weeks to successfully prove that they have what it
takes to be the best. BOSS places team members in the position of
Chief Marketing Officer. Teams then create and implement new and
improved marketing strategies and re-branding techniques. Each week,
teams make new decisions and adjustments to the original plans in
an effort to make it to number 1! Plaques and cash prizes will be
awarded to the teams finishing in the top 4 nationally.
Deadline for registration is September 18, 2006.
Get your chapter team signed up today! For more information about
BOSS or to register your team today contact Shelly at 414-328-1952
or email at shelly.rensberger@pse.org.
Over $1000 to be given away in Cash Prizes!
1st Place Team: $500 and Plaque
2nd Place Team: $300 and Plaque
3rd Place Team: $200 and Plaque
4th Place Team: $100 and Plaque
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