PSE Pro-Am Sell-A-Thon

PSE Pro-Am Sell-A-Thon celebrates our 15th Year 1992-2007

PSE PRO-AM SELL-A-THON SPONSORED BY VECTOR MARKETING, HUTHWAITE, INC., KODAK AND NORTHWESTERN MUTUAL FINANCIAL NETWORK

Vector Marketing, Huthwaite, Inc., Kodak and Northwestern Mutual Financial Network have joined forces with the PSE National Educational Foundation to develop the selling skills of college students by sponsoring PSE’s annual Pro-Am Sell-A-Thon.

The Pro-Am Sell-A-Thon is an annual sales competition for collegiates. It is held by PSE at its six fall regional conferences and its annual National Sales and Marketing Convention.

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® by Huthwaite 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

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 in the 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.

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

On Site Information to Plan for the Pro-Am

Regional Conferences: Click here for a schedule at the regional conferences.

National Convention: Click here for a schedule at the National Convention.

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.”

WHO IS HUTHWAITE, INC.?

Leveraging more than three decades of documented client results, Huthwaite has emerged as the leading sales performance and change management firm in the world. Building upon our prestigious research legacy, broad subject matter expertise, and success-based sales models—including SPIN Selling® and the Buying Cycle™—Huthwaite has developed a proven approach to change management based on a process of continuous organizational improvement.

The Huthwaite approach integrates training and implementation strategies to cultivate critical competence across the enterprise, empowering clients to effectuate lasting organizational change, positively influence their marketplace and improve business outcomes.

Our ability to attribute “hard” measures to “soft” skills means that we don’t just have the knowledge to change behavior, but that we can accurately quantify the impact of that change as well.

WHO IS KODAK?

Kodak is the world's foremost imaging innovator. Kodak's Graphic Communications Group, one of Kodak's strategic business units, provides technologies, products, and services that help print providers streamline processes, optimize efficiencies, broaden services, and improve the quality of their printing. As a major force in transforming the graphic arts industry from analog to digital, you see the results of our technology every day as magazines, catalogs, newspapers, books, brochures, packaging, and transactional statements.

Kodak helps businesses all over the world deliver a complete print communications strategy. One of the most expansive portfolios in the market includes solutions for digital printing, workflow, repress,
high-volume and wide-format inkjet printing, and document imaging. For more information, visit www.graphics.kodak.com

WHO IS NORTHWESTERN MUTUAL FINANCIAL NETWORK?

For over 150 years, Northwestern Mutual has consistently focused on one ambition: to do the right thing for the people who put their trust in us. The products and services offered through carefully selected subsidiaries and affiliates, offer a network of solutions to address needs for financial security and protection, capital accumulation, asset distribution and estate preservation. As a mutual company, Northwestern Mutual exists for the benefit of its policyowners and clients, helping them protect against financial risk and achieve financial security. Northwestern Mutual was voted as “America’s Most Admired” life/health insurer in 2007 by Fortune magazine.

Their world-renowned internship program provides outstanding career opportunities to college students who want to “test drive” a career in sales. Northwestern Mutual Financial Network has been named a Top 10 Internship in America for 12 consecutive years according to Vault, Inc. 2008 edition. The financial representative intern position is an opportunity to build your own business while providing financial security for clients.

These representatives provide expert guidance and innovative solutions to clients to develop a customized plan that meets longterm financial goals. Full-time financial representative positions are
also available.