PRO-AM SELL-A-THON
The PSE Pro-Am Sell-A-Thon® is a year-long sales competition
held at the PSE fall Regional Conferences and the annual
PSE NEF National Sales and Marketing Convention.
“I recently joined PSE this semester at Kennesaw State University and competed in the Pro-Am in Athens. I would just like to extend my gratitude for putting this event together. I learned a lot about how to implement the selling process this weekend. It was also a great networking opportunity with companies and other sales majors.”
PSE Pro-Am Key Objectives
• Emphasize the importance selling skills play in everyday life.
• Dispel negative perceptions associated with selling.
• Many students enter the workforce in a sales capacity; therefore provide a program that demonstrates real life selling situations.
• Provide a vehicle to teach students about selling in a logical, process-oriented approach.
• Involve professional salespeople in the program to mentor and coach these students during the program to provide real life sales experiences.
• Provide a program that allows students to compete in real life selling situations with all of the variables of a real life situation.
PSE Student Learning Objectives
• Appreciate the role of the sales professional.
• Comprehend the Sales Process in a B2B setting.
• 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
Only Pi Sigma Epsilon college students from a recognized PSE Chapter are eligible to compete. Students choose to participate in the program when they register online at www.pse.org for their Regional Conference and/or the PSE National Convention.
Students are then directed to review the licensed Carew sales training modules. These are the same three sales modules that Carew provides to its sales professionals and are mandatory for all participants to review.
After reviewing the required materials, the students make a telephone call requesting an appointment with the designated company buyer. Next, the competition moves to the fall regional conference. In the morning of the regional conference, a Carew certified trainer will review the Carew sales methodology for the students and coaches, who are sales professionals. These professionals will spend 1.5 hours mentoring and critiquing the student on his/her prepared 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 video recorded so that the student can review it at the end of the event. The students receive immediate judges’ verbal feedback, and it is also recorded. On Saturday night of either the regional or national competitions, the students will receive their written feedback from the judges.
If the student is competing at the National Convention, they will need to make another telephone call to a different buyer and respond to an email proposal. If they had not reviewed the 3 sales modules, the student will need to do that as well. The final step is to compete in the sales competition at the PSE National Convention.
Scenarios for 2016
PSE Fall Regional Conference: Liberty Mutual Product/Service
PSE National Convention: Vector Marketing/Cutco Product
In each of these activities, the student receives points for his/her efforts and after the National Convention role-play sales call, the points are added to determine the national PSE Pro-Am Sell-a-Thon® winners for the year.
Point Assignment for each of the following:
1 to 10 points – Student makes a phone call to set the appointment and graded on criteria
5 points – Regional Conference Participation
10, 20 or 30 points – Regional Conference Placement (10 points to a finalist, 20 points to 2nd place, 30 points to 1st place. Those who place do not get both points for being a finalist and placing)
Student registers for the National Convention
0 to 60 points – Email Proposal submitted and graded on criteria that includes the message of the email
1 to 10 points – Student makes a phone call to set the appointment and graded on criteria
20 or 60 points – 1st through 5th places are assigned, points are given for their performance at Nationals.
PLEASE NOTE THE DUE DATES FOR THE PRO-AM POINTS ON THE PRO AM TRAINING PAGE. Any late submissions will be given zero points. No exceptions!
Prizes for the Pro-Am Competition:
Regional Conference: At each of the regional conferences, the first and second place winners will receive:
Second Place: Trophy
Complimentary PSE National Convention
registration packet ($275 value)
Recognition at the PSE National Convention
First Place: All of the above
Roundtrip airfare to the PSE National
Convention or if driving, reimbursement for
transportation expenses National Convention
Prizes: Trophy, plus
National Convention Prizes: Trophy, plus
Cash Awards are given as follows for the Yearlong Competition:
Fifth Place of the Yearlong competition – $500
Fourth Place of the Yearlong competition – $750
Third Place of the Yearlong competition – $1,000
Second Place of the Yearlong competition – $1,250
First Place of the Yearlong competition – $1,500
Prizes are given as follows for the National Convention competition only:
Top salesperson of the day at the PSE National Convention – Tom James Suit ($1,000 value)
Multiview will be awarding cash for the Top 5 “Best of the Day”
For additional questions, please email Joan.Rogala@pse.org or call PSE HQ at 414-328-1952.
WHAT IS THE ROLE OF A SALES COACH/JUDGE AT THE REGIONAL CONFERENCE?
As a sales coach, you are required to review the Carew materials, sales scenario and criteria provided to you. You may either choose to review the Carew modules of review the webinar on coaching and judging created by Carew. Once you register, more information will be provided.
We then ask that you commit to a Friday morning at a PSE regional conference in your area. At the conference, a Carew certified sales professional will review the materials. You will then be paired up with no more than two students. You will work with the students during the remainder of the morning on developing and/or refining their sales call. Your goals are to:
1. To guide one to two students through the sales scenario.
2. To practice the 12 minute sales call.
3. To offer constructive feedback and suggestions.
4. To answer questions and provide advice.
As a Judge, we ask that you commit to stay at the conference after lunch. 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.
To register as a coach only or a coach/judge for a PSE Regional Conference, please indicate your preference when you register for your regional conference.