MANHATTAN — The Kansas State University Sales Team competed in the National Collegiate Sales Competition March 3-6, 2023, and finished in 17th place out of 144 competitors from 72 universities.
The competition was hosted by Kennesaw State University in Kennesaw, Georgia, with Gartner as the 2023 product sponsor. More than 30 companies were present and looking to hire the next generation of sales talent.
Two students from the K-State Sales Team competed in the role-play competition: Hunter Hartner, junior in professional strategic selling, Belleville; and Lydia Johnson, senior in professional strategic selling and Spanish, Prior Lake, Minnesota.
Taylor Moorman, sophomore in professional strategic selling, Emporia, was selected as the student alternate. Moorman traveled with the team and competed in speed selling events.
Students competed in role-play scenarios selling Gartner for High Tech Leaders to various industries. Each role-play was 20 minutes long, and students were tasked with uncovering the needs of the prospect through effective questioning and then presenting to the prospect the value Gartner could provide them in their current situation. Both Hartner and Johnson advanced to the quarterfinals, placing 29th and 36th respectively in the competition.
This year, the National Collegiate Sales Competition, or NCSC, celebrated its 25th anniversary. The NCSC is the largest and longest-running university sales role-play competition in existence. It provides a venue for dedicated collegiate sales students to improve their skills and pursue career opportunities with top professional sales organizations.
“I want to thank Terry Loe, professor of marketing at Kennesaw State University and executive director of the National Collegiate Sales Competition, as well as the rest of the Kennesaw State University team, Gartner and many others for providing this opportunity for our students,” said Kellie Jackson, sales team coach. “I’m extremely proud of our students’ efforts and hard work leading up to and during the competition. This competition truly represents the best upcoming sales talent and is a great opportunity to not only develop their skills but network with both peers and professionals.”
The K-State Sales Team is in the College of Business Administration’s National Strategic Selling Institute, which has been named one of the top sales programs in the country for eleven straight years by the Sales Education Foundation. The team consists of students who are enrolled in the certificate or major in professional strategic selling.
In the fall of 2018, Kansas State University became just the 19th university in the U.S. to offer a major in professional strategic selling. Students can also earn a certificate in professional strategic selling, which is open to all majors at the university. The professional strategic selling program introduces students to the fundamentals of sales, and the innovative curriculum and sales labs allow students to develop the skills needed to be successful.
The K-State Sales Team will be competing in several competitions throughout the school year across the country. For more information on the National Strategic Selling Institute or the K-State Sales Team, please contact kstatesalesprogram@k-state.edu.
