Strategic Sales Certificate
Why Consider the Strategic Sales Certificate?
Professional business-to-business sales in an increasingly important field to study - and an emerging opportunity or college students.
- A growing industry - employment of sales managers is projected to grow 6% from 2023 to 2033, faster than the average for all occupations.
- A career launching point - over half of all college graduates - and 88% of marketing graduates - start their career in sales.
- Proven job success - University sales programs achieve job placement rates above 90%, exceeding the national average of 76% for all business majors
Program Requirements:
- The certificate will include four, 3-credit-hour courses for a total of 12 credits.
- Overlap with the major degree program of student (for students completing the marketing specialization): A maximum of 50% of the credit required for the certificate may overlap with the major degree program.
Required Courses & Delivery
Prerequisites:
BUSML 3150 - College Algebra (Math 1116/1130/1148 or equivalent or higher) or placement M or L; AND Microeconomics (ECON 2001.01 or equivalent)
BUSML 3250 - Microeconomics (ECON 2001.01 or equivalent) AND Macroeconomics (ECON 2002.01 or equivalent)
These are introductory courses for business majors (3250) and business minors (3150) that share the foundational and connecting elements of sales and marketing. Students must complete either of these courses as a prerequisite for the following course - BUSML 4223.
Key Topics:
- Marketing segmentation and targeting: Knowing the customer "job to be done"
- Brand/Product positioning
- 4P's: Product, Price, Place, Promotion
- Personal selling
Prerequisites: BUSML 3150 or BUSML 3250 and BUSMHR 2292
This course covers the basics of business-to-business professional selling and provides core sales management building blocks. It emphasizes the importance of building relationships and adding substantial value to customers. It combines theory and practice to learn the selling and buying process, salesforce structure, recruitment, selection, training, compensation, ethical concerns, questioning strategies, active listening skills, earning commitment, closing and introduction to key sales tools. Guest lecturers bring real-world perspectives and insights into critical skills and strategies required for B2B sales success.
Course Learning Outcomes:
- Gain first-hand experience in developing professional sales skills, identifying and adding value for the client, and developing customer needs using sales simulation
- Develop collaborative skills and expertise as a part of a team in a selling environment
- Develop critical analysis and problem-solving abilities for managing strategic B2B sales and sales management
- Earn a professional sales simulated internship certificate
Key Topics:
- Trust-Based Selling
- Value-Based Selling
- Prospecting
- Forecasting and pipeline
- Compensation basics
- Ethics in sales
- Basic Simulated Accreditation
Prerequisites - BUSML 4223
This course expands on the foundations course with more advanced concepts and skillsets. The course is designed to prepare students for successful careers in strategic B2B sales and sales leadership. Students will build on foundational learnings with deeper analysis of the key skills necessary for success individually and as leaders of sales teams. Guest lecturers bring real-world case studies that enable students to consider key factors in selecting and executing effective sales strategies in complex opportunities. Students will also be introduced to key sales tools with an opportunity to earn certifications.
Course Learning Outcomes:
- Experiential practice in value-based, enterprise B2B selling through real-world case scenarios and guided instruction from guest lecturer sales leaders, as well as through text case work designed to uncover opportunities and challenges in sales
- Instructor-guided discussions about complex B2B sales elements, including the practice of persuasion; organizational business to business buying; sales call planning and needs audit discovery; overcoming objections and handling difficult questions; conducting demonstrations and presenting solutions; advancing the sale and reaching mutually beneficial agreements; and customer impact and a perpetual persuasion strategy
- Instructor-guided learning of Microsoft Dynamics CRM and Microsoft Co-pilot for Sales. Students have the option to complete the certification paths for these tools and earn credentials and extra course credit.
Key Topics:
- Advanced Value Selling
- Griffin Hill Sales Process Accreditation
- Role play experiences
- Real-world sales case study evaluations
Optional Microsoft Dynamics learning path certifications
Prerequisites: BUSML 4223
This course centers on the practical application of concepts through in-class role-play activities and sales internship simulations that are completed outside of class, with guided instruction and discussion happening in class. This course covers advanced principles of the Value Selling sales methodology through a simulated internship, in-class discussion and professional selling role-play activities. The course also covers principles of strategic and complex B2B sales and sales leadership, including questioning, handling objections, negotiation and closing, hiring and coaching sellers.
Course Learning Outcomes:
- Learn Value Selling key principles and the Executive Buying Formula
- Prepare for client meetings using a Value Prompter
- Practice Value Selling through role play activities
- Analyze key stakeholders to determine sales prospects
- Create and use a value proposition to sell to an ideal customer profile
- Establish a sales cadence
- Reach out to various prospects via email and social media
- Engage prospects in video emails and phone calls
- Perform discovery calls using the SPIN and Challenger sales method
- Overcome prospect objections and complaints
- Negotiate deals with customers
- Review and critique resumes and CRM data
- Review and critique seller prospecting emails