Collegiate sales competitions provide an excellent opportunity for students who are interested in pursuing a career in sales to develop their communication and presentation skills in a highly competitive environment. These events also enable students to network with recruiters and peers from across North America. Corporate partners who sponsor these events have the opportunity to find the brightest and best sales talent and contribute to sales education.

Within the competition, students engage in role plays with business executives. The role play is evaluated and scored on various aspects of the sales call, including approach and overall communication effectiveness and the ability to gather information, identify needs, provide information, present solutions, resolve concerns and gain a commitment.

Notable records:

  • Elon has been represented at more than 15 sales competitions across the country since 2010.
  • Elon sales students have represented the university three times at the World Collegiate Sales Open, placing in the top three for their events each time.
  • The Elon Sales Team has placed in the Top 10 at the International Collegiate Sales Competition three times since 2012.
  • Sales team members have consistently placed in the top three during the Russ Berrie Institute National Sales Challenge events.

Networking with companies based in various locations across the nation, jumping into a judged sales role play with a sales professional, and spending time outside the classroom with my professors provided me with an experience I will always draw from and look back upon with a smile.

Sophie Pearson ’17

Elon Sales Team

Students who participate on the Elon Sales Team sharpen their selling skills, improve their ability to adapt to changing environments, network with top employers and have fun competing against peers at rival schools. Throughout the weeks leading up to the sales competitions, students benefit from intense coaching sessions that prepare them not only for the upcoming competitions but also to succeed in a sales career. For more information on the Elon Sales Team, contact Kim Phipps.

The National Collegiate Sales Competition allowed me to improve my sales skills in a highly competitive environment and to network with sales professionals and peers from some of the top sales programs in the country. Interacting with sales professionals while being thrown in to a challenging situation gave me the ability to hone in where my strong suits are and understand what weaknesses I can improve.

Sharin Gerstenberger ’16