A few years back I had the opportunity to teach at Clemson University. A friend and peer was retiring. We met at a recruiting event on campus and he asked if I might be willing to take over his sales class. I agreed and a great personal chapter was put in motion.
Not every student had their mind made up to sell. Some needed hours and the slot worked. A few had successful parents in sales. Others suspected sales skills could come in handy regardless of the career they chose. They were as diverse as the typical sales team.
On the first day of class, I assigned each student a printing company. They were an “employee” of that company as far as class was concerned. It was their responsibility to research their employer, learn what they could and approach every assignment through the eyes of the assigned company.
Let me share that this, alone, pointed out leaders. Every student hit the web. They all knew how to launch Google and read what was shared. More than a few described their printer with cut and paste language.
But some did more. One lady called her assigned company and asked for a sales rep. When the rep answered she shared who she was and why she was calling. Another asked for and was granted a tour.
The printers were happy to help. One rep explained what working for a printing company was like. She described a day in sales. She provided insight on what she liked and didn’t like about selling. The students were encouraged to call back anytime they had more questions.
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