BY ANNA KURTH
L…ADING TH… WAY
PROF…SSIONAL S…LLING PROGRAM PR…PAR…S STUD…NTS TO B… L…AD…RS 14
Selling is an evolving field and the need for professional sellers is more important than ever as technology, the internet and social media converge. Sales education is also evolving quickly, and St. Cloud State University’s Professional Selling Specialization is among those leading the way. Launched in 2014, the certificate program has graduated more than 200 students and now attracts almost 100 students each year. Well trained sales professionals are vital for industry because professional selling is one of the largest distribution expenses a company makes — more than is spent on advertising, said Dr. Denny Bristow, who leads a team of passionate faculty that works every day to prepare their students for the field. “It’s critical for companies to have a top line, a revenue line, and sales is what brings in that revenue line,” said Associate Professor Dave Titus. “No one can survive without a revenue line. One thing I teach in my first class is that without sales, we have nothing.” St. Cloud State’s program is a combination of experiential learning and direct connections with industry partners. It’s a combination that’s working for students and employers. The program has almost 100 percent job placement. Graduates have gone into logistics, financial markets, and banking. They are becoming leaders in their companies. St. Cloud State sales students are trained how to build a relationship with their clients. The main skills the program teaches are communication and the sales process. HT TP S://TODAY.STCLOUDSTATE.EDU/MAG | SPRING / SUMMER 2021
“Don’t refer to them as sales people,” Bristow said. “They’re problem solvers for these clients.” Sales professionals need to have in-depth knowledge of the field they are working in and what their company has to offer in terms of products, offers and services. They need critical thinking skills, he said. Pharmaceutical and surgical representatives are sometimes pulled into the operating room with physicians and surgeons asking whether they are using the equipment correctly. “These students need to be so well organized, and they need to be willing to continuously learn,” Bristow said. “The environment is changing every single day. They need to stay on top of that — knowing about the industry, pricing models, channels of distribution, new product development, that will help them be better sales people.” Titus saw that first hand during his 30-year career in sales before joining St. Cloud State in 2014 as the sales program was re-
It’s critical for companies to have a top line, a revenue line, and sales is what brings in that revenue line. ... One thing I teach in my first class is that without sales, we have nothing. – DAVE TITUS, ASSOCIATE PROFESSOR, SALES EDUCATION
