From left: Sales team coach and clinical professor of marketing Howard Dover worked with sales team competitors Monica Raofpur and Sarah Kienle, who are both seniors.
The UT Dallas Naveen Jindal School of Management Professional Sales Team had a strong finish in its first year as an organization, with members placing in the top 10 in a recent worldwide competition.
Seniors Sarah Kienle and Monica Raofpur finished fifth and ninth respectively at the World Collegiate Sales Open Feb. 21-23 at Northern Illinois University.
The pair advanced through three elimination rounds in a field that started in the fall with more than 120 entrants. The 20 finalists were required to leave professional sales voice mails, deliver two “elevator pitches” while riding in a working elevator, promote themselves at a “reverse job fair” and complete at least two role-plays in an effort to close a business-to-business sale.
Kienle placed second in the elevator pitch, third in the appointment-call challenge and third in the telephone sales call.
“I was a little nervous when we first arrived, but I knew all the hours practicing had prepared us for what was to come,” she said. “After the role play, voice mail, appointment call and elevator pitch, we proceeded to the reverse job fair. This was a chance for our judges – many of whom were from industry – to really get to know us, to show what we had done to prepare for the competition and to share what we hoped to accomplish in our careers. I ended up with numerous contacts and job leads.”
Raofpur tied for third place at the reverse job fair.
“We’ve had a great first year. Our amazing students have worked hard and quickly established UT Dallas as the place in North Texas to find sales talent.”
Dr. Howard Dover,
sales team coach and professor of marketing
“This competition helped me experience a day in the life of a sales professional,” Raofpur said. “It showed me how there are ups and downs, but you can't let that get to you. Regardless of what happens or what the issue may be, you have to keep on going. Attitude is everything.”
Team members also competed at the International Collegiate Sales Competition last fall at Florida State University. UT Dallas closed its first season by fielding a team at the recent National Collegiate Sales Open at Kennesaw State University, just north of Atlanta.
Sales team coach and clinical professor of marketing Howard Dover PhD’08, who coordinates the growing sales curriculum at the Jindal School, called the inaugural season “remarkable.”
“We’ve had a great first year. Our amazing students have worked hard and quickly established UT Dallas as the place in North Texas to find sales talent,” Dover said. “We look forward to expanding to include more UT Dallas students and more corporate partners next year.”
Sales courses are open to any UT Dallas student who has completed the appropriate pre-requisite classes. Concentrations are available to those seeking bachelor’s and master’s degrees.