One of the main assignments in the class Selling Principles is the selling project. Students work on this project throughout the semester, and it is a large part of students overall grade. It allows scholars to learn the selling process hands on, rather than reading it out of a textbook. Western programs provide students with the essential experience employers seek.

Conducting marketing research on possible clients to sell products to is the first step in the selling project. The research phase is very important, because finding the best prospect to sell to will make the chances of the client accepting a deal more probable. Market research lowers the possibility of a sales rejection; thus, it will help move the selling process along faster. Gathering possible prospects information, and ranking them from most likely to least likely will weed out the best possible prospect to contact. It is also a good idea to save the prospect list to make changes to, and to add on new prospects for the future.

Needs Discovery Meeting

The next step in the selling project is to contact the best possible prospect for a “Needs Discovery Meeting”. This email should be professionally written, because it is the first time the prospect will be contacted. Once the buyer agrees to the Needs Discovery Meeting, the seller must form an outline of questions to ask the buyer. In this meeting the buyer will do most of the talking, while the seller asks all of the questions. The Needs Discovery meeting will be videotaped, and will be conducted in front of the class to the instructor (buyer). Have fun with this meeting, and don’t get too nervous. Treat the meeting like a conversation, and relax. Speaking from personal experience, the meeting is a great way to practice interview questioning skills.

Sales Meeting

After the Needs Discovery meeting is over, the seller should have gained important buyer need information. Then, the seller should find the best possible product that fits the buyer’s needs. The final step in the selling project is to have a final “Sales Meeting”. This meeting will also be videotaped just like the first one. The seller will do most of the talking in the sales meeting, while the buyer will ask most of the questions. Showing the buyer what product will best fit their needs, and why is the whole point of this meeting. At the end of the meeting the buyer should have a clear understanding of the product, and the business terms that go along with a purchase. This is the final step, and it is very exciting.

Looking back at this class Selling Principles as a former student, I appreciated doing this project the most. It simulates real world selling, from a professional seller. This class is required for the Marketing Program, and for the Marketing Certificate. The class has a fun atmosphere, because everyone is learning the sales process together. In addition, this class is right for all types of students which includes traditional, non-traditional, and transfer students. This class is especially useful for non-traditional students, because it will help students get back into the swing of school. It is always good to step out of your comfort zone, and it feels great to excel at something that was once thought to be hard.

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